Man Who Founded Pittsburgh Penguins Dies

PITTSBURGH, PA — Jack McGregor, the former state senator who was the founder of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has died. He was 91.

The team announced the news on social media on Thursday.

"The team extends our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and teammates during this difficult time," an X post stated.

According to his state senate biography, McGregor, along with law school classmate Peter Block formed a group of local investors for the Pittsburgh franchise that included the H. J. Heinz Company, Chief Executive Officer, H. J. Heinz II, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney and Mellon family heir Richard Mellon Scaife.

On February 8, 1966, the National Hockey League granted a franchise to Pittsburgh. Named president and chief executive officer by the investor group and he represented Pittsburgh on the NHL’s Board of Governors. McGregor and Block each owned 12.5 percent of the team.

The franchise, officially named on February 10, 1967, after more than 26,000 entries from a newspaper contest were fielded. McGregor's wife, Carol, named them the "Penguins" since the team would play in the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, which had been dubbed "The Igloo" by the locals.

The investment group that included McGregor quickly ran into financial problems and sold the team in 1970.

McGregor, a Republican, served in the state senate from 1963 to 1979, representing the Allegheny County-based 44-th District. In 1970, he mounted an unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign.