Harvey Bright, 84, One-Time Owner Of Dallas Cowboys

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The New York Sun

Harvey R. “Bum” Bright, best known for buying the Dallas Cowboys from founder Clint Murchison and selling them to Jerry Jones, died Saturday at Highland Park, Texas. He was 84.


Bright owned the Cowboys from 1984 to 1989.


Bright was chairman of the Texas A &M Board of Regents in 1982 when he was responsible for hiring Jackie Sherrill as the football coach and making him the highest-paid coach in college football at the time. Two years later, he bought the Cowboys, then sold them in 1989.


Bright toyed with the idea of firing coach Tom Landry, a move Jones made soon after buying the team.


Bright began working as a roughneck in the Texas oilfields. He used the $6,500 in savings to began trading oil leases with his college roommate.


They eventually started Bright & Co., an exploration and production company. Bright became a millionaire before his 31st birthday and he diversified his wealth, venturing into real estate, trucking and financial services, eventually owning more than 120 companies.


In 1996, Bright gave $25 million to Texas A&M.


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