Rocky W Rockwell Wirtz dies: He led the famous NHL Chicago Blackhawks. He influenced hockey and beyond.Blackhawks tweeted Wirtz’s death. Nobody said how or where he died.
Danny Wirtz, Rocky’s son and the Chicago Blackhawks CEO, wrote, “We have heavy hearts today.”Our father was a dedicated businessman who made Chicago a fantastic location to live, work, and visit. He loved his family and friends unconditionally.
Rocky Wirtz’s familial ties to the Chicago Blackhawks were significant. In 1954, Rocky’s two-year-old grandfather, Arthur Wirtz, took over the team after succeeding in real estate. Arthur Wirtz owned a hotel and furniture company. Into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1971. He used his “financial skills to strengthen the N.H.L.’s reputation in the United States.”
The Wirtz Corporation expanded into real estate, insurance, banking, beverage sales, sports and entertainment, and more. Rocky Wirtz, who succeeded his father William as Blackhawks president and chairman in 2007, was a savvy leader.
Chicago Blackhawks manager William Wirtz. “Dollar Bill” was his moniker since he didn’t broadcast most home games and was hesitant to sign free agents. In the 2010s, the Chicago Blackhawks luck altered and it returned to the top.
Rocky Wirtz was unlike his father. He modified how games were broadcast and sold tickets, and he utilized money from other family enterprises to aid the hockey team.
Rocky Wirtz claimed significant meetings with Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls and MLB’s White Sox, opened him to change. Both families built the United Center, which opened in 1994 as a common center for both clubs.
Reinsdorf said, “This news is a complete shock, and I am heartbroken.” Rocky was just wonderful. We were good friends and United Center partners. He was a trusted buddy.
The 201015 Blackhawks won three Stanley Cups. This broke an Original Six team’s championship drought that had lasted since 1961.
The team’s troubling 2021 probe revealed that multiple Blackhawks executives did not disclose a minor league player’s 2010 postseason sexual assault complaint. This dulled their spectacular triumphs. The probe also found that executives were fearful of upsetting the squad, so they didn’t fully investigate or penalize coach Brad Aldrich for making unwanted approaches toward a team intern. Aldrich then faced the law. He was placed on a sex offenders registry after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a kid while teaching high school in Michigan.
Rocky Wirtz spoke to media at a 2022 town hall meeting, but he wouldn’t discuss Kyle Beach, the player who filed the 2010 accusation, or the team’s intentions to safeguard players. He apologized thereafter.
The N.H.L. fined the team $2 million, and two officials who knew about the 2010 allegation resigned. The league was too lenient on offenders. Still, Chicago maintained their 2023 first-round draft selection and won the lottery, allowing them to draft Connor Bedard, one of the finest players of all time.
Rocky Wirtz worked hard to serve people and was a director at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.
Rocky Wirtz’s wife, Marilyn, and their children Danny, Kendall, Hillary, and stepdaughter Elizabeth, as well as six loving grandchildren, survive him, according to the NHL.
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Our Reader’s Queries
What happened to Rocky Wirtz?
Chicago has lost Rocky Wirtz, the owner of the Chicago Blackhawks who led the team to three Stanley Cup titles. He passed away at the age of 70, leaving behind a legacy that includes both triumphs and scandals. The Blackhawks announced his sudden passing on Tuesday, providing no additional information at this time.
When did Rocky Wirtz pass away?
On July 25, 2023, Wirtz passed away at a hospital in Evanston, Illinois at the age of 70.
Who inherits the Blackhawks?
Danny Wirtz, the CEO of the Blackhawks, will take over as the Chair and President of Wirtz Corp following his late fathers passing.
Who is Rocky Wirtz father?
Rocky’s father, Bill Wirtz, was the owner of the team when the United Center was constructed. However, those who spoke on Wednesday claimed that it was Rocky who breathed life into the arena with three Stanley Cup championships.