Klaus Scheck, a leading figure in German sports retailing, died on May 25 at the age of 75. He joined the family business, the Munich-based SportScheck sporting goods retail chain, in 1965. He promoted skiing and tennis in Germany and opened his own ski and tennis training centers. Klaus Scheck wanted to turn skiing and tennis into popular sports for all, rather than just the elite. He hired lots of skiing instructors and opened more than 100 tennis courts in the Munich area. He was also one of the pioneers in distant retailing through SportScheck's famous mail order catalog. He sold the family company in two stages to the Otto Group, which took full ownership in 1992, partly to take advantage of its strength in e-commerce. The family still keeps ownership of some sports facilities and the chain's former travel bureau.

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