David Haber Explained

David Haber (1909–1983) was an American businessman.

Haber was born in 1909 in Harlem. He owned a large fleet of taxi cabs in New York City until 1963 when he sold them for $4 million.[1]

In 1952 Haber purchased Miami radio station WFEC for $50,000.[2] Haber filed for a construction permit for a television station on channel 10 the next year, but withdrew his bid for the channel later that year.[3] [4] Under Haber WFEC was primarily aimed at a Black audience, promoting itself as "the only station in Florida featuring all-negro programming" and aired shows hosted by Robert Earl Sawyer and King Coleman.[5] [6] [7] In 1955, WFEC came under scrutiny by the FCC for airing programs hosted by "tipsters" claiming to help listeners bet on horse race winners.[8] The station won its license renewals after removing the programs.[9] Haber sold the station later in the year for $70,000.[10]

Haber owned horses with his attorney and business associate Henry Friedlander and raced under the name of Dirf Stable. In 1959 he opened Shenandoah Downs in Charles Town, West Virginia. In 1964, Haber, who wanted to own a larger track as well as one closer to his home in Manhattan, purchased Suffolk Downs from John C. Pappas for $3 million. Haber planned a turning Suffolk from a mile-long thoroughbred into a harness track.[11] In 1968 he sold Suffolk Downs to Reality Equities Corporation of New York. He was succeeded as track president by former baseball executive Bill Veeck but remained as chairman until Reality Equities sold the track in 1971.[12]

Haber died on October 28, 1983.[13] In 1992 the executor of Haber's $1.27 million estate Melvyn Altman was accused of stealing from three estates, including Haber's.[14] Altman was sentenced to 41 months in prison for stealing $750,000 from Haber's estate and from the estate of a intellectually disabled man he had been given guardianship of.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Postal . Bernard . Silver . Jesse . Silver . Roy . Encyclopedia of Jews in Sports . 1965 . Bloch Publishing Company . 332.
  2. News: Change In WFEC License Approved. Miami Herald. 4-C. May 23, 1952. April 8, 2020. May 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220520195538/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48300099/change-in-wfec-license-approved/. live.
  3. News: WFEC Seeks TV Channel 10. April 8, 2020. January 15, 1953. 1-D. Miami Herald. May 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220520195540/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48300185/wfec-seeks-tv-channel-10/. live.
  4. News: Haber Withdraws Bid For TV Channel 10. November 26, 1953. Miami Herald. 8-A. April 8, 2020. May 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220520195600/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48300242/haber-withdraws-bid-for-tv-channel-10/. live.
  5. News: Aggressive, experienced.... April 8, 2020. December 15, 1952. Broadcasting. 100. March 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210308032321/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1952/BC-1952-12-15.pdf. live.
  6. News: New Voice. April 8, 2020. July 6, 1952. Miami Daily News. 5-D. May 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220520195602/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48300632/new-voice/. live.
  7. News: No Foolin'. April 8, 2020. January 22, 1957. Miami Daily News. Herb. Rau. 8B. May 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220520195541/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48300568/herb-rau-no-contest-no-retirement-no/. live.
  8. News: FCC Action Hits 3 Radio Stations Here. 1-B. Miami Herald. April 8, 1955. April 8, 2020. May 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220520195649/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48300706/fcc-action-hits-3-radio-stations-here/. live.
  9. News: Five Win Renewals. Broadcasting. July 4, 1955. April 8, 2020. 70. March 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210308040813/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1955/1955-07-04-BC.pdf. live.
  10. News: For the Record. April 8, 2020. Broadcasting. December 12, 1955. 96. March 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210308032330/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1955/1955-12-12-BC.pdf. live.
  11. News: Ralby . Herb . New Owner to Improve Suffolk . The Boston Globe . March 25, 1964.
  12. News: Ralby . Herb . Suffolk to Be Sold, Veeck Joining Staff . The Boston Globe . November 17, 1968.
  13. News: Deaths . The New York Times . October 30, 1983.
  14. News: Levitt . Leonard . Lawyer Looted Estates In His Care: Indictment . Newsday . July 24, 1992.
  15. News: Levitt . Leonard . 3rd Lawyer Charged In Surrogate Probe . Newsday . February 3, 1994.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "David Haber".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.