Dan Ulmer, who brought minor league baseball back to Louisville in 1980s, dies at 90

Dan Ulmer, who was responsible for bringing back minor league baseball to Louisville, died Friday at Masonic Home. He was 90 years old.

The Louisville Bats issued a statement via Twitter confirming the news.

"The Louisville Bats are deeply saddened by the loss of Dan Ulmer," the statement read. "Dan was essential in bringing Triple-A baseball to Louisville in 1982 and served as team owner for 30+ years. Expressions of sympathy can be made to the Catholic Education Foundation or a charity of your choice."

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Ulmer, a 1955 University of Louisville graduate, was on the leadership board that facilitated the Springfield Redbirds' move to Louisville in 1982 after the city had been without a professional baseball team for 10 years. The Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals at the time, the Redbirds in their first season broke the minor league attendance record with 868,418 spectators. They originally played games at Old Cardinal Stadium, located on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center, but moved downtown to the Louisville Slugger Field in 2000.

The team was renamed the RiverBats in 1999, and that was shortened to the Bats three years later.

Ulmer's success as a businessman earned him the University of Louisville's College of Business Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1987.

Manhattan Capital Sports Acquisition, LLC became the majority owner of the club in 2014. But Ulmer and his son, Gary, were remained involved — Dan was part of the ownership group while Gary was the president and CEO of the team.

After serving in the Navy, Dan Ulmer joined Citizens Fidelity Bank, which is now PNC Bank, in 1957. The Kentuckiana Business Hall of Fame Class of 2010 inductee became the bank's president and chairman of the bank in 1976 before retiring in 1993.

Ulmer's influence also extends to his alma mater. He was a chair on the board of trustees and the Cardinals' softball stadium, Ulmer Stadium, is named after him and his family. Additionally, he was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter at @Alexis_Cubit.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Dan Ulmer dies at 90: Former Louisville Bats owner and bank executive