Harry Weltman obit

Former Cavaliers GM Harry Weltman, 81, dies

 He was not on the list.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Harry Weltman, the general manager charged with resurrecting the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1980s, died early Thursday from complications with Alzheimer's. He was 81.

Weltman was a Cleveland native who attended Glenville High School and Baldwin-Wallace College, where he played basketball, baseball and football. He is in the sports hall of fame for both schools.

But it was in sports management – particularly in reviving the downtrodden Cavaliers -- where Weltman left his greatest mark.

"In a lot of ways he started the turnaround in Cleveland basketball," said George Karl, the coach Weltman hired to lead that revival. "When the Gunds bought the team, Harry was the leader in that group. And the Gunds continued for many, many, years, but Harry doesn't get much of that credit."

Weltman began his career with the ABA's Spirits of St. Louis in 1975-76, where he took a chance on hiring a young college kid named Bob Costas to announce games. He then returned to his hometown in 1982, where Stepien asked him to revive the struggling franchise that was 15-67 in 1981-82.

Credited to Weltman is the first NBA coaching job to Karl in 1984, and the drafting of Hot Rod Williams in 1985.

With Weltman's restructuring and guidance, by 1985, the Cavaliers were in the playoffs.

"He began my career," said Karl, now an analyst for ESPN. "At age 33, that was a huge step in my life and it ended quickly with Harry, but all through my time in basketball he remained a friend and he remained a special human being."

Weltman's tenure with the Cavaliers ended in 1986, and he then moved on to become general manager of the New Jersey Nets, 1987-1990.

Before entering the sports arena, Weltman worked in advertising positions in New York, which quickly led to helping fledgling NFL Films establish itself from 1965-70, and then led to developing film projects for the NHL, MLB and network television.

After his NBA career, Weltman worked as an investment adviser and became president of Caliper Sports Inc., a psychological profiler for professional and college sports teams. He resided in Pepper Pike.

Weltman was a Cleveland native where he went to Glenville High School and is in their Hall of Fame. He graduated from Baldwin Wallace University where he also was inducted into their Hall of Fame. He was a finalist as a Rhodes Scholar. He attended Tufts, School of Law and Diplomacy, and left to enlist in the United States Army in Ft. Devens, Mass, where he played on the all Army Basketball Team. He was married to Rosemary Weltman and has two children, Jeff and Mandy. Jeff followed in his father's footsteps into the NBA, where he is currently the president of the Orlando Magic.