ROSENBLUM, MAX (5 Dec. 1877-5 Sept. 1953), owner of the Rosenblum-Celtics professional BASKETBALL team, was born in Austria-Hungary to Adolph and Esther Rosenblum. He came with his family to the U.S. when he was 6, and settled in Cleveland ca. 1885. Rosenblum left school after the 6th grade, but later enrolled in Canton Business College to study bookkeeping. At 17 he was an errand boy for a clothier, by 1902 was manager of Enterprise Credit Clothing Co., and in 1910 opened his own clothing store, selling clothes on credit.
As owner of the Cleveland Rosenblums, he helped establish the American Basketball League in 1925. His team won the league championship in 1925-26, averaging 10,000 attendance in the 2 playoff games at Public Hall with seats ranging in price from $.75-$1.65. When the championship New York Celtics broke up, Rosenblum signed Joe Lapchick, Dutch Dehnert, and Pete Barry, and regained the championship in 1928-29 and 1929-30. With the Depression, attendance at games dwindled, and the team folded in Dec. 1930.
In 1917 Rosenblum organized a softball team, and later helped organize the Cleveland Amateur Baseball Assoc., backing numerous sandlot teams. He promoted amateur baseball, basketball, FOOTBALL, BOWLING, and soccer. He was also president of the Welfare Assoc. for Jewish Children for 15 years. Rosenblum married Sallie Weiss in 1900 and had a son, Harvey, and 2 daughters, Mrs. Thelma Sobel and Mrs. Pearl Hartman. After her death in 1938, he married Ann Whitney in 1943. He died in Cleveland.
Last Modified: 10 Jul 1997 05:11:39 PM- Related Article(s)