James Dennis Burns (July 28, 1865 – January 2, 1928) was an American businessman, hotel operator, politician, and baseball team owner.
He was also the first owner of the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball, owning the club during the inaugural 1901 season.
After being educated in the public schools of Springwells and Detroit, he joined his brothers and father in the brickworks business.
[1] As a teenager, Burns was a boxer and wrestler and won the state amateur championship as a middleweight in both events.
Francis Leo became a priest and helped found Detroit Catholic Central High School.
He also started the "Burns and Campbell" bar on Michigan Avenue in Detroit and later owned the "Metropole Restaurant and Grill" on Griswold Street.