Latest news with #Bidwill
Chicago Tribune
06-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Vintage Chicago Tribune: Meet Violet Bidwill, the NFL's first female owner of the Cardinals
Chicago Bears matriarch Virginia Halas McCaskey, who died in February, was not the first woman to become principal owner of an NFL team. Yet the woman who was lived nearby. Violet Bidwill was entrusted with the leadership of the Chicago Cardinals after her husband and team owner Charles Bidwill died unexpectedly in 1947. And though she, too, later died suddenly, the Bidwill family still retains ownership of the team due to her efforts. But wait — who are the Bidwills, you may say? And it's understandable why. 'No profiles of them have been written for newspapers. Their names do not pepper gossip columns. Indeed, so reluctant have they been to toot their own horns that on the rare times when the family name is printed in the paper, it is sometimes misspelled as Bidwell,' Tribune columnist Rick Kogan wrote in 1993. Yet, the family carried an impressive sports portfolio in the Chicago area during the 20th century — even after George Halas and his Bears emerged as the Monsters of the Midway. Here's a look back at Chicago's original professional football team and its matriarch. Chicago Cardinals The Cardinals are the oldest pro football franchise in the NFL — yes, older than the Chicago Bears. The NFL's oldest rivalry continued at Soldier Field. A look back at the teams that started it all in 1920. The Cardinals began in 1898 as the Morgan Athletic Club on Chicago's South Side, then became the Racine Cardinals — named after Racine Avenue, where their home venue was Normal Park and not for the city in Wisconsin — before becoming the Chicago Cardinals in 1922. Even the team's color has a history — the Cardinals played in maroon jerseys from the University of Chicago and since then the color and name stuck. Charles W. Bidwill Charles Bidwill, like the Cardinals, was also born and raised in Chicago — the son of Joseph Bidwill, once an alderman. He attended St. Ignatius High School and Loyola University then became an ensign in naval intelligence during World War I. Bidwill served as court clerk, first assistant prosecutor for the city of Chicago and corporation counsel under Mayor William 'Big Bill' Thompson before sports took him in another direction. And Bidwill's exploits into Chicago's sports scene were vast and varied. His biggest move outside football came in 1932. The Illinois legislature outlawed dog racing in the state, and Bidwill was part of a National Jockey Club group that took over a dog track Al Capone had operated in Cicero. The facility was converted into a thoroughbred track and reopened as Sportsman's Park. In 1933 — at the height of the Great Depression — Bidwill became president of the Chicago Stadium Operating Co., which had the exclusive rights to promote boxing and wrestling matches, bicycle races and other events at the venue. Simultaneously, Bidwill also was: Secretary, Illinois Turf Association Secretary, Hawthorne Race Course Owner, racing stable Half owner, Chicago Bears Stockholder, American Turf Association Owner, Bentley-Murray Co. that printed nearly all the pari-mutuel betting and race track admission tickets used in the U.S. and Canada With him overseeing the operation, the Chicago Business Men's Racing Association ran Hawthorne Race Course from 1924 to 1937, when Bidwill bought enough stock to own it outright. Bidwill also was a director of the American Turf Association; co-owner of dog tracks in Miami Beach, Tampa and Jacksonville; had stock in Churchill Downs; and in the 1940s he started a women's professional baseball team, the Chicago Bluebirds. Supposedly the Cardinals transaction took place aboard Bidwill's yacht, the Ren-Mar. The guest list for the informal dinner party included Bidwill's wife Violet, Bears owner George Halas, city physician and Cardinals owner David J. Jones and Tribune sports editor Arch Ward, a journalist/promoter responsible for baseball's All-Star Game, among other ventures. Not surprisingly, football entered the conversation. Jones complained that the team he had bought three years earlier from its financially depleted founder, Chris O'Brien, was a draining investment he wanted to unload. A handwritten agreement listed the purchase price as $12,500, but Halas and others later were quoted as saying it was $25,000. Bidwill was interested. As the story goes, they settled on a price of $50,000, and Bidwill sealed the deal with $2,000 down and a handshake. The ownership change was announced in the Tribune on Sept. 6, 1933. One month later, the Tribune reported Bidwill sold his interest in the Bears to Halas. Tragedy strikes Bidwill's life, however, took a tragic turn in early 1947. He was hospitalized at St. George Hospital and treated for pneumonia. Despite the use of penicillin and other drugs, his condition didn't improve. Bidwill died April 19, 1947, at 51. Despite the shock, Ray Bennigsen, a longtime Bidwill employee, said business would continue as usual. 'All of Mr. Bidwill's enterprises will be carried on by his present organization,' Bennigsen said. 'All of us who have been working with him will continue without any change.' Bidwill's funeral — in which the owners of at least six NFL teams were present — took place April 22, 1947, at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Oak Park. Halas was one of the pallbearers and he also presided over a memorial service before the start of the Bluebirds' season. Bidwill was also honored posthumously with the $25,000 C.W. Bidwill Memorial handicap race. Violet Bidwill became principal owner of the Cardinals after her husband's death and Bennigsen said the team would remain family-owned. 'Charley aimed at one goal during his life. That was that Stormy (Charles Bidwill Jr.) and Billy (his younger brother) would eventually come into control of all of his interests.' An unbelievable season According to Cardinals Hall of Famer Charley Trippi, Bidwill predicted in February 1947 that his team would win a title. He was right — but the Cardinals had to get past their crosstown rivals first. On Dec. 14, 1947, the Cardinals beat the Bears 30-21 at Wrigley Field to get into the championship game two weeks later at Comiskey Park against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cardinals won 28-21. Violet and her sons treated the team to a dinner at the Edgewater Beach Hotel, presenting each player with a miniature gold football suitable for a charm bracelet. It was one of only two championships the franchise has won. The other was in 1925 (though it is still controversial). The Arizona Cardinals made it to Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1, 2009 in Tampa, Fla., but lost 27-23 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 1947 team was honored with rings during half-time of the Bears-Cardinals preseason game on Aug. 17, 1997. The Bidwill sons join their mother — and stepfather — in team roles Violet Bidwill married her financial adviser St. Louis native Walter Wolfner — who denied they were wed shortly after he became divorced in 1949 — and he became the Cardinals' managing director. Bennigsen resigned employment, but Violet Bidwill denied there was any 'dissension.' At a board of directors meeting that summer, 'Stormy' Bidwill, an outgoing, 23-year-old Georgetown University law student, was named the Cardinals' president, and his brother Bill, 20, was named vice president. Halas, another longtime Bidwill family associate, butt heads with Wolfner over turf. When Wolfner tried to move the Cardinals to Northwestern's Dyche Stadium in January 1959, Halas blocked him, citing an old territorial agreement calling for the Bears to play on the North Side and the Cardinals on the South Side. The NFL sided with Halas. There were rumors since the early 1950s that Wolfner had been exploring the possibility of a move, and groups in Miami, Houston, Atlanta and Buffalo were said to be interested. Wolfner denied the relocation rumors and it seemed the Cardinals were staying in Chicago after he cut a deal with the Chicago Park District to remodel Soldier Field. The massive lakefront facility became the Cardinals' home in 1959, although they played only four home games there and two in Minneapolis. Then in March 1960, the NFL granted Wolfner's request to move the Cardinals to St. Louis. Another sudden death strikes the Bidwill family Violet Bidwill went to a doctor's office in Miami on Jan. 29, 1962, complaining of a throat infection. She died during treatment. Like her first husband, Violet Bidwill had been administered a dose of penicillin. The Miami-Dade County medical examiner later ruled her death was caused by an allergic reaction to the drug. She was 62. Following a funeral Mass at Holy Name Cathedral, she was interred next to her first husband at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside. A three-day auction in Chicago of her wardrobe — dresses, shoes, hats and accessories — brought in more than $40,000 (or about $400,000 in today's dollars). A stunning secret is revealed during Cardinals' ownership lawsuit Plans were always in place for the Bidwill brothers to inherit their parents' multimillion dollar estate — including ownership of the Cardinals — after they died. Yet Wolfner contested Violet Bidwill's three-page handwritten will, which left the bulk of her estate to Stormy and Bill. Wolfner's cut only included the income from five Oklahoma oil wells, estimated between $250 and $400 per month. That's when the disgruntled widower brought a long-held secret to life. In Cook County Probate Court, Wolfner not only revealed the Bidwill sons were adopted, he asserted the adoptions were illegal, shocking the brothers who had grown up believing Charles and Violet Bidwill were their biological parents. Judge Robert Jerome Dunne, however, ruled the adoptions were legal. After the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the ruling, the dispute ended with an out-of-court settlement. The Bidwills defeated Wolfner and retained control of the Cardinals, which Stormy ran. But the co-ownership arrangement strained the brothers' relationship and Stormy sold his share of the team for a reported $6 million, making Bill, who had moved to St. Louis, the sole owner and operator of the franchise. 'His idea of how to run the team and mine were different,' Stormy once told the Tribune in a rare public comment on the rift. 'The leaving wasn't easy for either of us.' Bidwill family moves West, but stays in charge Bill Bidwill moved the Cardinals to Arizona in 1988 and ownership remains with the family. Violet Bidwill was honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the team hosted Super Bowl LVII in 2023. Want more vintage Chicago? Thanks for reading! Join our Chicagoland history Facebook group and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.
USA Today
23-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Cardinals owner 'strongly' denies all recent accusations made by former assistant
Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill is under fire again for his workplace behavior. However, he denies any of the allegations. His former personal assistant Brittany Neuheisel recently filed suit against him, alleging wrongful discharge, harassment and more. Bidwill addressed the allegations in an interview on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM this past week on Friday. 'It's a privilege to be in this position and all these positions,' he said. 'Just like in the entertainment industry and CEOs of businesses and CEOs of sports teams and owners, there are going to be times where things come up where people make allegations. You've got to go through the process. Sometimes it's a more lengthy process, but we're going to defend this. We strongly deny all these allegations and look forward to the process that we can stand our ground and make sure we defend ourselves strongly, which we will.' He continued. 'Often times, you see the reality is much different than what's alleged. And allegations are simply that: just allegations, so we look forward to moving forward. It just comes with the territory here, and I understand that. There are going to be critics out there and we're just going to be focused on building a great organization, great team.' This is not the first time his workplace behavior has come into question. Former team executive Terry McDonough also sued Bidwill and the Cardinals and was awarded $3 million. Former COO Ron Minegar also spoke about a bad workplace culture after he left the organization. But Bidwill believes that reality is different than perception. 'I think there's a perception outside the building that a few people want to carry on,' he said. 'We've gone through a lot of changes over the last couple of years and brought in new leadership. I'm excited about the leadership team we have both on the football and the business side.' Jeremy Walls is now the COO and Shaun Mayo is chief people officer, overseeing a human resources department that previously did not exist. 'We've done a great job of building up a culture. and you come over to our business operations center and you see that every day,' he said. What he says and what others seem to say differ greatly. How this lawsuit plays out is something to watch in the weeks and months to come, and whether we hear more problems. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Arizona Cardinals, owner Michael Bidwill sued by former assistant who claims discrimination
Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill's former assistant is suing him and the team, alleging he pressured her to resign in favor of a younger, more attractive hire, coerced unethical actions, and criticized her for prioritizing family. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Maricopa County Superior Court by Brittany Neuheisel, seeks damages to be determined by a jury for claims of wrongful discharge, discrimination, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Neuheisel, a 54-year-old single mother and grandmother, was hired by the NFL team in 2019 and resigned on Jan. 28, according to the complaint. One of the primary allegations against Bidwill is that he instructed Neuheisel to falsify federal and international disclosure records related to his private plane travels and pressured her to ignore restrictions on shipping a firearm via FedEx. According to the lawsuit, when she hesitated to comply and expressed concerns, Bidwill, aware of her Catholic faith, reportedly told her, "Do it and then go to confession!" The lawsuit claims that a colleague informed Neuheisel that Bidwill was seeking someone "young, beautiful, and athletic" for her role. The lawsuit further alleges that a woman Bidwill referred to as a "hot blonde" was hired and eventually assumed responsibilities previously held by the plaintiff. Neuheisel also asserts that Bidwill pressured her to resign because she refused to distance herself from her two adult children and three young grandchildren who lived with her. According to the complaint, Bidwill claimed her home life was affecting her job performance, calling her an "enabler" to her children and grandchildren. The suit describes how one of Neuheisel's children experienced a serious medical emergency. While she left work to handle the situation, Bidwill repeatedly texted her requesting "status updates," according to the filing. He even blamed her grandchildren for being noisy during a phone call, which he said caused him to forget to book a limousine to the NFL's New York headquarters, according to the lawsuit. A bizarre episode, as described in the suit, alleges Bidwell's pit bull bit Neuheisel and other employees. Neuheisel, the suit continues, was ordered to take the "vicious dog" to the park even after being attacked by the canine. Neuheisel is represented by Michael Caspino of the California-based Price Caspino law firm. Caspino told The Arizona Republic on Saturday that his client is "an amazing lady" who earned her bachelor's degree while serving in the U.S. Navy and raising her children as a single mother. Caspino said Neuheisel ultimately resigned after Bidwill shouted at her for half an hour on what became her final day. This followed several weeks of Bidwill "tearing at her every single day," Caspino said, adding, "She felt that if she didn't get up and walk out, she would have a mental breakdown." Bidwell is "a mean person who goes out of his way to mistreat people, and he likes to mistreat people who are different from him. He likes to mistreat people who he senses are less than him," Caspino said. Caspino pointed to a $3 million payout that an NFL arbitrator ruled in April 2024 that the Cardinals owed his client, former team executive Terry McDonough, for "false and defamatory" statements made to the media. Still, Caspino suggested not enough is being done. "That's a real problem here — these wealthy owners who can get away with anything in this league as far as mistreatment of employees — and it needs to stop," Caspino said. An NFL arbitrator has ruled that the Arizona Cardinals must pay $3 million to former team executive Terry McDonough for 'false and defamatory' statements the team made about him to the media A Cardinals spokesperson told The Arizona Republic on Saturday that the team had been contacted earlier in the week by Neuheisel's lawyer and was "threatened" with a lawsuit unless it settled by 5 p.m. the next day. After the team refused, the suit was filed, the Cardinals spokesperson said. Caspino said seeking a settlement is a legal requirement and judges expect as much. "The Cardinals were surprised by and strongly deny the allegations made in this lawsuit and intend to defend the case on its merits in the appropriate forum," a statement from the Cardinals said, citing pending litigation for not commenting further. Arizona Republic sports writer Theo Mackie contributed to this article. Arizona in the Super Bowl? One writer was a big reason the Eagles didn't move to the Valley This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals, owner Michael Bidwill hit with discrimination suit
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Arizona Cardinals employee sues team owner Michael Bidwill
The Brief A former employee with the Arizona Cardinals has filed a lawsuit against team owner Michael Bidwill. The lawsuit was filed by Bidwill's former assistant. PHOENIX - We have obtained documents surrounding a lawsuit that was filed against Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill. The complaint was filed by Bidwill's former assistant, who says Bidwill 'unmercifully harassed' her to 'drive her to leave the Cardinals.' What we know The newly-filed complaint for damages says the plaintiff, 54-year-old Brittany Neuheisel, was hired in 2019 as personal assistant to Bidwill. In the lawsuit, Neuheisel says Bidwill 'tormented' her for failing to 'disavow members of her own family,' and refusing to 'participate in illegal conduct.' The lawsuit accuses Bidwill of disparaging Neuheisel for how she raises her family, allegedly calling her an 'enabler,' saying her relationship with her kids and grandkids was affecting her work performance. The complaint says Neuheisel was also tasked with completing federal and international disclosures related to Bidwill's private airplane travel. She claims Bidwill demanded that she provide false information on the forms. The lawsuit says Bidwill referred to Neuheisel's Catholic practices when she objected to those instructions, allegedly telling her 'do it and then go to confession.' In early 2021, Neuheisel claims Bidwill told her to ship a firearm via FedEx to an acquaintance, and when she told him about restrictions on shipping the gun, he stated "that's not what I asked. Just ship it." The complaint also accuses Bidwill of trying to replace Neuheisel with someone 'young, beautiful and athletic.' According to the complaint, the Cardinals' VP of Executive Operations told Neuheisel it was her job to find Bidwill a girlfriend. When the organization hired a woman to serve as the Cardinals' Director of Events, she took over some of Neuheisel's duties, and from that point, Bidwill verbally abused her nearly every day, per the complaint. We reached out to the Cardinals for comment on the lawsuit, and a spokesperson for the organization replied with a statement. What they're saying "Earlier this week, the Cardinals received an email from a California-based plaintiff's lawyer. In it, he threatened to file a lawsuit unless the team agreed to his demand for a substantial amount of money by 5:00 p.m. the next day. The team refused, and the lawyer has now filed the Complaint. The Cardinals were surprised by and strongly deny the allegations made in this lawsuit, and intend to defend the case on its merits in the appropriate forum. As this is now pending litigation, the team will refrain from further comment."
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Arizona Cardinals employee sues owner Michael Bidwill, claiming verbal abuse
PHOENIX (AP) — A former personal assistant to Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill has filed a lawsuit against him, saying that she was verbally abused during her tenure with the club. Brittany Neuheisel, who worked with the Cardinals from 2019 until last month, is represented by attorney Michael Caspino and the suit was filed on Thursday in the Superior Court of Maricopa County. The suit claims constructive discharge, wrongful discharge, discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. The 54-year-old Neuheisel claims that she was 'continuously tormented for failing to disavow members of her own family and for refusing to participate in illegal conduct.' The suit also says that Bidwill wanted to replace Neuheisel with someone 'young, beautiful and athletic." In another example, the suit claims that Bidwill demanded Neuheisel 'provide false information' on federal and international disclosure forms relating to the owner's travel on a private airplane. It also says that when Neuheisel would raise concerns about Bidwill's requests, the owner would ridicule her Catholic faith, saying, 'Do it and then go to confession!' She is seeking a jury trial for unspecified damages. The Cardinals responded to the lawsuit in a statement Friday. 'Earlier this week, the Cardinals received an email from a California-based plaintiff's lawyer,' the statement said. 'In it, he threatened to file a lawsuit unless the team agreed to his demand for a substantial amount of money by (5 p.m.) the next day. 'The team refused and the lawyer has now filed the Complaint. The Cardinals were surprised by and strongly deny the allegations made in this lawsuit and intend to defend the case on its merits in the appropriate forum. 'As this is now pending litigation, the team will refrain from further comment.' ___ AP NFL:
