Max Axelrod 1911 - 2004

Max M. Axelrod, philanthropist, sports pioneer dies at 93.

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The last living tie to the first Cleveland air show, Max Axelrod died Tuesday March 30^th at the Montefiore Home in Beachwood.

Mr. Axelrod was a lifelong Clevelander and a businessman of great renown, particularly in the sporting community. He was a founder, past chairman and president of the Cleveland Jewish News and was chairman of two record breaking Cleveland Jewish Federation fundraising campaigns. Mr. Axelrod was a founder of Lake Forrest Country Club in Hudson. Mr. Axelrod was also the owner of Cleveland Concession Company, which ran the concession operations at most every major sporting facility and outdoor event in Northern Ohio at one time or another between 1935 and 1980.

Mr. Axelrod was born in Cleveland February 22, 1911 to Peter and Mary Axelrod. Mr. Axelrod’s parents came from Lithuania and Russia. His uncle, Pavel Borisovich Axelrod was the first editor of Pravda, the official newspaper of the Soviet Union and was later purged by Stalin. His father Peter was the owner of Cleveland Dairy and a leading real estate developer in Cleveland until the early 1930’s.

Max was already enrolled in Western Reserve School of Law at the beginning of the great depression. “Of all the places I lived in my life, my fraternity house at Reserve was I think my favorite” Max recalled. In these years he got to know many contemporaries, including Irving Stone, the Mandel brothers, Rabbi Armand Cohen and Billy Weinberger (the founder of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas). It was during these years that he began a lifelong interest in sports and the concessions business. From the first air show in 1929 through the golden years of Cleveland sports in the 1950’s and 1960’s, Max Axelrod and his company, The Cleveland Concession Company dominated the behind the scenes world of concession management in Cleveland.

Mr. Axelrod continued growing his company by acquiring the rights to concessions at the Cleveland Parks and the Cleveland Zoo in 1935. Later, Mr. Axelrod got the concession rights to League Park, to the 1937 Great Lakes Exposition and eventually to the Arena, Akron Rubber Bowl, Derby Downs and the old Cleveland Stadium.

After returning from active duty in Africa and the Near East while in the US Army JAG (legal) corps during World War Two, Mr. Axelrod went back to the concessions business. During the 1948 Indians World Series run and the 1954 league championships for the Browns, Cleveland Concession provided everything from beer to hot dogs for millions of Clevelanders. Many young men who are leading citizens today got their first job working for Mr. Axelrod hawking popcorn, ice cream or peanuts for Max.

From the first air show until today, Cleveland Concession Company and its successor, National Concession Company has provided food service for every Cleveland Air Show. Max, along with George Steinbrenner was responsible for reviving the air show in 1964 after a long hiatus. Today, the Cleveland Air Show remains one of the most popular annual events in Cleveland. National Concession Company today is owned and operated by Axelrods and is a legacy Max leaves to his family here in Cleveland.

Mr. Axelrod was also in contention to be an owner of a number of major league sports teams, including the Indians, Giants, Barons and Browns as they changed hands over the years. For years, Mr. Axelrod was one of the three M’s- Max, Modell and Miletti who had their own table at the Pewter Mug downtown. Later, Mr. Axelrod owned a number of restaurants downtown himself, including the Clevelander and New Yorker delis.

Mr Axelrod was also involved in sports promotion. For three years he was chairman of the Cleveland Boxing Commission and ran the Cleveland Arena. One of the fights Max arranged in Cleveland was later profiled in the movie “Raging Bull” which starred Robert DeNiro as Jake LaMotta. Mr. Axelrod was a friend of other major national figures in sports including George Steinbrenner, Bill Veck, Satchel Paige, Hal Rosen, Hank Greenberg and other legends. He continued to follow sports even after leaving active participation the concession business in the 1970’s. “Max Axelrod was a great friend of mine and was certainly one of the leading businessmen in Cleveland during the years when I lived there” Mr. Steinbrenner said.

Max Axelrod left a legacy of philanthropic endeavors, particularly in the Cleveland Jewish Community. In 1964 Mr. Axelrod was a lead partner in forming the Cleveland Jewish News. Due to the foresight of its founders, The Cleveland Jewish News was then and remains today a community owned, independent organization that is the leading Jewish community publication in Cleveland. Max Axelrod was the first chairman of the board and remained, until his death the only President Emeritus and Trustee for Life of the Cleveland Jewish News. “Mr. Axelrod was passionate about the paper. He has told me the Cleveland Jewish News was one of the most rewarding things he did in his life” Violet Spevack, an early reporter and columnist at the Cleveland Jewish News recalls.

The achievement Mr. Axelrod said he was most proud of, however, was his philanthropic leadership in the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland. Mr. Axelrod was the Chairman of the annual fundraising drive of the JCF for two years, 1970 and 1971. During those two years, the annual fund raised record amounts- over 100 million dollars over those two years.^*

In addition to a daughter Lisa, Max Axelrod leaves an extended family of cousins, nephews and nieces in Cleveland, Chicago, Los Angeles and Nashville. Max Axelrod touched everyone he knew and leaves an indelible mark on Cleveland, his lifelong hometown- a place and a people he loved and cherished.

There will be a memorial service for Max M. Axelrod at Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Funeral Home, 1895 South Taylor Road, Sunday, May 2^nd, 2004 at 1 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Max Axelrod can be made to the Cleveland Jewish Community Federation’s Young Leadership Division, 1750 Euclid Avenue.

^*In current dollars. The annual fund raised $12 million dollars in 1970 and $13.6 million dollars in 1971 which was a record at that time.

Our very special thanks to David Levey.

last updated on Tuesday April 06, 2004