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Powel Crosley Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Crosley in a late 1940s advertisement | |
| Born | September 18, 1886 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | March 28, 1961 (aged 74) |
| Occupation(s) | Inventor, industrialist, and entrepreneur |
| Known for | Crosley automobile, WLW radio station, former owner, Cincinnati Reds |
| Spouse(s) | Gwendolyn B. Aiken (m. 1910–1939) Eva Emily Brokaw (m. 1952–1955) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Lewis M. Crosley (brother) |
Powel Crosley Jr. (September 18, 1886 – March 28, 1961) was an American inventor, industrialist, and entrepreneur. He was also a pioneer in radio broadcasting, and owner of the Cincinnati Reds major league baseball team. In addition, Crosley's companies manufactured Crosley automobiles and radios, and operated WLW radio station. Crosley, once dubbed "The Henry Ford of Radio," was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2010 and the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2013.
He and his brother, Lewis M. Crosley, were responsible for many firsts in consumer products and broadcasting. During World War II, Crosley's facilities produced more proximity fuzes than any other U.S. manufacturer, and made several production design innovations. Crosley Field, a stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, was renamed for him, and the street-level main entrance to Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati is named Crosley Terrace in his honor. Crosley's Pinecroft estate home in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Seagate, his former winter retreat in Sarasota, Florida are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.