LAKERS OWNER JERRY BUSS EXPIRES IN L.A. HOSPITAL

Jerry Buss -- proprietor of the Los Angeles Lakers -- expired early this morning at the age of eighty

Jerry Buss had been hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in L.A. for the past few months ascribable an antecedently undisclosed intestinal problem ... though it was revealed yesterday he had been battling cancer the entire time.

Later starting his career as a chemist, Buss soon got his true calling in the real estate biz ... snapping up properties all over L.A. Ahead moving on to the sporting world.

In 1979, Buss created history while he bought the Lakers, the L.A. Kings and The Forum for $67.5 million -- at that time, the greatest transaction in sports.

Under his ownership, Buss viewed dozens of all-time greats -- admitting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant -- win the Lakers 10 NBA Championships. He was invested into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

Jerry Buss was as well an avid poker player ... and seemed on numerous TV shows, including "High Stakes Poker" and "Poker After Dark."