. ▁He ▁owned ▁the ▁National ▁Football ▁League ' s ▁Baltimore / Ind ian apolis ▁Col ts ▁franch ise ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁and ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁R ams ▁briefly ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁I rs ay ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁March ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Charles ▁I rs ay ▁( born ▁Charles ▁Israel ) ▁and ▁Ela ine ▁Ny it rai , ▁Jewish ▁imm igr ants ▁from ▁Hung ary . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Marine ▁Corps . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁he ▁was ▁h ired ▁by ▁his ▁father ' s ▁he ating ▁and ▁vent ilation ▁business . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁I rs ay ▁founded ▁his ▁own ▁business , ▁the ▁Robert ▁I rs ay ▁Co ., ▁and ▁sold ▁the ▁business ▁to ▁Z urn ▁Indust ries ▁about ▁a ▁year ▁before ▁purch asing ▁the ▁Col ts ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁ ▁Career ▁I rs ay ▁assumed ▁ownership ▁of ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁Col ts ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁after ▁acqu iring ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁R ams ▁from ▁the ▁estate ▁of ▁Dan ▁Re e ves ▁and ▁sw apping ▁franch ises ▁with ▁Car roll ▁Rosen blo om , ▁all ▁made ▁official ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁day . ▁His ▁last - min ute ▁US ▁$ 1 9 ▁million ▁bid ▁for ▁the ▁R