We sailed with Ted Turner in 1974 in his first campaign to win the America’s Cup on the Mariner/Valiant syndicate. He was a terrific guy to crew for and live with that Summer in Newport, Rhode Island. We had slow boats and didn’t win but Ted went on to win the Cup 3 years later. His Atlanta Braves also won the World Series in 1995, but he is better remembered as one of America’s Greatest Capitalists, one of America’s Greatest Philanthropists and one of America’s Greatest Environmentalists. He created CNN, gave $1 Billion to the United Nations for World Peace and permanently preserved 2 Million Acres of America’s most beautiful lands. He believed in doing his philanthropy now, in his own lifetime. He could then use his talent to direct it and make it start doing good immediately. He believed that great Capitalists should use their $$ to do great things for the entire world, not just for themselves — quite a contrast with what we are seeing a lot of these days.
This 2004 interview with Charlie Rose is an astounding Ted Turner tour de force of all of his talents and learnings on display, delivered with humility and humor beyond compare:
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