Ted Turner made his mark on just about anything he was involved in, including pro sports, sports media, and sailing.
Turner’s resume spanned seven decades as a businessman, television owner/producer, sports owner, conservationist, sailor, media mogul, and philanthropist.
Born Robert Edward Turner III in 1938, Turner enlisted in the United States Coast Guard Reserve to fulfill his national service obligation. After his father’s suicide in 1963, Turner, who was only 24 years old at the time, stepped in and took over as president and chief executive of Turner Advertising Company.
Turner was responsible for creating television’s first superstation, WTBS, which he launched in 1976. In 1980, Turner created CNN, the first 24-hour cable news network. He created three more networks, TNT in 1988, Cartoon Network in 1992, and Turner Classic Movies in 1994.
Turner’s roots were profound in the South, especially in Atlanta. Nicknamed “The Mouth of the South,” Turner purchased the Atlanta Braves in 1976. In a news conference, Turner said, “I don’t want to see any more headlines calling Atlanta ‘Loserville U.S.A.’ I want to see Winnersville U.S.A.” On May 11, 1977, Turner managed the Braves, resulting in a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Photo courtesy Battery Power
Turner was the first owner-manager in the MLB since Connie Mack. During his tenure as owner, the Braves won the World Series in 1995, in which they were dubbed “America’s Team.” Turner also owned the Atlanta Hawks in 1977. The Hawks made the playoffs 15 times during Turner’s ownership. He also owned the Atlanta Thrashers, an ice hockey team that joined the NHL in 1999.
In 1986, Turner created the Goodwill Games, an international sports competition held every four years. Turner also entered the world of professional wrestling. In 1988, Turner purchased Jim Crockett Promotions and renamed it World Championship Wrestling. The WCW was the main competitor to Vince McMahon’s WWE throughout the 1990s. In 2001, World Championship Wrestling was sold to the WWE.
Courtesy Sports Illustrated Covers
Turner also had a deep interest in sailing. He competed in the America’s Cup, commanding his boat Courageous. As the skipper of his boat Courageous, he defended the America’s Cup in 1977 by beating Australia. After winning the America’s Cup that year, he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Turner was also inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame in 1993 and the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2011.
He once remarked, “I used to tell people I wanted to become the world’s greatest sailor, businessman, and lover all at the same time.”
In his later years, Turner dedicated himself to philanthropy. In 1997, Turner gave $1 billion to form the United Nations Foundation, a public charity to expand U.S. support for the United Nations. As a bison rancher, Turner used most of his land to make bison meat popular again for his Ted’s Montana Grill chain. Along the way, he accrued the largest privately owned bison herd in the world.
Turner, also a major environmentalist, owned more than 2 million acres across the U.S. Most of that land was devoted to wildlife, clean energy, habitat restoration, and sustainable agriculture.
When asked the secret to a successful career, Turner responded. “Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell. and advertise.”
Ted Turner, a 20th-century icon, passed away on May 6 at 87.
Well done! Mr. Turner would be on my Atlanta “Mt. Rushmore” along with Bobby Cox. R.I.P to both gentleman.