Former Kentucky governor, NBA Celtics owner John Y. Brown dies

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — John Y. Brown Jr., who became Kentucky’s governor after building empires in business and sports, has died. He was 88.

Brown’s family said in a release Tuesday that “every day was an exciting adventure” for the former Democratic governor, who served from 1979 to 1983.

Brown had been a leading Democratic fundraiser in the 1970s by the time he made his own run for public office. He also acquired an international reputation as a master salesman. Kentucky Fried Chicken was a string of small- town restaurants before Brown turned it into a global enterprise and a household name. He also had owned three professional basketball teams, including the Boston Celtics.