Abe Pollin Remembered
A funeral service for Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin was held yesterday at the Hebrew Congregational Church in upper Northwest Washington.
On a windy and chilly November day friends, co-workers, staff, politicians, and just regular folk who knew Abe, came out to honor the man who bought life to downtown Washington, DC and to so many, in so many ways.
In attendance were Wes Unseld (who recounted his days with Pollin when he became general manager and played for the then Washington Bullets); Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis; Mystics owner Sheila Johnson; Maryland representative Stenie Hoyer; DC Chamber of Commerce president, Barbara Lang; and Redskins owner Dan Snyder, and wife Tanya Snyder.
Pollin family members gave their remarks, sharing treasured family moments with those in attendance.
"Things you might not have known about my brother", said Pollin's oldest son, Robert.
"He was a simple guy. He never read a contract, he just hired the best lawyers to read contracts for him. He owned four houses. He loved sports: basketball, tennis."
Many knew Abe Pollin as the generous guy who cared. Many stories about how Pollin touched their lives were recounted as the news of Pollin's death began to spread around the city; from ball boys at Wizard games to the top of Washington's business elite.
Pollin was honored by the DC Chamber of Commerce, receiving the organization's first ever Lifetime Business Legacy Award in early October.
"We thought he would send a representative to receive the award on his behalf, said DC Chamber of Commerce president", Barbara Lang. "We were very surprised to see him actually show up in person. That was just the kind of man he was."
Said Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld of the funeral, "It was more about the person rather than the titan he really was. He looked at himself as a simple man, as his son said, but obviously he was not. He was a great man. He was titan, not only in this city but in the NBA circles. He had great respect from owners. He had great respect from players who played for him, and he's going to be greatly missed."
Bringing a light-heartedness to the occasion, Pollin's son shared his list of reasons why his father, after all his many accomplishments, living with the debilitating disease that took away so many of his faculties, couldn't be president of the United States.
"His handwriting was bad", Robert said. "He couldn't dip mustard in pretzels, he wore funny looking pants. His dog Vanessa would have biten Bush", he said.
His granddaughter, with her two month old daughter in tow, recounted how her grandfather told her stories when she was a child, often many times over.
"But grandpa we've heard this story before, I would say. But as I got older it was me asking you to tell us the story again. It was then you who would say, Remember I told you this [story] before?"
So many stories for a man who loved his work, his city, his family, and the love of his life, Mrs. Pollin.
Abe purchased flowers for his wife of 64 years, Irene, for Thanksgiving day. The yellow, long stemmed roses were delivered to Mrs. Pollin at noon last Tuesday along with a card that read "Happy Thanksgiving, Love Abe". An hour after, Mr. Pollin was gone.
The man may be gone, but his memory and legacy will live on. This time in the form of low income housing units set to break ground in DC later this year.
Mr. Pollin was concerned about nurses and firefighters, and many others in the city, who could not afford housing.
A public memorial service is planned for December 8 at the house that Abe built, his beloved Verizon Center.
Pollin was buried at King David Memorial in Falls Church, VA, just as his friend, former Boston Celtic basketball coach, Red Auerbach.
More.
A funeral service for Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin was held yesterday at the Hebrew Congregational Church in upper Northwest Washington.
On a windy and chilly November day friends, co-workers, staff, politicians, and just regular folk who knew Abe, came out to honor the man who bought life to downtown Washington, DC and to so many, in so many ways.
In attendance were Wes Unseld (who recounted his days with Pollin when he became general manager and played for the then Washington Bullets); Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis; Mystics owner Sheila Johnson; Maryland representative Stenie Hoyer; DC Chamber of Commerce president, Barbara Lang; and Redskins owner Dan Snyder, and wife Tanya Snyder.
Pollin family members gave their remarks, sharing treasured family moments with those in attendance.
"Things you might not have known about my brother", said Pollin's oldest son, Robert.
"He was a simple guy. He never read a contract, he just hired the best lawyers to read contracts for him. He owned four houses. He loved sports: basketball, tennis."
Many knew Abe Pollin as the generous guy who cared. Many stories about how Pollin touched their lives were recounted as the news of Pollin's death began to spread around the city; from ball boys at Wizard games to the top of Washington's business elite.
Pollin was honored by the DC Chamber of Commerce, receiving the organization's first ever Lifetime Business Legacy Award in early October.
"We thought he would send a representative to receive the award on his behalf, said DC Chamber of Commerce president", Barbara Lang. "We were very surprised to see him actually show up in person. That was just the kind of man he was."
Said Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld of the funeral, "It was more about the person rather than the titan he really was. He looked at himself as a simple man, as his son said, but obviously he was not. He was a great man. He was titan, not only in this city but in the NBA circles. He had great respect from owners. He had great respect from players who played for him, and he's going to be greatly missed."
Bringing a light-heartedness to the occasion, Pollin's son shared his list of reasons why his father, after all his many accomplishments, living with the debilitating disease that took away so many of his faculties, couldn't be president of the United States.
"His handwriting was bad", Robert said. "He couldn't dip mustard in pretzels, he wore funny looking pants. His dog Vanessa would have biten Bush", he said.
His granddaughter, with her two month old daughter in tow, recounted how her grandfather told her stories when she was a child, often many times over.
"But grandpa we've heard this story before, I would say. But as I got older it was me asking you to tell us the story again. It was then you who would say, Remember I told you this [story] before?"
So many stories for a man who loved his work, his city, his family, and the love of his life, Mrs. Pollin.
Abe purchased flowers for his wife of 64 years, Irene, for Thanksgiving day. The yellow, long stemmed roses were delivered to Mrs. Pollin at noon last Tuesday along with a card that read "Happy Thanksgiving, Love Abe". An hour after, Mr. Pollin was gone.
The man may be gone, but his memory and legacy will live on. This time in the form of low income housing units set to break ground in DC later this year.
Mr. Pollin was concerned about nurses and firefighters, and many others in the city, who could not afford housing.
A public memorial service is planned for December 8 at the house that Abe built, his beloved Verizon Center.
Pollin was buried at King David Memorial in Falls Church, VA, just as his friend, former Boston Celtic basketball coach, Red Auerbach.
More.
Comments