Broadcasting industry leader Daniel Burke, father of Chattanooga Lookouts owner Frank Burke, died this morning at age 82 from complications from diabetes. He died at his home in Rye, N.Y.
He had led his Capital Cities in its acquisition of American Broadcasting Co. in the 1980s.
Burke and longtime associate Tom Murphy built Capital Cities from a TV station in Albany, N.Y., into a giant that acquired ABC. Disney later acquired Capital Cities/ABC.
Daniel Burke joined his son Frank and Charles Eshbach in purchasing the Lookouts in 1995. They moved the Class AA team after the 1999 season from historic Engel Stadium to AT&T Field downtown. Completion of the privately funded AT&T Field occurred before the start of the 2000 season at a cost of $10.2 million.
In a text message today to the Times Free Press, Frank Burke said of his father, “It was his idea to build on Hawk Hill (in downtown Chattanoga). He was an amazing guy.”
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