Orlando Magic co-founder, Hall of Famer, and sports icon Pat Williams died peacefully Wednesday surrounded by family. He was 84. The official cause of death was complications from viral pneumonia. Williams’ career spanned more than five decades, including over 30 years with the Orlando Magic and 51 years total in the NBA.
“Pat Williams simply brought magic to Orlando,” said Orlando Magic Chairman Dan DeVos and CEO Alex Martins in a joint statement. “His accomplishments will always be remembered. Armed with his ever-present optimism and unparalleled energy, he was an incredible visionary who helped transform the world of sports in multiple ways. From bringing the Magic to Orlando, to transforming sports marketing and promotions, he was always ahead of the curve. Pat forever changed the sports landscape in Orlando. He shined a light on what those who called Orlando home already knew – that Central Florida was a fabulous place to live, work and play. We all owe him a debt of gratitude and he will certainly be missed, but never forgotten.”
It was more than 35 years ago, when Williams turned a vision and a dream into the Orlando Magic. Williams, along with local businessman Jimmy Hewitt, began the process of bringing an NBA team to Orlando in 1986. On April 22, 1987, the NBA Board of Governors granted an expansion franchise to Orlando, and on December 22, 1988, the Magic sold their 10,000th season ticket, thus fulfilling their promise and commitment to the NBA and the Magic were born.
Embed from Getty ImagesWilliams spent well over four decades in the NBA, starting his basketball journey and career with the Philadelphia 76ers as the organizations business manager in 1968. He followed that up with his first general manager role in the NBA joining the Chicago Bulls as their GM at the very young age of 29, which was unheard of back in those days. He remained a general manager in the league for 27 years in stints with the Bulls, Atlanta Hawks and Sixers, playing a major role in bringing the NBA title to Philadelphia in 1983, with super stars Julius Erving and Moses Malone. Williams served as the Magic’s GM until 1996 when he was elevated to his position as senior vice president.
Williams’ first love was baseball, the sport that earned him a scholarship to Wake Forest University in North Carolina. While at Wake Forest, he earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He was a three-year letterman as a catcher on the Demon Deacons baseball team and is a member of the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame. He later went on to earn a master’s of science degree in physical education from Indiana University in 1964.
Williams’ professional baseball career got underway when he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1962 and spent two seasons catching for the Miami Marlins, a Class A club in the Florida State League. He expeditiously moved from the playing field to the front office, when he was appointed business manager of Miami in 1964. He took the general manager job with the Spartanburg (S.C.) Phillies in 1965 and was later promoted to the position of president of the organization in 1967.
In 1967, he was selected the Minor League Executive of the Year by The Sporting News. Williams never let his love of baseball diminish and remained active in baseball as a catcher in Dream Week games in Florida during the winter. He was also the president of Orlando’s Double-A Southern League team from 1990-1993.
Williams was born in the ‘City of Brotherly Love’, Philadelphia on May 3, 1940, and was raised in nearby Wilmington, Delaware, where he attended Tower Hill School. He was voted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.
Williams was diagnosed in February 2011 with multiple myeloma. He was very charitable with his time accepted positions on several boards for different cancer groups throughout the country, including an appointment on the Board of Directors for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.
Williams was a very accomplished author with over 100 books to his credit. He also had an extreme passion for running and, completed 58 marathons from 1996-2011, including the Boston Marathon 13 times.
Williams was honored with the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and was named to the Magic’s Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class in 2014.
Williams is survived by his wife Ruth and their 19 children, 14 of whom are adopted from four foreign countries.
Memorial information is still pending and will be announced.
