Morning Roundup: Detroit Tigers, Red Wings owner Ilitch dies at age 87

Detroit Tigers, Red Wings owner Ilitch dies at age 87

Mike Ilitch, founder of the Little Caesars Pizza empire and owner of the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers, died on Friday, according to his family. He was 87.

Ilitch was praised for keeping his professional hockey and baseball teams in Detroit as other urban sports franchises relocated to new suburban stadiums. His family released a statement saying Ilitch was a visionary who set the tone for his company and his family.

Family spokesman Doug Kuiper said Ilitch died at a hospital, but no other details were provided.

Ilitch and his wife, Marian, founded Little Caesars in suburban Detroit in 1959, and eventually grew the business into the world's largest carry-out pizza chain with several spin-off companies. Under his ownership and open checkbook, the Red Wings soared back to stability and won four Stanley Cup championships, and the Tigers — who'd scouted a young Ilitch in the 1940s — made it to the World Series.

Knicks ban Oakley from MSG

Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan banned Charles Oakley from the arena Friday, though said he was open to reconciling with the former Knicks forward.

In an interview with ESPN Radio's Michael Kay, Dolan also confirmed a report that he had fired the Garden's security chief, two nights after Oakley was forcefully removed from his seat and arrested at a Knicks game. Dolan said the firing of the security head stemmed from more than just the handling of the incident.

The Knicks said Oakley was "abusive" Wednesday even before reaching his seats in the first quarter, and on Friday distributed a witness report featuring more than a dozen witnesses who described his behavior and their interactions with him.

The team also shared with The Associated Press a 1-minute security video of moments leading up to the altercation, containing brief clips of Oakley in his seat, talking to a hostess and being confronted by Garden officials. There was no audio.

Potential Marlins buyer may be a Kushner, report says

So, it turns out that it may, in fact, be a member of the Trump-connected Kushner family who is interested in buying the Miami Marlins, just not Ivanka Trump's father-in-law Charles Kushner, as originally reported.

According to the New York Times, it is Joshua Kushner, Ivanka's brother-in-law, who has been pursuing the Marlins “for several months.” Joshua is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law and close advisor.

Forbes reported on Thursday that the team had a “handshake agreement” to sell the team for about $1.6 billion. Charles Kushner's name surfaced as the team's possible buyer in an ESPN report. But sources told the Miami Herald that Kushner is not involved, and Major League Baseball also denied any dealings with Charles Kushner.

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria donated $125,000 to the Trump presidential campaign last year.

From Wire Reports