Gund

Gordon Gund was formerly the principal owner of the NBA franchise the Cleveland Cavaliers, a co-owner of the San Jose Sharks NHL team, and remains the CEO of Gund Investment Corporation and a minority owner of the Cavaliers. He was born October 15, 1939, and is a native of Cleveland. more...

He gradually began going blind in the 1960s because of the disease retinitis pigmentosa. By 1970, Gund was totally blind. As a result, he has never been able to see a game played by any of the teams that he has owned, during his tenure as owner.

Term as an NHL Owner

Gund's brother, George, held a minority interest in the California Golden Seals of the NHL, when George convinced majority owner Mel Swig to relocate the franchise to the Gunds' hometown in 1976. Renamed the Cleveland Barons (after the former American Hockey League team), they played at The Coliseum in Richfield, which had been vacated by the Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association when they moved to Minneapolis to become the second incarnation of the Minnesota Fighting Saints.

The Gunds would buy Swig's share of the Barons following a dismal 1976-77 season, and as they were able to infuse new money into the team, acquiring better players, the team's fortunes seemed to turn, until a late-season slump knocked them out of playoff contention.

At the end of the 1977-78 season, the Barons lacked fan support to continue to be a viable franchise in northern Ohio, while the ownership of the Minnesota North Stars could no longer sustain the team. In addition, the Gunds were unable to purchase the Coliseum outright, leaving their franchise without a guaranteed place to play. Since Minnesota was perceived as the more desirable hockey market at the time, NHL President John Ziegler oversaw a merger between the two franchises, with the Gunds assuming ownership of the North Stars, and Minnesota moving into Cleveland's position in the Adams Division. Within three seasons, the North Stars would make the Stanley Cup Finals, thanks to the Gunds' willingness to invest in the team.

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