Jim Irsay’s success is largely based on the legacy left by his parents, Robert and Harriet Irsay. As pivotal figures in the early days of the Indianapolis Colts, Robert and Harriet helped shape the franchise’s identity. After the death of his parents, Jim Irsay inherited sole control of the Colts. As Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, his leadership not only maintained but enhanced the team’s reputation, earning him international acclaim.
Jim Irsay, born in Lincolnwood, Illinois, grew up Catholic. He did not learn of his father’s Jewish origins until he was fourteen. He attended Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois, before transferring to Mercersburg Academy ’78 in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. Jim attended Southern Methodist University after high school, where he earned a degree in broadcast journalism in 1982. While at SMU, he demonstrated his athletic ability by joining the SMU Mustangs football team as a goalie. Unfortunately, an ankle injury ended his playing career.
Robert Irsay: NFL Legacy and Entrepreneurial Vision
Robert Irsay, owner of the famous American professional football team, had a lasting influence on the National Football League (NFL) as the owner of the Indianapolis Colts club from 1972 until his death in 1997. Robert was born in Chicago on March 5, 1923, the son of Jewish immigrants from Hungary, Charles Irsay and Elaine Nyitrai.
Robert Irsay joined the United States Marine Corps in 1942, at the height of World War II. Following his military duty, he became involved in the family business, joining his father’s heating and ventilation company. Robert Irsay Co. was established in 1951 by Robert, inspired by his entrepreneurial spirit. His initiative was a huge success, culminating in the sale of the company to Zurn Industries about a year before the major purchase of the Colts in 1972.
Jim Irsay’s Parents: A Journey of Love and Loss
Robert Irsay married Harriet Pogorzelski, the daughter of Polish Catholic immigrants, in 1946. The Irsays were devout Catholics who raised three children: Thomas, Roberta, and Jim. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in 1971 when Roberta was killed in a car accident on Interstate 294 outside of Chicago. Thomas, who suffered from serious mental disabilities, lived in a Florida institution until his death in 1999 at the age of 45.
Jim, the surviving son, later took over as CEO and principal owner of the Colts. After more than four decades of marriage, Robert Irsay and Harriet divorced, and Robert married Nancy Clifford on June 17, 1989, at the Second Presbyterian Church of Indianapolis. Their marriage lasted six years until November 1995, when Robert Irsay suffered a stroke. He spent several months in critical care at Indianapolis St. Vincent.
After his discharge, complications ensued, including pneumonia, and heart and kidney problems, leading to his admission to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The football mogul died in Indianapolis on January 14, 1997. Nancy Irsay, Robert’s second wife, also experienced the inevitable cycle of life and died on November 7, 2015.
Jim Irsay Father of Robert Irsay
Harriet Irsay: The Lasting Legacy of a Colts Icon
Harriet Irsay (Dorothy), Jim Irsay’s mother, was born in 1921 to Polish immigrants in Chicago’s bustling Bucktown neighborhood. Her scholastic trajectory took her to Wells High School, where she graduated in 1939. The early years of Harriet and Robert’s marriage were marked by hard work. Harriet worked as an irregular secretary until 1950, when Robert decided to start his own sheet metal and air conditioning firm.
Family finances, along with Robert Irsay’s passion for sports, resulted in a major acquisition: the Los Angeles Rams, acquired for $19 million. Then, in a strategic move, he orchestrated a franchise trade that brought the Baltimore Colts into the fold. Harriet Irsay’s passion for the Indianapolis Colts is fueled by a deep love for the team. Despite divorcing Robert Irsay in 1988, she remains actively involved in the company. Harriet Irsay’s final chapter ended in 2008, leaving a legacy of loyalty to the Indianapolis Colts that still resonates more than a decade later.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
