Cleveland Guardians owner Larry Dolan, who bought the team in 2000, died Sunday evening at 94.
Dolan and family are the longest-tenured ownership group in the franchise’s history. The upcoming 2025 season will be the family’s 26th as owners.
“We are saddened by the loss of our dad, but lucky to have him as part of our lives as long as we did,” said son Paul Dolan, the team's Chairman and CEO. “He was a loving husband, father and grandfather who was passionate about his family, work, our community and his love of our local sports teams, including owning the Cleveland Guardians.”
Larry Dolan and his wife Eva had six children and 21 grandchildren. Paul Dolan has been the primary owner of the team since 2013.
Under the Dolan family’s ownership, the team went to the Major League Baseball playoffs nine times, won seven American League Central Division championships, four Cy Young Awards and the 2016 American League Championship, which took the team to its first World Series since 1997. The organization hosted the 2019 MLB All-Star Game at Progressive Field. The team changed its name from Indians to Guardians in 2021.
“Cleveland sadly lost one of their own last night,” said Bob DiBiasio, Guardians senior vice president of public affairs. “Mr. Dolan invested his entire life in Greater Cleveland and impacted our community on so many levels.”
Dolan grew up in Cleveland Heights and attended St. Ignatius High School, where he played baseball and football. He attended the University of Notre Dame for undergraduate and law school. He also served two years as a First Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. Dolan was inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
“He strongly believed in mentoring young people and using the Guardians as a way to impact Greater Cleveland,” Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert Manfred said in a statement Monday. “Larry also served the industry by bringing his professional expertise to the Major League Executive Council and the Ownership Committee, and he served on two labor negotiating committees.”
Professionally, Dolan served as the assistant prosecuting attorney for Geauga County before opening a private legal practice, becoming president and managing partner of the Thrasher, Dinsmore and Dolan law firm in Chardon.
Dolan primarily built his wealth through stock ownership of cable TV companies — a joint venture with his brother Charles Dolan, whose family owned sports teams in New York and died in late 2024.
“From his service to our country as a First Lieutenant in the United States Marines, his many philanthropic acts of kindness, career in law, business, education, and sports, many benefited from his engagement, influence, and passion,” DiBiasio said. “Especially in the world of sports. We are forever grateful for his passion in supporting the Northeast Ohio community and our franchise.
