But in 1972, at the height of his success, Whitney stepped down. At age 45, with Dain s future secured, he wanted to do something else. He went on to teach a management class for 13 years at the University of Minnesota s Carlson School of Management, and redoubled his efforts in the field of alcoholism and chemical dependency at the Johnson Institute, where he served as board chairman until 1979. Whitney led the effort to move baseball s Washington Senators to the Twin Cities. He also served as a member of the Twins board for 24 years.
Sports are for everyone.
It s for city people and rural people, old people and young people, for any race. Whitney also belonged to a group that in 1966 persuaded the NHL to start the expansion North Stars in the Twin Cities, and helped build the Metropolitan Sports Center. In 1986, he became part of the 10-person group that owned the Minnesota Vikings until 1998. He also served as team president for four years. At 73, Whitney still bubbles with zest for life, as he talks about taking tap dancing lessons, traveling, playing squash, or golfing.