Earl Foreman

Earl Marin Foreman (March 29, 1924 – January 23, 2017) was an American lawyer and sports executive.

Foreman practiced law in the District of Columbia (Washington D.C.). He was the owner of the short-lived Washington Whips professional soccer club of the NASL and a minority owner of the Baltimore Bullets franchise in the National Basketball Association. He was the owner of the Washington Caps/Virginia Squires of the American Basketball Association. At one time, he also owned an interest in the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League.

Basketball He, along with Abe Pollin and real estate investor/former NBA referee Arnold Heft purchased the then-Baltimore Bullets from Dave Trager for $1.1 million on November 23, 1964.

On August 21, 1969, Foreman, with Thomas Shaheen and Louis Diamond, purchased the Oakland Oaks professional basketball team in the American Basketball Association. The group inherited a championship-caliber nucleus led by Rick Barry, whom Foreman called "the hottest attraction in basketball." The franchise also was heavily indebted after winning the Oaks' only championship, however, which was a situation that would haunt the team following its move until its demise in 1976 just prior to the ABA–NBA merger.

Foreman and the two co-owners paid $2.6 million for the team and moved it to Washington, D.C. where it became the Washington Caps for the 1969–1970 ABA season. The Caps brought on Al Bianchi as head coach and finished the season with a record of 44–40, good for third place in the Western Division. The Caps lost in the first round of the 1970 ABA Playoffs to the Denver Rockets in seven games. The Squires signed center Swen Nater but then sold Nater to the San Antonio Spurs for a draft pick and $300,000. Just after Gervin played in the 1974 ABA All-Star Game (which the Squires hosted), it was announced that Foreman had sold Gervin to the San Antonio Spurs for $225,000. Legal action ensued but Gervin ended up with the Spurs. which actually was good for fourth place in the Eastern Division, but the Squires lost in the first round of the 1973 ABA Playoffs to the New York Nets in five games. He was the commissioner of the MISL from 1978 to 1985, and again in 1989.

Personal

Earl Foreman died on January 23, 2017. He was survived by his wife, Phyllis (who was the older sister of Ed Snider) and their sons, Scott, Ronald, and Stuart.