Giants' other co-owner, Tisch, dies

NEW YORK -- Robert Tisch, co-owner of the New York Giants and a civic leader in New York City for several decades, died Tuesday of brain cancer. He was 79.

Tisch died at his home, a family publicist said.

Three weeks ago on Oct. 25, the Giants' other co-owner, Wellington Mara, also died of cancer. Wellington Mara was the son of team founder Timothy J. Mara.

Tisch bought 50 percent of the Giants in 1991 from Tim Mara, Wellington Mara's nephew, not long after the Giants beat Buffalo in the Super Bowl.

He also was U.S. postmaster general from 1986 to 88 and chairman and director of Loews Corp., a company he and his late brother, Laurence Tisch, had purchased in 1959 when it was a movie theater chain. The company changed its name from Loews Theaters in 1971 and currently owns and operates Loews Hotels, the Lorillard Tobacco Co. and 97 percent of Bulova Corp., among other interests.

Tisch was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in 2004 and had curtailed his regular visits to Giants practices and games.