Former Padres president James Mulvaney dies at 87

By City News Service

A service will be held Oct. 23 for longtime civic leader and former president of the Padres James “Jim” Mulvaney, who died of pneumonia this week at 87.

Mulvaney died Sunday at his home in Pacific Beach, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, which credited Mulvaney with playing key roles in nearly

every area of the community.

“His word was his bond. If he said he’d do something, you could count on it,” friend Deborah Szekely told the newspaper.

Among his many accomplishments, Mulvaney co-chaired a campaign to raise money to rebuild the Old Globe Theatre after it burned down in 1978, and he

chaired the local, state, western region and international United Way.

Mulvaney, a lawyer, moved to San Diego from Chicago in 1945 to work at National Steel and Shipbuilding and later went on to serve as president of the

old Pacific Coast League’s San Diego Padres, from 1955 to 1968. After that, he became the vice president and general counsel of the San Diego Padres National

League Team.

Mulvaney also served as a naval officer during World War II and taught law at the University of San Diego School of Law. He was survived by his wife of 64 years, one daughter, six sons, 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, according to the Union-Tribune.

The service for Mulvaney will start at 10 a.m. at All Hallows Catholic Church in La Jolla.