Jack Kent Cooke (25 October, 1912 - 6 April, 1997) was a Canadian entrepreneur who became one of the most widely-known executives in North American professional sports. He is particularly remembered for owning the Washington Redskins and the Los Angeles Lakers, bringing professional ice hockey to Southern California in the form of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, and building the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, the former home of the Lakers and Kings and one of L.A.'s most recognizable landmarks.

Born in Stratford, Ontario, Cooke started out as an encyclopedia salesman in the 1930s. He then ventured into broadcasting before expanding into sports with his purchase of the Washington Redskins. He later bought the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA as well.

Being a Canadian, Cooke's first love was ice hockey, and he was determined to bring the NHL to Los Angeles. To this end, when the Pacific Coast Hockey League , which maintained franchises in California, threatened to become a major league and compete for the Stanley Cup, Cooke paid the NHL $2 million to establish a team in L.A. Thus, the Los Angeles Kings were welcomed into the League in 1967, as part of the so-called Expansion Six.

In order to accommodate his new hockey team as well as the Lakers, Cooke announced that he would be building "the most beautiful arena in the world". He delivered on his promise, unveiling the Great Western Forum in the L.A. suburb of Inglewood to rave reviews.

As owner of the Redskins, Cooke's team won three Super Bowls, under Head Coach Joe Gibbs. After Gibbs left the Redskins experienced some mediocre years before his death. In 1997, Cooke completed a stadium deal in Landover, Maryland, for a new home for his team. The stadium was posthumously named in honor of Cooke, but was later changed to FedEx Field. After his death, Cooke's son, John Kent Cooke, sold the team to Daniel Snyder.

Cooke died of cardiac arrest in 1997, and established the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation to help struggling people achieve the same success that he enjoyed.

External links

• The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation