Notable people · Business
Powel Crosley Jr.
Cincinnati-born manufacturer who founded the Crosley Radio Corporation (1921), launched WLW in 1922, raised it to 500,000 watts in the 1930s, bought the Reds in 1934 and introduced Crosley cars in 1939. He is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery.
At a glance
- Born
- 1886-09-18
- Died
- 1961-03-28
- Education
- University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 1904-1906, none (left)
- Ohio Military Institute, Cincinnati, OH
- Known as
- Business
- Organizations
- Crosley, WLW, Cincinnati Reds
Life story
Powel Crosley Jr. was born in Cincinnati in 1886 to a lawyer father and attended Ohio Military Institute before studying engineering and then law at the University of Cincinnati, leaving after two years.
He tried car making in Indiana in 1907, came back to Cincinnati and co-founded an auto-parts firm in 1916. In 1921 he built a cheap crystal radio, the Harko, and Crosley Radio became the world's largest radio maker by 1925.
He got the WLW license in 1922, and by 1934 it ran a 500-kilowatt transmitter. That same year he bought the Cincinnati Reds, and the first Major League night game was played at Crosley Field on May 24, 1935.
He launched Crosley cars in 1939, made proximity fuzes in the war, and sold his radio and manufacturing businesses to Avco in 1945. He died in 1961 and is buried in Spring Grove.
Timeline
- 1886-09-18: Born in Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1916: Co-founds American Automobile Accessory Company (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1921: Builds crystal radio; Harko set sells for $7 (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1922-03-02: WLW license issued at 50 watts (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1934-02: Buys the Cincinnati Reds (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1935-05-24: First Major League night game at Crosley Field (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1939: Introduces Crosley automobiles (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1945: Sells WLW and Crosley Corporation to Avco (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1961-03-28: Dies; buried at Spring Grove (Cincinnati, OH) source
What Powel is known for
- Founded Crosley Radio Corporation (1921) and WLW (1922)
- WLW operated at 500 kW in the 1930s
- Bought the Cincinnati Reds (1934); first major-league night baseball
- Crosley Motors (1939-1952)
- Crosley Radio / Crosley Corporation
- WLW radio, 1922
- Crosley cars, 1939
- Pinecroft mansion, Mount Airy (NRHP 2008)
Honors and things named for them
- Automotive Hall of Fame, 2010
- National Radio Hall of Fame, 2013
- Crosley Field named for him
- Crosley Tower, University of Cincinnati
Family
- first wife: Gwendolyn Bakewell Aiken
- second wife: Marianna Wallingford
- third wife: Eva Emily Brokaw
- brother: Lewis M. Crosley
Places in Ohio to see
- Spring Grove Cemetery (grave)
4521 Spring Grove Ave, Cincinnati, Hamilton County ZIP 45232 · Cincinnati · Hamilton County - Crosley Terrace (statue)
Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Hamilton County ZIP 45202 (approximate) · Cincinnati · Hamilton County
Ohio places
Where Powel Crosley Jr. was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Born: Cincinnati, Hamilton County ZIP 45202 · Cincinnati · Hamilton County
- Worked: Cincinnati, Hamilton County ZIP 45202 · Cincinnati · Hamilton County
- Buried: Cincinnati (Spring Grove Cemetery), Hamilton County (4521 Spring Grove Ave) ZIP 45232 · Cincinnati · Hamilton County
Myths and corrections
- Crosley claimed he was slotted to drive in the Indianapolis 500; Wikipedia says he was entered but broke his arm.
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. High: the main facts were confirmed in sources we opened.
- Powel Crosley Jr. (Wikipedia, pointer) dates, burial, 1934 500-kW WLW, Reds 1934, Crosley Motors
- Crosley, Powel (Museum of Broadcast Communications) dates, WLW
- Powel Crosley Jr. (Radio Hall of Fame) dates, 1921/1922, 500 kW, Reds, night baseball