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Former Baseball Marketer Dies at 67
The Associated Press
02/02/04 18:13 EST
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) - Joel
Rubenstein, a top aide to Peter Ueberroth with the Los Angeles Olympic
Organizing Committee and the baseball commissioner's office, has died
at 67.
Rubenstein died from complications
of cancer Sunday at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, the commissioner's
office said. Five days earlier, Rubenstein was in New York for the annual
dinner of the Baseball Assistance Team, which honored him for his contributions
to the organization.
Rubenstein joined the commissioner's
office in October 1984 as Ueberroth's executive vice president for marketing
and helped found BAT, which raises money to assist former major leaguers
and members of the major league baseball family in need.
``I've never known a more creative
thinker and problem solver, with a bigger heart for looking out for others,''
Ueberroth said Monday.
``When I learned about the fact
that the former players had no benefits, I was very surprised and thought
that we should do something about it, and gave $100,000 to Joel Rubenstein
and said,
`Make it happen.'
``It's produced millions of dollars
for ballplayers who definitely needed help. During the Olympics and in
baseball, he always put athletes first and supported their efforts.''
When Ueberroth left baseball in
1989, Rubenstein became a partner of Ueberroth's investment and management
company, Contrarian Group Inc.
Rubenstein is survived by longtime
companion Julie Diller and two sons, Jeff and Todd Rubenstein.
A funeral is scheduled for Wednesday
at Hillside Mortuary in Los Angeles.
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