Peter Magowan

1942 - 2019

Peter A. Magowan

April 5, 1942 - Jan. 27, 2019

Peter Alden Magowan, the dynamic former Safeway CEO and an owner of the World Series Championship San Francisco Giants, who saved the team from relocating by spearheading a charge to build a new South of Market waterfront ballpark, died peacefully Jan. 27 from liver transplant complications at his Pacific Heights home surrounded by family and friends. He was 76.

A longtime resident of San Francisco and a lifetime baseball fan, Peter, with a group of fellow civic-minded San Francisco investors, led an eleventh-hour, $100 milion privately-funded bid in 1992 to rescue the Giants from relocating to Tampa Bay, Florida.

The successful mission had special meaning for Peter, a New York native who faithfully attended Giants games as a boy at the old Polo Grounds in New York. His family moved to San Francisco about the same time the Giants moved west in 1958. Having seen the team abandon New York for the West Coast, Peter was determined to prevent a similar exodus from San Francisco 35 years later.

Born April 5, 1942 in Manhattan, New York, Peter was the son of Robert Anderson Magowan, chairman and CEO of Safeway. His mother, Doris Merrill Magowan, was prominent San Francisco philanthropist. His maternal grandfather, Charles Merrill, was a co-founder of Merrill Lynch brokerage firm who also orchestrated the 1926 merger that created Safeway, one of nation's largest supermarket chains. Peter's maternal uncle was Pulitzer Prize-winning poet James Ingram Merrill.

Following high school in Massachusetts at Groton, Peter graduated Stanford University in 1964 with a degree in American literature. In 1966, he received his master's degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University in England. Peter completed his post-graduate studies at John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C.

After two summers in Washington, D.C. working at the State Department, Peter joined Safeway in the Washington area as a checker, shelf stocker and produce clerk prior to working his way up the corporate ranks. In 1979 at age 37, he was appointed Safeway chairman and CEO.

In 1979 Peter met his second wife, Deborah Johnston Cook at a dinner party hosted by her brother. The couple married in 1982 in Dallas where Ms. Cook then lived. They moved that same year to San Francisco, with Peter working in Oakland at Safeway headquarters.

Upon successfully acquiring the Giants in 1993, Peter stepped down from his role as CEO at Safeway, while remaining chairman, to lead the Giants as its president and managing general partner. One of his first appointments was signing super slugger Barry Bonds to a $43.7 million contract which, at the time, was the largest Major League Baseball contract. Bonds went on to shatter MLB's career home run record and, in the process, garnered three MVP awards.

During Peter's tenure, the Giants reached the playoffs four times. The team also achieved its first San Francisco World Series at-bat in 2002. But that ended with a heartbreaking seventh game loss to the Angels.

The storied history of the Giants franchise was also an important touchstone for Peter, who returned beloved former Giants, such as Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda, back to the team by signing them to lifetime special advisor contracts.

Under Peter's leadership, the Giants, in 1994, were the nation's first professional sports team to raise funds and awareness in the fight against HIV/AIDS by launching a special event game, "Until There's a Cure Day," that is now in its 20th year. In 1991 under the Giants Community Fund umbrella, Peter developed the fund's Junior Giants, a free baseball and life-skills program that annually serves more than 20,000 at-risk kids. In 2008 Peter honored the Giants' storied history by establishing the team's Giants Wall of Fame at the ballpark.

In May 2008 Peter announced he would step down at the season's end as the Giants leader. Yet the team architecture Peter built would soon yield the Giants three World Series Championships in just five years: 2010, 2012 and 2014. His tremendous leadership was lauded in 2016 when Peter was inducted to the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.

News of Magowan's death elicited numerous social media condolences and tributes:

Willie Mays wrote: "He and Debby cared about me, and it was so easy to care about them in return. It's hard to find the right words just now, but in losing Peter, i've lost a great, great friend. He was like my godfather. No one can replace him."

Barry Bonds tweeted: "I'm extremely saddened by the passing of Peter Magowan. I will never forget our first call about the possibility of me coming home to play. He saved baseball for San Francisco and will be greatly missed. Sending my love and prayers to Debby and family. I love you Peter Magowan."

Giants CEO Larry Baer also remembered his friend and mentor: "The Giants family, the entire Bay Area and the game of baseball lost a man whose passion and loyalty to his favorite team and beloved community made it possible … to experience the magic of Giants baseball in San Francisco forever."

Buster Posey tweeted: "Sad day for the SF Giants. Peter will be missed. You didn't have to spend much time around him to realize how much he loved the Giants and the city of San Francisco. It's people like him that have made the organization so special."

Former Giant Orlando Cepeda also tweeted a heartfelt farewell: "One of the best men I've ever known. I will miss you my friend. #ForeverGiant."

Peter was a member of the Pacific Union Club and chairman of the Giants Community Fund Advisory board. A natural athlete, Peter was an avid skier and tennis player. He and his wife also enjoyed many sunny weekends at their country home in St. Helena where Peter lovingly tended his roses and peonies. Even after his retirement, the Magowans faithfully cheered on their team at home games from their longtime seats behind the Giants dugout.

Peter is survived by his wife, Deborah Magowan; five children; 13 grandchildren; and three brothers.

The life and many accomplishments of Peter Magowan will be celebrated by his family at a private memorial.

Donations in Mr. Magowan's memory may be made to the Peter A. Magowan Fields for Kids, a Giants Community Fund field renovation program for underserved communities.