Les Smith, part of first Mariners ownership, dies

Les Smith, a part of the original Mariners ownership group that brought Major League Baseball back to Seattle, passed away on Wednesday at 93, according to The Associated Press.

After celebrating his birthday on Saturday, Smith's son, Alex, told the AP that his father died in his sleep.

A graduate of New York University, Smith also served in the Army during World War II. He then returned home, later forming Kaye-Smith Enterprises, a company that ran radio stations across the country.

It was with his business partner, entertainer Danny Kaye, and several others that he bought the Mariners in 1977.