He relocated to California in the mid-1980s to start a business venture and died on December 13, 2015, at his home in Santa Monica from cancer.
Block stated to McGregor that in order for Pittsburgh to be a true sports town, in needed to have an NHL team.
[2] The two men, who were classmates at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, gathered together a group of investors, that included HJ Heinz II, Art Rooney, and Richard Scaife, and made their successful proposal to the NHL.
During his ownership tenure, Block would bring his stepchildren to the team Christmas party, and his wife, Ida, even gave guitar lessons to former Penguins winger Bob "Battleship" Kelly.
Penguins were eventually sold for a mere $3.8 million to a group that included Wren Blair, ending Block's stake in the team.