Lamar Hunt, the pro sports visionary who owned the Kansas City Chiefs and came up with the term "Super Bowl," died Wednesday night. He was 74.

Hunt, who came from a famous and wealthy Texas family, died in a Dallas hospital of complications from prostate cancer, Chiefs spokesman Bob Moore said.

Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt passed away Wednesday night.
(CLIFF SCHIAPPA/AFP/Getty Images)

Hunt battled cancer for several years and was admitted into hospital the day before the U.S. Thanksgiving with a partially collapsed lung. Doctors discovered that the cancer had spread, and Hunt had been under heavy sedation since last week.

"He was a founder. He was the energy, really, that put together half of the league, and then he was the key person in merging the two leagues together," said Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Hunt's neighbour. "You'd be hard pressed to find anybody that's made a bigger contribution [to the NFL] than Lamar Hunt."

The son of Texas oilman H.L. Hunt, Lamar Hunt grew up in Dallas and attended a private boys' prep school in Pennsylvania, serving as captain of the football team in his senior year. His love of sports led to his nickname, "Games."

Hunt played football at SMU, but never rose above third string. His modest on-field achievements were dwarfed by his accomplishments as an owner and promoter of teams in pro football, basketball, baseball, tennis, soccer and bowling.

Counting pro football, Hunt has been inducted into eight halls of fame, including ones for soccer and tennis as well as the Texas Business Hall of Fame and the Kansas City Business Hall of Fame.

Hunt is survived by wife Norma, children Lamar Jr., Sharron Munson, Clark and Daniel; and 13 grandchildren.