Yahoo!7 Answers Australia

The city of New York and one of the world’s most recognisable baseball teams, the New York Yankees, have plunged into mourning with the death of team owner – George Steinbrenner.

It is reported that Steinbrenner, aged 80, suffered a massive heart attack at home in Florida and subsequently passed away.

Steinbrenner, along with a group of private investors, bought the troubled New York Yankees back in 1973. Under his watch it has grown to one of the most successful baseball franchises and renowned the world over.

“Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing,” Steinbrenner once said.

Willing to spend heavily to sign star players, he demanded results and got them as the Yankees won seven World Series titles and 11 American League pennants since he bought the fabled club in 1973. The Yankees won their record 27th World Series title in 2009.

“He took, literally, a dying franchise and turned it into arguably the greatest franchise in American sports and along the way probably saved baseball,” said Sal Galatioto, president of Galatioto Sports Partners, a sports banking firm that has done business with the Yankees.

“It’s a great loss to the Yankee players and fans,” said Easwall Semper, 65, a lifelong fan wearing a Yankees cap in midtown Manhattan. “He was a fair man. He had his own ways.”

Source: Yahoo!7 Sports

Whilst I am not personally a Yankees fan, lifelong Phillies for me, one definitely has to respect his business acumen and successes as an owner. He was also well known for supporting numerous charities. No one can deny the achievements of the Yankees under his control have contributed to the continued prosperity and growth of baseball in America and throughout the world, at both professional and junior levels.

This brings us to the following question:

• What is your favourite memory of the New York Yankees with George Steinbrenner at the helm and why?

Leave a comment on the question above or leave a comment below!

Kate
Community Manager