Lawrence Dolan | |
---|---|
Born |
Cleveland Heights, Ohio |
February 8, 1931
Nationality | American |
Occupation |
Attorney (retired) MLB team owner |
Lawrence J. Dolan (born February 8, 1931 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio) is a retired attorney and the principal owner of Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians.
Dolan attended St. Ignatius High School and got his LL.B. degree from University of Notre Dame in 1956. He also received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Cleveland State University.
Upon leaving Notre Dame, Dolan served in the United States Marine Corps for two years, where he attained the rank of first lieutenant. Upon leaving the Marine Corps in 1958, Dolan worked as assistant prosecutor in Geauga County, Ohio before going into private practice. He eventually became president and managing partner of Thrasher, Dinsmore, & Dolan in Chardon, Ohio.
In 2000, Dolan (through a family trust) bought the Cleveland Indians of the MLB for $323 million from Richard Jacobs, who, along with his late brother David Jacobs, had paid $35 million for the club in 1986. Jacobs had taken the Indians public in 1997. As part of the deal, Dolan bought all of the stock at just over $12 a share, making the franchise privately held once again. During his time as owner, the Indians have experienced periods of competitiveness, including playoff runs in 2007, 2013, and making it to the World Series in 2016, as well as periods without success, including several seasons with over 90 losses.