George Steinbrenner, owner of New York Yankees, passed away on July 13. He was quoted during his introductory press conference as saying “We plan absentee ownership as far as running the Yankees is concerned.” But his 37-year ownership was anything but that.
His tenure was often overshadowed by his tendency to meddle in daily on-field decisions, earning him the nickname “the Boss." He was known as much for his arguments and dismissals of players and staff as he was for winning. Under his stewardship, the Yankees won seven World Series championships -- appearing in 11 -- and 16 eastern division titles. His first 23 seasons with the team changed managers 20 times. Steinbrenner infamously hired and fired Billy Martin five times and it was rumored that before Martin’s death in 1989, he was going to be hired to manage the club a sixth time for the 1990 season.
Some may focus on his conviction for illegally contributing to Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign, his lifetime ban from baseball for paying a gambler to “dig up dirt” on Dave Winfield, which was subsequently reduce to three years, and other infamous tirades with players and managers. While others may say that he “bought” championships by signing lucrative deals with some of the biggest names in baseball. In his mind he was doing what any owner should do: reinvest the teams money by acquiring the best players. Although this tactic forced player salaries to rise, it also produced seven World Series championships for New York.
He was the first owner to sell cable rights to his team through the MSG network. A dispute with the parent company of MSG, Cablevision, led him to the creation of his own network, YES (Yankees Entertainment and Sports) with the NBA’s New Jersey Nets. Through Steinbrenner’s ventures, the Yankees became the first American sports franchise to be worth over $1 billion.
Steinbrenner may go down as one of the most successful and controversial owners in sport’s history. Many who do not know much about baseball still know him from his self-deprecating appearances on “Saturday Night Live,” Miller Lite commercials and lampooning on the NBC sitcom, “Seinfeld.”
George Steinbrenner, loved by Yankee fans, despised by everyone else, has left a legacy that owners often emulate today. His disciples are seen in the likes of Dan Snyder, Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones. His belief was that winning trumped everything else. Every dollar spent by fans was reinvested into the team. "The way New Yorkers back us, we have to produce for them," he once said.
He made many mistakes to the detriment of his team, but only to increase the chances of his team winning. “I haven’t always done a good job, and I haven’t always been successful – but I know that I have tried,” he once said.
And at the end of the day what more can a fan ask?
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