Longtime White Sox, Bulls executive Eddie Einhorn dies at 80

Television sports pioneer Eddie Einhorn, who later contributed to the success of the Chicago White Sox and Bulls, has passed away at the age of 80 from complication following a stroke.

Einhorn, who was very involved in the early days of televised sports event, was a Northwestern law school classmate and friend of Jerry Reinsdorf, chairman of the White Sox and Bulls. He died late Tuesday, Feb. 23, in New Jersey.

Einhorn was involved in a limited partnership in 1981 that purchased the White with Reinsdorf. The White Sox will honor Einhorn by wearing a sleeve patch during the regular season.

“Eddie was a creative whirlwind whose ideas — many of them far ahead of their time — changed the landscape of sports, and sports on television, forever,” Reinsdorf said in a statement release Thursday morning. “He was a man of many interests, projects, ideas and opinions, and we all will miss him dearly. It is exceedingly rare in this day and age to have enjoyed a friendship and a working partnership that lasted our lifetimes. We celebrated many great moments together.”

Among Einhorn's career highlights:

• He was an executive with the White Sox for 35 seasons, including 25 years as vice chairman.

• He served on the Chicago Bulls board of directors

• He was the founder and chairman of TVS Television Network, which broadcast college basketball's “Game of the Century” between the Houston Cougars and the UCLA Bruins from the Astrodome in 1968.

• In 2011, he was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor.

• He was a longtime member of Major League Baseball's Schedule Format Committee, the Professional Baseball Association Committee, Player Development Committee and Television Committee.

• He was a key consultant in building The Baseball Network, MLB's joint broadcasting venture.

Born Jan. 3, 1936 in Paterson, New Jersey, Einhorn is survived by his wife of 53 years, Ann, daughter Jennifer (and her husband Darryl), grandson Meyer, and son, Jeff. Services will be at noon Sunday at Louis Suburban Chapel, 13-01 Broadway, Fair Lawn, N.J. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Einhorn's name to the Professional Scouts Foundation (www.pbsfonline.com).