George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees, died this morning of a heart attack at the age of 80. He was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida and passed away at 6:30 am.
Whether you loved him or hated him (and there were plenty of people on both sides), everyone knew that Steinbrenner was in charge. He managed the team with an iron fist for nearly four decades.
Spending lavish amounts on payroll and never being afraid to make a tough decision, the team flourished under his reign. “The Boss” brought seven Wold Series titles to the organization that, prior to his ownership, had gone 15 years without winning the championship.
“Few people have had a bigger impact on New York over the past four decades than George Steinbrenner,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement. “George had a deep love for New York, and his steely determination to succeed combined with his deep respect and appreciation for talent and hard work made him a quintessential New Yorker.”
Steinbrenner was born a Yankee, if dates have any bearing on our destinies. A fourth of July baby, he epitomized the American dream.
“Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing,” Steinbrenner was fond of saying. “Breathing first, winning next.” Perhaps with that pasky “breathing” problem out of the way, Steinbrenner can focus on winning all the more.
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