Abe Pollin

Lore & Background

Pollin purchased the then-Baltimore Bullets in November 1964 with partners, bought them out in 1965, moved the team to Washington in 1973 after building the Capital Centre, and changed the name to Wizards in 1996 because he felt 'Bullets' had too many negative connotations at a time of high crime. He financed the construction of the MCI Center, which revitalized downtown Washington, D.C.

In Their Own Story

The arena lights hummed above the hardwood as Abe watched from the luxury box. It was championship night in Landover. Below, Wes Unseld dominated the paint, securing another rebound before the final buzzer. Abe didn't cheer loudly; he simply nodded, knowing the years of negotiation and construction had led to this moment. The trophy would be gold, but the arena beneath it was his true monument.

Reader's Guide

Pollin's tenure as owner of the Bullets/Wizards covered the team's NBA championships in 1978 and 1979, but the source does not specify his role in those championships beyond ownership. The source does not mention 'Abe’s Army' or any fan group. The rebranding from Bullets to Wizards occurred in 1996, not 1997, and was driven by concerns about the name's negative connotations amid high crime, not specifically gun violence.

Did You Know?

• Pollin was born in Philadelphia on December 3, 1923, and his family's original surname was Pollinovsky.
• He graduated from George Washington University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1945.
• Pollin sold the Capitals and a minority stake in the arena to Ted Leonsis in 1999 for about $200 million.
• He died on November 24, 2009, at age 85, of corticobasal degeneration.