Harry Glickman

Harry Glickman (born May 13, 1924) is a retired American journalist, promoter, and sports executive. He was one of the founders of the Portland Trail Blazers, and was the team's president from 1987 to 1994. Glickman is considered as the "father" of professional sports in Oregon.

Glickman grew up in the Great Depression Portland, son of Polish immigrant Bessie, who worked in the lady’s garment industry, and Glickman also had a job as a paperboy. Bessie would trade letters in Yiddish with her family in Wysokie until 1939, when the Nazis invaded the country, and sent Glickman's relatives to the Treblinka extermination camp. Glickman played basketball at Lincoln High School, where he graduated in 1941.

Afterwards Glickman enrolled at the University of Oregon, from which he graduated in 1948 with a degree in journalism. He had plans to become a sportswriter, and served as the campus correspondent for The Oregonian, the director of the university’s athletic news bureau, and wrote for the school paper as well as The Register-Guard. Glickman left college to enlist for World War II, spending three years at the 12th Armored Division of the 7th Army. After returning to Portland, he graduated in 1948. While a student at Oregon, he became a member of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity (he was president of the fraternity in his senior year) and an editor of the alumni magazine, Old Oregon. When a job offer at The Oregonian fell through, Glickman took to promoting sporting events.

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