Hewitt (r) made a big impact in Central Florida with Magic’s founding, paving way for other teams to followMAGIC
Magic co-Founder JIMMY HEWITT, who teamed with PAT WILLIAMS to start the franchise, died yesterday at 79, according to Roy Parry of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. Hewitt’s successful pursuit of an NBA franchise “paved the way for professional sports in Orlando.” Hewitt had been “suffering from advanced stages of dementia and recently contracted the coronavirus.” Hewitt made his “biggest impact in Central Florida with the Magic’s founding.” The team’s arrival in '89 “opened the door” for other sports teams to follow. Magic CEO ALEX MARTINS said that Hewitt was “like a father to Magic fans.” Martins: “Jimmy Hewitt is the reason the Magic and professional sports exist in Orlando.” Hewitt was inducted into the franchise’s HOF in ’17 (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 11/30).
HOW IT CAME TO BE: In Orlando, Mike Bianchi writes to Hewitt, “Thank you for literally making Magic. Thank you for believing in your hometown. Thank you for bringing professional sports to Orlando.” Hewitt in '85 “put together a group of investors” and “flew up to New York to meet with then-NBA Commissioner DAVID STERN.” He also “convinced Williams to leave Philly and run the team in Orlando if the city was granted a franchise.” In the end, Hewitt “even took one for the team.” Stern “didn’t want such a large investor group with no majority owner;" he “wanted a small investor group with a large majority owner.” When a meeting was held to decide whether another Orlando businessman, BILL DUPONT, should become the majority owner, Hewitt “did not stand in the way.” Even though he was the “brains of the expansion effort and put in all the time and work to get a franchise, Hewitt endorsed duPont even if it meant his ownership role would be reduced to that of minority investor” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 11/30).
