Thank You, Mr. Steinbrenner

This blog is the hardest thing I have ever written, because of the influence George M. Steinbrenner III had on my life. I feel like I owe this to him for what he has done for the game of baseball and his beloved Yankees. Growing up as a fan of his beloved team, “The Boss” was not just an owner; he was the architect and the man who changed my life.

When I first started watching baseball, the Yankees were in the cellar of the AL East and a shadow of their former selves in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. The team was pathetic, and team icon Don Mattingly was going through injuries and his career was winding down. When George Steinbrenner was suspended for hiring someone to slander Dave Winfield in 1990, it was a blessing in disguise for Steinbrenner and the Yankees. It changed The Boss, listening to the people on his staff like Gene Michael to make baseball decisions.

When George came back from his two year ban, he made drastic changes to the team and began to wisely spend his money. It began with the Paul O’Neill trade for Roberto Kelly before the 1993 season. They then signed another piece to the puzzle in Wade Boggs from the hated Boston Red Sox. Steinbrenner was forming a wonderful team, and in 1994 the Yankees were leading the division before the strike cancelled the season and the World Series. The 1995 was the season where the Yankees had a sense they were back and the boss had put the pieces in there with Jimmy Key and John Wetteland on the pitching staff and trading for David Cone in the middle of the season. They ended up winning the first AL Wild Card in that 1995 season and Mattingly finally made the playoffs. Steinbrenner’s Yankees made their first playoffs in 14 years. Although the Yankees lost to the Mariners in five games, George felt like he needed a change.

That offseason, he hired Joe Torre to become the team’s manager. With Mattingly on the fence of retirement, he made the move to bring Tino Martinez to the club. He had his prized shortstop in the minor leagues ready to come up to the big club, but Steinbrenner was confident the kid would be good. That kid was Derek Jeter, the all-time Yankees hit leader. He took chances on two ex-Mets in Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden, who played big roles that season. The team clicked, and in October 1996, the Yankees won their 23rd title against the Braves, beginning the most recent Yankees dynasty.

In 1998, 1999, and 2000, the Yankees also won titles in that dynasty, but in my opinion, the 1996 was his favorite team. He had a few of his favorite players on that team and they had the perfect mix of veterans and role players. I feel that George did so much work in reconstructing for that team that he felt the most pride, especially since this was the first title since being suspended twice and first win since the 1994 strike. One of those favorite players from that team was named the 11th Yankee Captain in the team’s history. Derek Jeter was named the captain in the 2003 season and Jeter to this day thanks The Boss for the opportunity. Jeter is one of the players, like Thurmon Munson, that Steinbrenner adored.

The Yankees were going through a little bit of a drought from ‘01-‘08, with the low point coming in 2004. In 2006, the Yankees broke ground for Steinbrenner’s new crown jewel, the New Yankee Stadium. With declining health, Steinbrenner was not able to attend games often anymore. In 2008 before the MLB All-Star Game at the final year at the Old Yankee Stadium, Steinbrenner made a triumphant return, being driven onto the field from behind left field to take a turn round half the field, getting one of the greatest ovations I’ve ever heard. It was the swan song for the “Cathedral of Baseball” and Steinbrenner did it right. Players past and present came up to The Boss, giving him hugs and words of encouragement in one of the most touching moments I’ve seen on a baseball field.

In 2009 his new stadium opened, and the team christened it in the only way they knew how, with a World Series Title. When they won the championship, the phrase was “This one’s for you George!” This was George’s seventh and final World Series title as owner of the New York Yankees. He made it out to opening day at Yankee Stadium this season, but he stayed in his box while Jeter and Yankee Manager Joe Girardi delivered his World Series ring personally. That would be Steinbrenner’s last big moment at Yankee Stadium.
George M. Steinbrenner III passed away from a massive heart-attack on July 13, 2010, nine days after his 80th birthday and two days after the loss of former public address announcer Bob Sheppard passed. The shockwaves of his death hit the sports world hard. ESPN has dedicated all of Sportscenter and ESPNews to George and YES Network has been showing his Yankeeography all day and tributes to the boss have been pouring out from his former players. An era in sports has come to the end and baseball will never see an owner like this again. With Old Timer’s Day on July 17, expect a great celebration of his life and the outpouring of love for the great man.

George was a great and charitable man. He donated a precipitous amount of money to charities and scholarships throughout the years. I was lucky enough to be a part of one of his charitable gifts in the late ‘90s. In 1998, my grandmother was coming to visit us from New York and we had tickets to a Yankees Spring Training game before finding out she was coming to visit. My mother and I wrote Mr. Steinbrenner a letter asking to purchase a ticket, because the game was sold out. He did one of the most gracious things I’ve ever seen. Not only did he give us a ticket for free, it was a ticket in his suite. This ended up being my grandmother’s last time visiting Florida as well as being her last baseball game due to her age (she’s 94 years old now). We were able to meet Mr. Steinbrenner and my grandmother and the rest of us were able to thank him personally and have a conversation with him. It was a lasting moment in my life and I am always in debt to him for that. He is the reason for my love of baseball and the New York Yankees. For being seen as a hard-pressed man, he was a real sweet person with a good heart and you knew he wanted the BEST for the Yankees and their fans.

I want to take the time to just say thank you George for all you have done for the great game of baseball and as I get choked up thinking about our loss, we know you’re in a better place. It’s just hard to see you finally gone and won’t hear your statements and comments about the Yankees. You made baseball exciting, fun and enjoyable when we went to the ballpark at Old Yankee Stadium, George M. Steinbrenner Field and New Yankee Stadium. You made it right and you kept the Yankees a classy organization with people proud to wear the pinstripes, players and fans. It’s going to be tough watching the Yankees knowing you won’t be there anymore, but I know you would want us to keep watching with you in our thoughts to enjoy your team that has brought its fans joy over the years. Even though tonight is the MLB All-Star game, your greatness and presence through the years has you taking over the headlines. Only you, George, could take over the back page of the paper no matter what. You were a wonderful man off and on the field. If you love or hate him or the New York Yankees, you can’t deny what he has done for the game of baseball. My thoughts and prayers are out for you and your family. Rest in Peace Mr. Steinbrenner, I am forever grateful for your contributions to the game of baseball and my life.

THANK YOU MR. STEINBRENNER.

I want to close this with a quote I heard earlier today on 1080 ESPN in New York by Michael Ian Black. “Somewhere in Heaven, Billy Martin just got fired.” I’m sure he’ll be rehired shortly. Goodbye Mr. Steinbrenner and thank you from me and the rest of Unassisted Sports.