
Blackhawks Owner Rocky Wirtz Dies at 70
Clip: 7/26/2023 | 2m 34sVideo has Closed Captions
Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz has died at 70. He appeared on WTTW in 2009.
Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz died at the age of 70. He leaves a large legacy, transforming the team and winning three Stanley Cups. His legacy was later complicated by the team's failure to act on an alleged sexual assault.
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Chicago Tonight is a local public television program presented by WTTW
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Blackhawks Owner Rocky Wirtz Dies at 70
Clip: 7/26/2023 | 2m 34sVideo has Closed Captions
Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz died at the age of 70. He leaves a large legacy, transforming the team and winning three Stanley Cups. His legacy was later complicated by the team's failure to act on an alleged sexual assault.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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>>> ALWAYS A FUN EVENT.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS ORDER ROCKY WIRTZ PRESIDED OVER THE TEAM AS IT WON THREE STANLEY CUP >> DIED YESTERDAY AT THE AGE OF 70.
HE TRANSFORMED WHAT HAD BEEN CALLED THE WORST ORGANIZATION IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS INTO A MODEL ON THE ICE AND ON THE BALANCE SHEET.
HIS LEGACY IS PROPAGATED BY THE BLACKHAWKS FAILURE TO ACT REGARDING THE ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A PLAYER BY A MEMBER OF THE COACHING STAFF.
INVESTIGATION SHOWED HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE COVER.
2001 YEAR BEFORE THE FIRST OF THE STANLEY CUPS, HE WAS HAILED AS A HERO BY THE FANS IN THE MEDIA.
HERE IS A LOOK.
>> HOW IS THIS FOR YOU, PERSONALLY?
IS IT FAIR TO SAY YOU ARE NOT A SHOWBOAT, YOU ARE NOT A PR GUY .
YOU'RE KIND OF SHY, I AM TOLD.
WHAT IS THIS LIKE NOW BEING A ROCKSTAR?
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I AM A ROCKSTAR, BUT I PUT THE TEAM FIRST.
YOU WALK A FINE LINE BETWEEN SELF-PROMOTING AND PROMOTING YOUR TEAM.
I NEVER WANT TO WALK OVER THAT LINE WERE SELF-PROMOTING DON'T PROMOTE THE TEAM.
THE ONLY REASON I DO ANY OF THE STUFF, INCLUDING TONIGHT, IS FOR THE TEAM.
IF WE CAN GET MORE PEOPLE IN, WE CAN KEEP SPONSORS HAPPY AND ACTUALLY BRING A WINNING FRANCHISE TO CHICAGO PEOPLE AND THIS GREAT CITY.
THAT IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
>> WHAT KIND OF A FATHER WAS YOUR FATHER?
>> HE IS A TERRIFIC MAN.
I AM THE OLDEST OF FIVE CHILDREN.
MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY IN 1983.
GROWING UP, THERE WAS NEVER WEEKEND THEY WEREN'T DOING SOMETHING WITH THE KIDS.
I FINALLY REMEMBER TIMES WHEN HE WOULD BUNDLE US UP WITH OUR PAJAMAS ON AND WE BEGIN THE CAR AND GO TO THE DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATER.
>> I READ SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU MIGHT TAGALONG AT THE AGE OF SEVEN AND FIND YOURSELF FALLING ASLEEP ON HIS SHOULDER AT THE PUMP ROOM OR SOMETHING WHILE HE WAS WORKING HIS CONTACT.
>> THEY WOULD GO TO THE PUMP ROOM.
AT THAT TIME, THEY HAD THESE SMALL HAMBURGERS.
HE WOULD WAKE ME UP ENOUGH TO EAT SOMETHING.
I WOULD FALL ASLEEP.
I CAN ABOUT A, BECAUSE THE DEAL WAS, AS LONG AS I WOULD GO TO THE GAMES AND WENT TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY, IT WAS FINE.
BUT THE SCHOOL CALLED AND SAID THEY THOUGHT I HAD A LEARNING DISABILITY BECAUSE I KEPT FALLING ASLEEP IN CLASS.
MY MOTHER COULDN'T SAY BECAUSE HE WAS WITH HIS FATHER THE NIGHT
Spotlight Politics: Migrants Still in Police Stations
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 7/26/2023 | 5m 15s | The WTTW News Spotlight Politics team on the latest political news. (5m 15s)
Whistleblower Details Federal UFO Program Beliefs
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 7/26/2023 | 7m 59s | A former Air Force officer appeared at a Congressional hearing to detail UFO claims. (7m 59s)
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