Melvin A. Olshansky, the chairman of Maurice Sporting Goods in Northbrook, IL, died on Aug 29 at the age of 74, according to The Chicago Tribune. He had been hospitalized for several months with a number of maladies, including respiratory problems and kidney failure.

Along with his brother Harold and brother-in-law Frank Katlin, Melvin Olshansky took over the distributor business from his father Maurice, who died in 1966.

Frank Katlin died in 2005 and Mr. Olshansky's brother Harold died in 2006. Maurice Sporting Goods is now being run by a third generation of the family that includes Mevlin Olshansky's son Michael and Katlin's sons Jory and Andy. Melvin Ollshansky is also survived by his wife, Roberta; another son, David; and his sister, Fay Katlin.

Maurice Sporting Goods is one of the largest sporting goods distributors in North America. The company is a wholesale supplier of athletics, boating, camping, fishing, and hunting gear to both domestic and international retailers and mass merchandisers. Maurice's five warehouses supply The Sports Authority, Kmart, Modell's, and Wal-Mart, among others. The company also provides inventory management and promotional planning.