Herb Kohl passes away at 88

[tntrost]

My dad is 88 and from Milwaukee. From the same era and knew alot of the same people. Memories of Kohl shaking my hand as a kid at the MECCA and also before Game 6 vs Toronto in 2017 just to be welcoming to a fan before the game.

[Daver]

RIP mr kohl will never forget the night you held up that chip ring to that standing ovation.You are the man thanks for keeping the bucks here thsnks for representing wisconsin as a class guy.Loved your stores loved you god speed

[MrHoneycutt]

Herb was class. A meddler, sure, but he wanted to win and we don't get the big one without him.

He'll now be checking the Bucks box scores at a table in Arcadia instead of at Ma Fischer's.

Rest easy.

[Ron Swanson]

Wonderful human being and the main reason why the Bucks are still in Milwaukee. Saw him a few years back and he clearly wasn't looking great, but still incredibly saddened by the news. One of the last of a dying breed of public servants. The man genuinely loved his city.

[El Pooch Grande]

One of my first memories as a basketball fan was meeting him at a Bucks/Timberwolves preseason game in 1989 at the Brown County Arena in Green Bay. I was 7 years old and obsessed with Jack Sikma. Herb was kind enough to sign my game program. Still have it to this day. RIP. Go Bucks.

[RiotPunch]

RIP, Senator Kohl. Such a generous man.

Was lucky enough to watch a game from his box seats when I was younger. Core memory, for sure, even if we lost the game.

Thanks for keeping my Bucks in Milwaukee.

[TroyD92]

Sad day. RIP Herb.

[mediocrityrules]

He kept the Bucks alive. For that, we will all be forever grateful. RIP Herb

[AussieBuck]

So glad he got to see 2021.

[Profound23]

RIP Kohl! Thanks for keeping the Bucks in Milwaukee. 2021 doesn't happen without him and I am so glad he was able to experience it.

[VooDoo7]

Loved that suit. Should be on display in the corridor somewhere.

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[paulpressey25]

Don't have that many Kohl stories, as I never interacted directly with him. But the one I like to share relates to the construction of the Bradley Center. Kohl wanted to build, own and finance the arena himself. Back then, you didn't need to spend zillions on a building, they were much simpler endeavors. And you could make money on them hosting concerts, events, etc.

While the community cheered Jane and Lloyd Pettit stepping up to donate the Bradley Center, Kohl was not happy. He wanted to own the place, and believed it could cash flow very profitably. He was angry when the news of the Pettits came down.

As many of you know, Lloyd Pettit was the longtime announcer for the Chicago Blackhawks. With his wife's money, they bought the Admirals, and wanted badly to get an NHL team here. While the BC was a fantastic civic gift ($73 million final construction cost I believe), Lloyd needed the facility built to NHL specifications.

I remember walking into the BC in October of 1988 for a Bucks exhibition game, and being extremely disappointed. The whole place felt like a giant concrete warehouse, and had more seats in the upper deck, than lower deck. It was indeed a sterile NHL arena. And then we had problems with a slippery basketball floor, because the ice sheet underneath kept causing condensation. Someone should do a story on Danny Manning (and others) blowing out their knees at the BC. NBA players did not like it.

As the BC was being completed, the NHL came down with a $50 million dollar price tag for an NHL expansion team (up from $32 million), along with complications from the Wirtz family in Chicago, claiming the Milwaukee market as part of their market. Lloyd then realized an NHL team wouldn't cash flow in Wisconsin, and that NHL dream died right after the BC opened.

The BC though did get one thing right. The restrooms. Offering a female perspective, Jane Pettit insisted they be numerous and large. And they were. I think of that everytime I sit and wait in line outside the janitors closets known as restrooms at the Fiserv Forum.

[HKPackFan]

He gave so much to the milwaukee bucks fans, to the city of Milwaukee and the state of WI.

He helped people along the way, had the people's interest in mind and was 100% always loyal to the state of WI.

He's an absolute legend. RIP.

[WeekapaugGroove]

RIP. My grandfather was in politics and knew Herb and thought he was a good human.

Sent from my SM-F731U using RealGM mobile app

[humanrefutation]

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[ReginaldDwight]

Read on Twitter

Not much else to say, dude gave up more then half a billion dollars to keep the team in MKE. **** Steve Ballmer.

[ClassicJack]

Herb Kohl is the best thing that ever happened to this franchise in Milwaukee. Considering the team success during his tenure, thats crazy.

More importantly he was a good, good man. RIP

[Sigra]

RIP

[Matches Malone]

Watch on YouTube

[MickeyDavis]

Too bad they couldn't reschedule the service. I wouldn't have been able to go but having it today is bad timing with the storm.