THE OWNERS

There is no position player, no pitcher, no GM who can shape the game of big league sports like the owner can. His involvement or non-involvement can make the difference in the success and character or the franchise he owns.

There have been many dynamic owners, and particularly in baseball, ownership is key. Today, two franchises, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets have both been adversely affected by their ownership. One because of a messy divorce and one because of a pending lawsuit: causes both big city market teams to be in grave financial straights.

George Michael Steinbrenner III (July 4, 1930 – July 13, 2010) was the principle owner of the team, and turned its fortunes around, restoring it back to the days of old. From 1973 until his death in 2010, the former ship-builder had the longest tenure in Yankee history, for any owner. Known as “The Boss” through the years, the most successful and controversial owner, one who was hated by the fans he has left a love hate relationship not only with the fans, but Major League Baseball as a whole.

Aside from a few notable players, Steinbrenner was the face of the Yankees. Controversial, challenging to his players, a meddler on the field as well as off, the Yankees won 11 pennants and 7 World Series under his stewardship.

It was his dynamic personality, his need to succeed, and his wealth that caused not only success on the field, but the rise of salaries to become inflated and out of reason

today; when he began his free agency buying spree with the likes of Jim ‘Catfish” Hunter, Reggie Jackson, and Rich Gossage, to name just a few.

He was tough on managers, with a win now attitude and did not hold back any punches. Firing Billy Martin three times, alienating an icon in Yogi Berra, and steam rolling over many of his underlings, who would be fired on the spot.  In 23 seaasons he had 20 managers

The "convicted" part of Billy Martin's famous 1978 "liar and convicted" comment referred to Steinbrenner's connection to Richard Nixon in 1974 Steinbrenner pleaded guilty to making illegal contributions to Nixon's re-election campaign, and to a felony charge of obstruction of justice. He was personally fined $15,000 and his company was assessed an additional $20,000. On November 27 of that year, MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspended him for two years, but later reduced it to fifteen months. Ronald Reagan pardoned Steinbrenner in January 1989, one of the final acts of his presidency.

The controversy did not stop at Nixon. On July 30, 1990, Steinbrenner was banned permanently from day-to-day management (but not ownership) of the Yankees by MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent for paying a gambler named Howie Spira $40,000 to dig up "dirt" on Winfield. Winfield had sued the Yankees for failing to contribute $300,000 to his foundation, a guaranteed stipulation in his contract. (Vincent originally proposed a 2-year suspension, but Steinbrenner wanted it worded as an "agreement" rather than a "suspension" to protect his relationship with the U.S. Olympic Committee; in exchange for that concession, Vincent made the "agreement" permanent.) After considerable negotiation with Vincent's office, Robert E. Nederlander, one of Steinbrenner's theatre partners and a limited partner in the Yankees organization, became the managing general partner.

George Steinbrenner presided over 6 World Championships and 10 pennants.

TOMORROW: Tom Yawkey
That's all I wrote, Folk!