Del Webb
| Del Webb | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Delbert Eugene Webb May 17, 1899 Fresno, California |
| Died | July 4, 1974 (aged 75) Rochester, Minnesota |
| Occupation | real estate developer |
| Employer | Del E. Webb Construction Company |
| Known for | co-owner of the New York Yankees |
| Spouse(s) | Hazel Lenora Church (1919-1952) Toni Ince Webb (1961-1974) |
| Parent(s) | Ernest G Webb Henrietta S. Webb |
Delbert Eugene "Del" Webb (May 17, 1899 – July 4, 1974, aged 75) was an American real estate developer and a co-owner of the New York Yankees baseball club. He is known for founding and developing the retirement community of Sun City, Arizona, and for many works of his firm, Del E. Webb Construction Company.
Webb was born in Fresno, California, to Ernest G Webb, a fruit farmer, and Henrietta S. Webb. He dropped out of high school to become a carpenter's apprentice, and in 1919, he married Hazel Lenora Church, a graduate nurse. In 1920, Webb was a ship fitter, and they were living with his parents and two younger brothers in Placer County, California. At the age of 28, he suffered typhoid fever, and as a result moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to recover.
In 1928, Webb began his namesake company which was a construction contractor. He received many military contracts during World War II, including the construction of the Poston War Relocation Center near Parker, Arizona. Poston interned over 17,000 Japanese-Americans and at the time was the third largest “city” in Arizona. Webb was associated with Howard Hughes and played golf with Hughes, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Robert and Barry Goldwater.
A lifelong baseball fan, in 1945, Webb and partners Dan Topping and Larry MacPhail purchased the New York Yankees for $2.8 million from the estate of Col. Jake Ruppert, Jr.. After buying out MacPhail in October 1947, Webb and Topping remained owners of the Yankees until selling the club to CBS in 1964.
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