A minority owner of the San Diego Chargers died on Thursday at age 98, a family member confirmed to NBC 7.
George Pernicano became one of five original minority owners of the Bolts in 1991.
Pernicano died on Thursday morning around 7 a.m. after suffering from a long lillness, the family member said.
In a statement released by the San Diego Chargers, current Owner-Chairman Dean Spanos shared his condolences with the family.
“Everyone in NFL circles loved George and he loved being around the team and the players. He was always upbeat and fiercely proud of this team and his handle-bar mustache was famous as his calling card around the NFL," Spanos said.
You can read the full statement here.
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He was well-known in San Diego for his restaurant Pernicano's on Robinson and Sixth avenues in Hillcrest, which closed it's doors in 1985. More than 30 years later, the restaurant is still vacant.
Pernicano was inducted into the Chargers' Hall of Fame in 1996.
At the time of his death, he owned three percent of the team.
