Local boy makes good

Jerald Sachs, manager of the office of Guest Services at the Natural History Museum, was recently honored at the18th Annual Greater Washington, D.C., Sports Hall of Fame “Dinner of Champions.”

Before joining the Smithsonian, Sachs had a long career in sports marketing and public relations. After a stint in the Marine Corps and graduation from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, Sachs, a Baltimore native, teamed up with the Baltimore Orioles, first as a volunteer and later as public relations director. In 1966, he became public relations director for the Atlanta Braves during their first season in Atlanta. In 1968, he became Coca-Cola USA’s first director of sports marketing.

Jerald Sachs (Photo by James DiLoreto)

Sachs returned to the Washington area in 1970 as vice president and general manager of the Washington Bullets (now the Wizards). He participated in the design of the Capital Centre arena in Largo, Md., and became president of Centre Group, the operating entity that included the Washington Bullets, the Washington Capitals hockey team, Centre Management and local Ticketmaster. While he was with the Bullets, they went to the NBA finals four times and won the championship in 1978. He retired in 1998 and joined the Smithsonian in 2000.

The “Dinner of Champions” sponsored by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, recognizes the success of local athletes who serve as role models in our community and celebrates the personal triumphs of children with special needs who represent a unique brand of “champion.”