The Obit For Jack Gould

White Sox GM Jack Gould Dies

.c The Associated Press

11/11/02 17:30 EST

CHICAGO (AP) - Jack Gould, a senior vice president of the Chicago White Sox since 1981, died Monday at his home after an extended illness.

His age was not disclosed by the team.

Gould flew combat missions during World War II as a bomber pilot for the U.S. Army Air Force and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Actor Jimmy Stewart was second in command of Gould's wing.

Gould joined the White Sox as an investor in 1975 during Bill Veeck's second tenure with the club and assumed his vice president's role with Jerry Reinsdorf's ownership group six years later.

``Everyone with the Chicago White Sox is deeply saddened today,'' Reinsdorf said in a statement.

``Jack Gould was a tremendous person, a war hero who rarely spoke of his accomplishments, a skilled businessman, a trusted counselor, a good friend and a very proud grandfather. He devoted a large part of his life to the Chicago White Sox, and he loved the team dearly. Not a day will pass when he is not missed.''

Under Gould's direction, the White Sox began computerizing the gathering of statistical data during the 1981 season, bringing the club into the forefront of the industry by making baseball decisions based on computer-generated data.

Among his other duties was overseeing research for the club's arbitration cases.

After leaving the military, Gould ran his own mortgage banking firm for 25 years and was a partner in the Chicago Bulls.

Gould was born in Chicago and was a graduate of Von Steuben High School and the University of Illinois, where he received a bachelor's degree in accounting. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, son Larry, daughter-in-law Hilary and grandson, Lucas.

Services will be held Wednesday in Skokie, Ill. The family requested that donations be made in Gould's name to Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities.