A Great Washingtonian Remembered

Washington, DC has lost a man that not only cared for the city, but contributed immensely to it.

Abe Pollin (December 3, 1923 – November 24, 2009) was the owner of a number of professional sports teams including the Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League (NHL), the Washington Mystics in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the Washington Wizards in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Pollin was the longest-tenured owner of an NBA team, holding the Packers/Zephyrs/Bullets/Wizards franchise for 46 years. He was one of the most famous owners in professional sports history.

Pollin personally funded and built both the Capital Centre in Lanover, MD., and the Verizon Center formerly the MCI Center.

When the success of the Verizon Center brought much needed revitalization to the Chinatown area, it was common knowledge that Pollin declined to buy any of the surrounding land. He wanted other business owners to have an opportunity to share in the success his arena had brought.

He was a well known philanthopist, giving away scholarship money, supporting UNICEF, and feeding thousands of homeless people every year through his program "Abe's Table".

December 3rd, by order of the Mayor of Washington, DC, is Abe Pollin Day. A fitting honor for a man whose vision renewed the face of Washington, DC for the better.