Lamar Hunt
Cover of Kansas City Chiefs' 2007 Media Guide
Date of birth	2 August 1932(1932-08-02)
Place of birth	El Dorado, Arkansas
Date of death	13 December 2006 (aged 74)
Place of death	Dallas, Texas
Position(s)	Founder of the American Football League (1960-69) Co-Founder of the North American Soccer League (1967-84) Founder/owner of Chicago Bulls Charter Investor of Major League Soccer Founder/owner of Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs Founder/owner of Columbus Crew Owner of FC Dallas Founder/previous owner of Kansas City Wizards
College	Southern Methodist
Honors	Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (est.1914) Oldest U.S. sports tournament now named for him National Soccer Hall of Fame HOF inductee 1982 HOF Medal of Honor 1999
Team(s) as a coach/administrator
1967-1981 1994-2006 1995-2006 2003-2006 1959-1962 1963-1969 1970-2006	Dallas Tornado (NASL) Columbus Crew (MLS) Kansas City Wizards (MLS) FC Dallas (MLS) Dallas Texans (AFL) Kansas City Chiefs (AFL) Kansas City Chiefs (NFL)
Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1972

Lamar Hunt (August 2, 1932 – December 13, 2006) was a promoter of American football, soccer, tennis, basketball, and ice hockey in the United States and an inductee of the first three sports' halls of fame. He was one of the founders of the American Football League (AFL) and Major League Soccer (MLS), as well as MLS predecessor the North American Soccer League (NASL). He was also the founder and owner of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, and at his death owned two MLS teams, Columubs Crew and FC Dallas. The oldest annual team tournament in the U.S. in any sport, soccer's U.S. Open Cup (founded 1914) now bears his name in honor of his pioneering role in that sport stateside. In Kansas City, Hunt also helped establish the Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun theme parks. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972; into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1982; and into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993. The National Soccer Hall of Fame bestowed upon Hunt their Medal of Honor in 1999, an award given to only 3 recipients in history thus far. He was married for 42 years to second wife Norma, and had four children, Clark, Sharron, Lamar Jr. and Daniel Image File history File links Size of this preview: 385 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (700 × 1089 pixel, file size: 1. ... City Kansas City, Missouri Team colors Red, white and yellow Head Coach Herman Edwards Owner The Hunt Family (Clark Hunt, chairman)[1] General manager Carl Peterson Mascot K.C. Wolf (1989-present) Warpaint (1963-1988) League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Western Division (1960-1969) National Football League... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... El Dorado (pronounced to rhyme with tornado (IPA: [εl doˈreɪdoÊŠ] or [εl dəˈreɪdÉ™])) is a city in Union County, Arkansas, USA. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 20,467. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dallas redirects here. ... A diagram showing typical football positions In American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time. ... This is a list of athletic conferences of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). ... Dallas Hall at Dedman College at SMU The Laura Lee Blanton Hall during a rare snow storm Southern Methodist University (commonly SMU) is a nationally recognized, private, coeducational university in University Park, Texas (an enclave of Dallas). ... The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an American soccer competition open to all United States Soccer Federation(USSF) affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams all the way up to the top professional clubs of Major League Soccer. ... The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a hall of fame located in Oneonta, New York that honors the best American soccer players, and individuals who have helped build the sport in the United States. ... The Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based out of Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981 Their home fields were Cotton Bowl and Texas Stadium. ... Year founded 1994 League Major League Soccer Nickname The Crew, Americas Hardest Working Team Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus, OH Coach Sigi Schmid Owner Clark Hunt First Game Columbus Crew 4–0 D.C. United (Ohio Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Columbus Crew 6–1 New England Revolution... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Wizards Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Kansas City, MO Coach Curt Onalfo Owner OnGoal, LLC. First Game Kansas City Wiz 3–0 Colorado Rapids (Arrowhead Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Kansas City Wizards 6–0 MetroStars (Arrowhead Stadium; June 20, 1999) Worst Defeat... Year founded 1995 as Dallas Burn League Major League Soccer Nickname Hoops, FCD, Toros, The Red Stripes Stadium Pizza Hut Park Frisco, TX Coach Steve Morrow Owner Clark Hunt First Game Dallas Burn 0–0 San Jose Clash (Cotton Bowl; April 14, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 5–0 Kansas... Dallas Texans has been the name of various American football teams. ... City Kansas City, Missouri Team colors Red, white and yellow Head Coach Herman Edwards Owner The Hunt Family (Clark Hunt, chairman)[1] General manager Carl Peterson Mascot K.C. Wolf (1989-present) Warpaint (1963-1988) League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Western Division (1960-1969) National Football League... City Kansas City, Missouri Team colors Red, white and yellow Head Coach Herman Edwards Owner The Hunt Family (Clark Hunt, chairman)[1] General manager Carl Peterson Mascot K.C. Wolf (1989-present) Warpaint (1963-1988) League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Western Division (1960-1969) National Football League... See also: 1971 in sports, other events of 1972, 1973 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: February 20: A.J. Foyt won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Richard Petty Indianapolis 500 - Mark Donohue USAC Racing - Joe Leonard won the season championship Formula... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... A player (wearing the red kit) has penetrated the defence (in the white kit) and is taking a shot at goal. ... For other uses, see Tennis (disambiguation). ... This article is about the sport. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... Walhalla temple, Germany A hall of fame (sometimes HOF) is a type of museum established for any a field of endeavour to honour individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field. ... The American Football League (AFL) was a professional football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when all of its teams were absorbed into the National Football League (NFL). ... Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada. ... North American Soccer League or (NASL) was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. ... NFL redirects here. ... City Kansas City, Missouri Team colors Red, white and yellow Head Coach Herman Edwards Owner The Hunt Family (Clark Hunt, chairman)[1] General manager Carl Peterson Mascot K.C. Wolf (1989-present) Warpaint (1963-1988) League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Western Division (1960-1969) National Football League... Year founded 1995 as Dallas Burn League Major League Soccer Nickname Hoops, FCD, Toros, The Red Stripes Stadium Pizza Hut Park Frisco, TX Coach Steve Morrow Owner Clark Hunt First Game Dallas Burn 0–0 San Jose Clash (Cotton Bowl; April 14, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 5–0 Kansas... Sports in the United States, as in other countries, are an important part of the national culture. ... The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an American soccer competition open to all United States Soccer Federation(USSF) affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams all the way up to the top professional clubs of Major League Soccer. ... Nickname: Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of Missouri. ... Worlds of Fun (WOF) is an amusement park in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. ... Oceans of Fun is a water park that opened on May 31, 1982 in Kansas City, Missouri. ... The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of the National Football League (NFL). ... See also: 1971 in sports, other events of 1972, 1973 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: February 20: A.J. Foyt won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Richard Petty Indianapolis 500 - Mark Donohue USAC Racing - Joe Leonard won the season championship Formula... The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a hall of fame located in Oneonta, New York that honors the best American soccer players, and individuals who have helped build the sport in the United States. ... See also: 1981 in sports, other events of 1982, 1983 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: NASCAR Championship - Darrell Waltrip Bobby Allison won the Daytona 500 CART Racing - Rick Mears won the season championship Indianapolis 500 - Gordon Johncock Formula One Champion - Keke... The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit tennis hall of fame and museum at the Newport Casino in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. // The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the history of tennis, inspiring and encouraging junior tennis development, enshrining... See also: 1992 in sports, other events of 1993, 1994 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Athletics February 11 - Irina Privalova sets a new womens 60m indoors world record August 13 - August 22 - World Championships held in Stuttgart Auto Racing Stock car racing: Dale Jarrett won...

Early life

Hunt was born in El Dorado, Arkansas, the son of oil tycoon H. L. Hunt and younger brother of tycoon Nelson Bunker Hunt. Lamar was raised in Dallas, Texas. He graduated from The Hill School in Pennsylvania in 1950 and Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 1956, with a B.S. degree in geology. Hunt was a college football player who rode the bench but was still an avid sports enthusiast during his time in college and throughout his entire childhood. While attending SMU Hunt joined the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and in 1972 was named "man of the year". El Dorado (pronounced to rhyme with tornado (IPA: [εl doˈreɪdoÊŠ] or [εl dəˈreɪdÉ™])) is a city in Union County, Arkansas, USA. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 20,467. ... A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a mogul, tycoon, or industrialist is a person who controls a large portion of a particular industry and whose wealth derives primarily from this control. ... Haroldson Lafayette Hunt, Jr. ... Nelson Bunker Hunt (born February 22, 1926, in El Dorado, Arkansas) is an American businessman. ... Dallas redirects here. ... This article is about the boarding school in Pennsylvania. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dallas Hall at Dedman College at SMU The Laura Lee Blanton Hall during a rare snow storm Southern Methodist University (commonly SMU) is a nationally recognized, private, coeducational university in University Park, Texas (an enclave of Dallas). ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... A college football game between Colorado State and Air Force. ... ΚΣ (Kappa Sigma) is an international fraternity with currently over 200 chapters and colonies in North America. ...

Founding of the American Football League

On the strength of his great inherited oil wealth, Hunt applied for a National Football League expansion franchise but was turned down. In 1959, professional football was a distant second to Major League Baseball in popularity, and the thinking among NFL executives was that the league must be careful not to "oversaturate" the market by expanding too quickly.^[1] NFL redirects here. ... MLB and Major Leagues redirect here. ...

In response, in 1960 Hunt took the lead in forming the American Football League. He encouraged, wheedled, and cajoled seven other like-minded wealthy men to form this new league. The group of the eight founders of the AFL teams was referred to as the "Foolish Club." One of them, fellow Texan Bud Adams of Houston, had likewise tried but failed to be granted an NFL franchise. Hunt's goal was to bring professional football to Texas and to acquire an NFL team for the Hunt family. Hunt became owner of the Dallas Texans and hired future hall-of-famer Hank Stram as the team's first head coach. // December 4 — Fukuoka Marathon, Japan Mens Winner: Barry Magee (NZL) 2:19:04 Stock car racing: Junior Johnson won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Rex White Indianapolis 500 - Jim Rathmann USAC Racing - A.J. Foyt won the season championship Formula One Championship - Jack Brabham of Australia 24 hours of... The American Football League (AFL) was a professional football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when all of its teams were absorbed into the National Football League (NFL). ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Kenneth Stanley Bud Adams, Jr. ... “Houston” redirects here. ... City Kansas City, Missouri Team colors Red, white and yellow Head Coach Herman Edwards Owner The Hunt Family (Clark Hunt, chairman)[1] General manager Carl Peterson Mascot K.C. Wolf (1989-present) Warpaint (1963-1988) League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Western Division (1960-1969) National Football League... Hank Stram (January 3, 1923 – July 4, 2005), was an American Football coach. ...

Ownership and AFL/NFL merger

The Dallas Texans won the AFL Championship in 1962 over the 2-time defending champion Houston Oilers in the longest professional game ever played as of that time and were one of the most successful AFL teams in the league's early days. But the Texans' success failed to draw fans in large numbers, as the Texans had to compete for fan loyalty with their cross-town NFL rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. In 1963 Hunt began to consider moving the team. Kansas City quickly became one of the contending cities for the franchise. During cloak-and-dagger negotiating sessions, in order to convince Hunt to move the team to Kansas City, mayor H. Roe Bartle promised Hunt home attendance of 25,000 people per game. Hunt finally agreed to move the team to Kansas City and in 1963 the Dallas Texans became the Kansas City Chiefs. // World Artistic Gymnastics Championships Mens all-around champion: Yuri Titov, USSR Womens all-around champion: Larissa Latynina, USSR Team competition champions: mens - Japan; womens - USSR Seventh European Championships, held from September 12 to September 16 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia August 29 — Asian Games Marathon, Jakarta, Indonesia Men... City New Orleans, Louisiana Team colors Old Gold, Black, and White Head Coach Sean Payton Owner Tom Benson General manager Mickey Loomis Mascot Gumbo League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1967–present) Eastern Conference (1967-1969) Capitol Division (1967; 1969) Century Division (1968) National Football Conference (1970-present) NFC West... City Irving, Texas Other nicknames Americas Team, The Boys Team colors Silver, Navy Blue Head Coach Wade Phillips Owner Jerry Jones General manager Jerry Jones League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1960–present) Northern Conference (1960) Eastern Conference (1961-1966) Capitol Division (1967-1969) National Football Conference (1970-present... Nickname: Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of Missouri. ... Harold Roe Bennett Strudevant Bartle (June 25, 1901 - May 9, 1974) // General Description Using the word legend may be an understatement when talking about Harold Roe Bennett Sturdevant Bartle. ... // May 4 — Pan American Games Marathon, Sao Paulo, Brazil Mens Winner: Fidel Negrete (MEX) 2:27:56 July 13 — Enschede Marathon, Netherlands Mens Winner: Václav Chudomel (CZE) 2:25:11 October 15 — Fukuoka Marathon, Japan Mens Winner: Jeff Julian (NZL) 2:18:01 Stock car racing... City Kansas City, Missouri Team colors Red, white and yellow Head Coach Herman Edwards Owner The Hunt Family (Clark Hunt, chairman)[1] General manager Carl Peterson Mascot K.C. Wolf (1989-present) Warpaint (1963-1988) League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Western Division (1960-1969) National Football League...

In the Chiefs' early days, attendance did not match the expansive claims Mayor Bartle had made. But in 1966 average home attendance at Chiefs games picked up and reached 37,000. By 1969 -- aided by some very successful and entertaining teams -- Chiefs' home attendance had reached 51,000. In 1966 the Chiefs won their first AFL Championship and reached the first ever Super Bowl (a name coined by Hunt, who took it in part from the then popular toy, the Super Ball^[2])-- then called the “AFL-NFL Championship Game” -- where they lost to the Green Bay Packers. The Chiefs remained successful through the 1960s, and in 1970 the Chiefs reached the pinnacle of success, winning the AFL Championship and later went on to win Super Bowl IV (the last Super Bowl played when the AFL was a separate league prior to it being absorbed into the NFL as the American Football Conference) over the heavily-favored Minnesota Vikings. The Chiefs became an icon in Kansas City, and Hunt never considered moving the team again. See also: 1965 in sports, other events of 1966, 1967 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Richard Petty won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - David Pearson Indianapolis 500 - Graham Hill USAC Racing - Mario Andretti won the season championship Formula One Championship - Jack... Date January 15, 1967 Stadium Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum City Los Angeles MVP Bart Starr, Quarterback Favorite Packers by 14 National anthem University of Arizona and Grambling State University Bands Coin toss Norm Schachter Referee Norm Schachter Halftime show University of Arizona and Grambling State University Bands Attendance 61,946... SuperBall (originally Super Ball) is a toy, invented by Norman H. Stingley, and manufactured by Wham-O in 1965. ... Packers redirects here. ... See also: 1969 in sports, other events of 1970, 1971 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Pete Hamilton won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Bobby Isaac Indianapolis 500 - Al Unser, Sr. ... Date January 11, 1970 Stadium Tulane Stadium City New Orleans, Louisiana MVP Len Dawson, Quarterback Favorite Vikings by 12 1/2 National anthem Al Hirt Coin toss Game referee Referee John McDonough Halftime show Mardi Gras with Carol Channing Attendance 80,562 TV in the United States Network CBS Announcers... American Football Conference logo. ... City Minneapolis, Minnesota Other nicknames The Vikes, The Purple People Eaters Team colors Purple, Gold, and White Head Coach Brad Childress Owner Zygi Wilf General manager Rob Brzezinski Fight song Skol, Vikings Mascot Ragnar League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1961–present) Western Conference (1961-1969) Central Division (1967-1969...

The rosters of the AFL were always stocked with a certain number of players who would have excelled in any league -- and that number grew as the 1960s progressed. The best AFL coaches and owners, many of them new to the pro game, brought color, excitement and important new strategic and marketing ideas to pro football, which had often been dominated by play-calling which overrated the value of eliminating mistakes and underrated the element of surprise. While the NFL was always almost certainly the better league as a whole, the best teams of the AFL were increasingly the equals of any team in the NFL.

The AFL also substantially raised football players' salaries by frequently bidding against the NFL for the top college stars. It was the NFL's concern for containing salaries, more than anything else, that led a reluctant NFL to accept a merger between the two leagues in 1970. The older league could no longer claim to be far superior because by then the AFL champion New York Jets had defeated the vaunted Baltimore Colts of the NFL to win the Super Bowl. The Chiefs' triumph over the Vikings the following season further showcased the AFL's ability. City East Rutherford, New Jersey Other nicknames Gang Green, the Green and White, Jersey Jets Team colors Hunter green and white Head Coach Eric Mangini Owner Woody Johnson General manager Mike Tannenbaum League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Eastern Division (1960-1969) National Football League (1970–present) American... The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. ...

Today's "descendants" from the AFL, the Patriots, Bills, Jets, Titans, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, Dolphins and Bengals would not have existed if it hadn’t been for Lamar Hunt. What’s more, the NFL’s Cowboys, created specifically to drive the AFL out of Dallas, would not have existed. Neither would the Vikings, an NFL franchise that was given to Max Winter to pull out of the original eight-team American Football League; nor would the Falcons, which the NFL gave to Rankin Smith to deter him from the AFL’s Miami franchise. And neither would the Saints, whose franchise was granted by the NFL after certain Louisiana congressmen pushed the AFL-NFL merger to completion. Thus, fourteen professional football teams would not have existed in fourteen cities today, if Lamar Hunt had not had the vision and the courage to “fight the establishment”.

In 1972, Hunt became the first American Football League personage inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The trophy presented to each year's AFC Champions is named the Lamar Hunt Trophy. In 1984, Hunt was also inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of the National Football League (NFL). ... American Football Conference logo. ... See also: 1983 in sports, other events of 1984, 1985 in sports and the list of years in sports. Auto Racing Stock car racing: NASCAR Championship - Terry Labonte Cale Yarborough won the Daytona 500 Richard Petty won the 200th (and final) race of his career on July 4. ...

Hunt has also been influential in soccer and tennis, and has contributed to the growth of those sports in the US. He has been elected to the Halls of Fame of both sports. A player (wearing the red kit) has penetrated the defence (in the white kit) and is taking a shot at goal. ... For other uses, see Tennis (disambiguation). ...

The NASL: ownership and battles with the NFL

With much already accomplished in the world of American football, Hunt moved on in 1967 to help jump start soccer in the U.S. In 1966 he had become enthralled with the World Cup on TV, and when it was decided that new pro leagues were to be formed in the US, Hunt wanted to be one of the initial movers and shakers. For the club competition, see FIFA Club World Cup. ...

His team in the North American Soccer League was the Dallas Tornado, and they debuted in 1967 as a part of the USA:United Soccer Association. In a more fledgling version of what was occurring with the AFL and NFL, in 1968 a pro soccer merger took place to form the North American Soccer League. Eventually, the NASL reached 24 teams, and at times, the most popular teams such as the New York Cosmos occasionally outdrawing their NFL and MLB counterparts in the same cities on the same dates, although the soccer teams did not sustain such attendance levels. With Lamar Hunt as an active advocate for the sport and the league, his team the Dallas Tornado won the NASL championship in 1971 and were runners-up '73. North American Soccer League or (NASL) was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. ... The Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based out of Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981 Their home fields were Cotton Bowl and Texas Stadium. ... In 1967, two pro soccer leagues started in the United States: the FIFA-sanctioned United Soccer Association and the unsanctioned National Professional Soccer League. ... North American Soccer League or (NASL) was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. ... Nasl, or El Nasl, is one of the names given to the star Gamma-2 Sagittarii in the constellation Sagittarius NASL is a common abbreviation for the North American Soccer League, a defunct professional soccer league that operated between 1968 and 1984. ... The New York Cosmos (1971–1985), known simply as the Cosmos for the 1977 and 1978 seasons, were a soccer franchise based in New York City and its suburbs that operated in the North American Soccer League from 1971 to 1984. ... The Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based out of Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981 Their home fields were Cotton Bowl and Texas Stadium. ...

The NFL was not happy with Hunt's ownership in and promotion of pro soccer, a sport that was taking away attention and spectators from the American football game. The NFL attempted to force legal requirements that would disallow team ownership in more than one sport for owners of NFL franchises. This strategy backfired onto the NFL, and in fact, the NASL won an anti-trust case against the NFL. A primary benefactor of this outcome was Lamar Hunt, and his legacy of leadership and ownership of pro soccer in those times remains to this day.^[3]

Major League Soccer

Lamar Hunt was also one of the original founding investors of Major League Soccer, which debuted in 1996. This time he owned two teams: the Columbus Crew and the Kansas City Wizards. In 1999, Hunt financed the construction of the Columbus Crew Stadium, the first of several large soccer-specific stadiums in the USA. In 2003, Hunt purchased a third team, the Dallas Burn (now FC Dallas), after announcing that he would partially finance the construction of their own soccer-specific stadium. On 31 August 2006, Hunt sold the Wizards to a six-man ownership group led by Cerner Corporation co-founders Neal Patterson and Cliff Illig. // June 16 — Enschede Marathon, Netherlands Mens Winner: John Mandu (KEN) 2:15:14 Womens Winner: Mieke Pullen (NED) 2:41:13 July 28 — Olympic Marathon, Atlanta, Georgia (USA) Womens Winner: Fatuma Roba (ETH) 2:26:05 August 4 — Olympic Marathon, Atlanta, Georgia (USA) Mens Winner: Josia... Year founded 1994 League Major League Soccer Nickname The Crew, Americas Hardest Working Team Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus, OH Coach Sigi Schmid Owner Clark Hunt First Game Columbus Crew 4–0 D.C. United (Ohio Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Columbus Crew 6–1 New England Revolution... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Wizards Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Kansas City, MO Coach Curt Onalfo Owner OnGoal, LLC. First Game Kansas City Wiz 3–0 Colorado Rapids (Arrowhead Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Kansas City Wizards 6–0 MetroStars (Arrowhead Stadium; June 20, 1999) Worst Defeat... See also: 1998 in sports, other events of 1999, 2000 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Athletics Hicham El Guerrouj sets the new World Record in the mile at the World Championships in Rome. ... Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio. ... Columbus Crew Stadium opened in 1999 as the first of a growing number of American stadiums built for soccer Soccer-specific stadium (SSS) is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada. ... // World Artistic Gymnastics Championships: Mens all-around champions: Paul Hamm, USA, Yang Wei, China Womens all-around champion: Svetlana Khorkina, Russia Mens team competition champion: China Womens team competition champion: USA April 13 — Rotterdam Marathon, Netherlands Mens Winner: William Kiplagat (KEN) 2:07:42 Women... Year founded 1995 as Dallas Burn League Major League Soccer Nickname Hoops, FCD, Toros, The Red Stripes Stadium Pizza Hut Park Frisco, TX Coach Steve Morrow Owner Clark Hunt First Game Dallas Burn 0–0 San Jose Clash (Cotton Bowl; April 14, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 5–0 Kansas... Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility, featuring a 21,193 seat stadium, built and owned by the northern Dallas suburb of Frisco in Collin County, Texas. ... is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cerner Corporation is an international IT corporation in the healthcare industry with more than 7,500 associates. ...

Other sports and activities

Basketball: Hunt was one of the founding investors of the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association. He remained a minority owner until his death. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... NBA redirects here. ...

Tennis: In 1967, Hunt co-founded the World Championship Tennis circuit, which gave birth to the open era in tennis. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993. See also: 1966 in sports, other events of 1967, 1968 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Mario Andretti wins the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship — Richard Petty May 31-Indianapolis 500 — A.J. Foyt USAC Racing — A.J. Foyt won the season championship... World Championship Tennis (WCT) was a tour for professional male tennis players established in 1967. ... The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit tennis hall of fame and museum at the Newport Casino in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. // The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the history of tennis, inspiring and encouraging junior tennis development, enshrining... See also: 1992 in sports, other events of 1993, 1994 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Athletics February 11 - Irina Privalova sets a new womens 60m indoors world record August 13 - August 22 - World Championships held in Stuttgart Auto Racing Stock car racing: Dale Jarrett won...

NHL: Hunt and John H. McConnell formed Columbus Hockey Limited, L.L.C. (CHL) in an effort to obtain a National Hockey League franchise for Columbus, Ohio. Following disagreements over the financing for an arena, McConnell accepted an offer to lease a new arena from Nationwide Insurance Enterprise. McConnell froze-out CHL and Hunt and was awarded the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets franchise. See McConnell v. Hunt Sports Enterprises, 132 Ohio App.3d 657, 725 N.E.2d 1193 (1999). John H. McConnell is the founder and chairman emeritus of Worthington Industries, which manufactures processed steel products, pressure cylinders, and metal framing. ... NHL redirects here. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Ohio, USA Coordinates: , Country State Counties Franklin, Delaware, and Fairfield Government  - Mayor Michael B. Coleman (D) Area  - City  212. ... The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. ...

Amusement Parks and Caves: Hunt was also the founder of two theme parks in Kansas City: Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun, which opened in 1973 and 1982 respectively. The two parks were an outgrowth and adjoined a vast industrial park he developed in the bluffs above the Missouri River in Clay County, Missouri. Immediately south of the parks is the Hunt-developed SubTropolis, a 55,000,000 square foot (5,060,000 m³), 1,100-acre manmade limestone cave which is claimed to be the World's Largest Underground Business Complex (TM). Hunt's extensive business dealings in Clay County were to contribute to the Chiefs having their NFL Training Camp at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri until 1991. Worlds of Fun (WOF) is an amusement park in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. ... Oceans of Fun is a water park that opened on May 31, 1982 in Kansas City, Missouri. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. ... SubTropolis is a 55,000,000 square foot (5,060,000 m³), 1,100-acre manmade cave in the bluffs above the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri that is claimed to be the worlds largest underground storage facility. ... For other uses, see Limestone (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Cave (disambiguation). ... In the National Football League, NFL Training Camp refers to the time before the season commences. ... William Jewell College is a private, four-year liberal arts college of 1,274 undergraduate students located in Liberty, Missouri, U.S. It was founded in 1849 by members of the Missouri Baptist Convention and other civic leaders which included Robert James, a Baptist minister and father of the infamous... Liberty is a city in Clay County, Missouri. ...

Honors

• For service to Dallas, Texas, Lamar Hunt was honored during halftime of the Dallas Cowboys/Kansas City Chiefs game in 2005.
• For his efforts in building the sport of soccer in the United States in the modern era, Hunt was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1992, and given their prestigious Medal of Honor in 1999, an award so far given out only 3 times in history.
• The United States Soccer Federation changed the name of its oldest and most prestigious competition, the U.S. Open Cup (est.1914), to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 1999.
• The NFL's trophy for the champion of the American Football Conference is named in honor of Lamar Hunt.
• On December 17, 2006's Sunday Night Football game against the San Diego Chargers, the Kansas City Chiefs wore an emblem on the back of their helmets with the initials "LH" and continued to wear them until the end of the season. For the 2007 season, see "Tribute".
• On March 11, 2007, the inaugural Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup match was held at Pizza Hut Park between Hunt's MLS teams, FC Dallas and the Columbus Crew.
• For the 2007 season, Major League Soccer players will wear a small patch on their arm with the initials LH as a memorial to Lamar Hunt and his contribution to soccer in America.

Dallas redirects here. ... ... City Irving, Texas Other nicknames Americas Team, The Boys Team colors Silver, Navy Blue Head Coach Wade Phillips Owner Jerry Jones General manager Jerry Jones League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1960–present) Northern Conference (1960) Eastern Conference (1961-1966) Capitol Division (1967-1969) National Football Conference (1970-present... The 2005 National Football League regular season began on Thursday, September 8, 2005 and ended on Sunday, January 1, 2006, New Years Day. ... The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a hall of fame located in Oneonta, New York that honors the best American soccer players, and individuals who have helped build the sport in the United States. ... See also: 1981 in sports, other events of 1982, 1983 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: NASCAR Championship - Darrell Waltrip Bobby Allison won the Daytona 500 CART Racing - Rick Mears won the season championship Indianapolis 500 - Gordon Johncock Formula One Champion - Keke... The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) (trademarked as U.S. Soccer Federation) is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. ... The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an American soccer competition open to all United States Soccer Federation(USSF) affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams all the way up to the top professional clubs of Major League Soccer. ... See also: 1998 in sports, other events of 1999, 2000 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Athletics Hicham El Guerrouj sets the new World Record in the mile at the World Championships in Rome. ... The American Football Conference (or AFC) is one of the two conferences that compose the National Football League. ... American Football Conference logo. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. ... “Chargers” redirects here. ... is the 70th day of the year (71st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... The Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup is a pre-season Major League Soccer game between FC Dallas and the Columbus Crew. ... Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility, featuring a 21,193 seat stadium, built and owned by the northern Dallas suburb of Frisco in Collin County, Texas. ... Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada. ... Year founded 1995 as Dallas Burn League Major League Soccer Nickname Hoops, FCD, Toros, The Red Stripes Stadium Pizza Hut Park Frisco, TX Coach Steve Morrow Owner Clark Hunt First Game Dallas Burn 0–0 San Jose Clash (Cotton Bowl; April 14, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 5–0 Kansas... Year founded 1994 League Major League Soccer Nickname The Crew, Americas Hardest Working Team Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus, OH Coach Sigi Schmid Owner Clark Hunt First Game Columbus Crew 4–0 D.C. United (Ohio Stadium; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Columbus Crew 6–1 New England Revolution...

Death

Lamar Hunt died December 13, 2006 at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas of complications related to a ten-year battle with prostate cancer. Upon his death, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called Hunt, "a founder of the NFL as we know it today.... He's been an inspiration for me."^[4] Prostate cancer is a disease in which cancer develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. ... Jerrel Wayne Jerry Jones (Born on October 13, 1942) is the owner of the Dallas Cowboys NFL franchise and the Dallas Desperados AFL franchise. ...

Said Dan Rooney, chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers: "Lamar Hunt was one of the most influential owners in professional football over the past 40-plus years, He was instrumental in the formation of the American Football League and in the AFL-NFL merger, which helped the National Football League grow into America's passion." Daniel M. Rooney (born July 20, 1932 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is the owner and chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team in the National Football League (NFL). ... Steelers redirects here. ... NFL redirects here. ...

The Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, Kay Waldo Barnes, requested that all city flags fly at half-staff the following Thursday and Friday of his passing. Nickname: Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of Missouri. ... Kay Waldo Barnes is the current mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. ...

Upon his death his son Clark Hunt was named chairman of the Kansas City Chiefs. He was elected by his other three siblings, Lamar Jr., Sharron Munson, and Daniel. Clark Hunt (b. ...

Tribute

In 2007, the Kansas City Chiefs will honor Hunt and the AFL. The Chiefs 2007 Media Guide is full of images, logos and anecdotes about the league and each of its original teams. Prominently featured in the Guide and in the Chiefs 2007 Yearbook is a special AFL patch. The Yearbook's description of the patch states: "As part of a year-long tribute to Hunt in 2007, the Chiefs will wear a commemorative patch that prominently features the American Football League logo to serve as a reminder of Hunt's formation of the AFL and the lasting impact the American Football League has made on the game of Professional Football. The patch will be affixed to the left chest of both Kansas City's home and away jerseys, meaning this piece of woven symbolism will be worn over the heart of every Chiefs player." Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

References

The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the American ESPN show. ... ESPN/ESPN-DT, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an [[United States|Amer<nowiki>Insert non-formatted text here--68. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ESPN/ESPN-DT, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an [[United States|Amer<nowiki>Insert non-formatted text here--68. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... WFAA is the ABC affiliate serving the Dallas/Fort Worth DMA with its transmitter located in the Cedar Hill. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Other American Football League players, coaches and contributors
• Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

The following is a list of players that played for the 1960-1969 American Football League. ... The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an American soccer competition open to all United States Soccer Federation(USSF) affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams all the way up to the top professional clubs of Major League Soccer. ...

External links

• Pro Football Hall of Fame
• International Tennis Hall of Fame
• U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame
• ESPN Soccer Net bio and Hunt's soccer legacy
• FOX Sports Net information on Hunt's death
• Dallas Morning News article on Hunt's death
• Sports E-Cyclopedia's Memoriam to Lamar Hunt
• Program from the Celebration of the Life of Lamar Hunt
• Excerpts from Chiefs 2007 Media Guide and Yearbook