Saturday, July 17, 2010

Tale of Two Bosses

If Charles Dickens was alive today and writing George Steinbrenner's obit, he might describe him as, "He was the best of owners, he was the worst of owners." Before Bruce Springsteen became "The Boss", George Steinbrenner was "The Boss".

It was almost by accident that Steinbrenner got the opportunity to purchase the Yankees in 1973. Two years before, he was part of a group that was on the verge of buying the Cleveland Indians, Steinbrenner's home town team. That deal fell apart when Indians owner Vernon Stouffer, allegedly feeling the effects of a drinking lunch decided minutes before the scheduled press conference that the $8.6 million dollar sale price was too low.

As hard as it is to believe now, when Steinbrenner purchased the Yankees from CBS in 1972 for $10 million dollars, New York was a National League city. The Miracle Mets had won the World Series in 1969 and made another miraculous run to the Series in 1973.

Steinbrenner learned early on that the best way to take back the city was to take control of the tabloid newspapers. He used the front and back pages of the Daily News and the New York Post to put attention on himself and the Yankees. Think about how owners today utilize the media to gain attention. Mark Cuban, Jerry Jones, Dan Snyder, the Maloof Brothers are all part of the Steinbrenner legacy.

Not only did he bring attention to the team but he wasn't afraid to put his money where his mouth was. Besides turning the Yankees from a $10 million dollar investment into a $1.6 billion dollar dynasty, Steinbrenner should be given a plaque from the MLB Players Assosciation. His signings of free agent pitcher Jim "Catfish" Hunter and outfielder Reggie Jackson signified the beginnings of baseball's million dollar salaries. When both players helped lead the Yankees to World Series victories in 1977 and 1978, George's spending sprees would continue. But, names like Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson, Steve Sax and Ed Whitson proved that all the money in the world could not just buy a championship.

And Steinbrenner was making enemies as well as friends. He had broken promises made to former Yankees President Mike Burke and General Manager Gabe Paul, both of whom were forced to leave the organization. His fingerprints were all over every aspect of the team. Before every home game,he used to inspect the bathrooms at Yankee Stadium to make sure they were up to his standards. He would fire any worker who did not live up to his expectations. He would drive Public Relation Directors crazy. I used to work with Marty Appel, George's first Yankees P.R. Director. Appel would tell stories about phone calls in the middle of the night and all sorts of crazy requests and demands coming down from The Boss. I used to laugh at his stories, but, he was quick to say, "It wasn't funny at the time. I was in constant fear of losing my job or losing my health." Appel was the first of the group. More were to follow. One got fired for screwing up lunch and another was let go for being on vacation over Christmas when a big free agent was signed. Add to that 13 General Managers and 22 Managerial changes over a 37 year span.

This was the face of George that the baseball world saw from 1973-2005. The impulsive, intimidating and controlling boss. The one who when he was suspended from baseball in 1990 was the constant target of jeers and taunts from the Yankee faithful in the Bronx. The one who while he was in baseball exile was forced to allow Gene Michaels and Buck Showalter to try to restore the Pinstripe Tradition.

Without the Boss strong arming them, Michaels and Showalter drafted the likes of Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and a shortstop named Derek Jeter. These five players would become the core of the team we know today. A team that was won 5 World Championships since 1996. A team that once Steinbrenner returned to baseball took full advantage of the new technology and wiser free agent signings to become a dynasty.

For it was in his later years that a more benevolent side of Steinbrenner began to appear. We are all seeing the stories about how Steinbrenner paid for fired employees kids to go to college. He was there for Darryl Strawberry when he was diagnosed with cancer. This is the other side of Steinbrenner that attempts to balance out his contemptuous side.

In the past week, we have witnessed nothing but an outpouring of love for the man. An entire generation of Yankee fans never really knew the real Boss. It was interesting to hear at Saturday's Old Timers Game the difference of expression from the Yankees of the 70's and 80's and the Yankees of today.

But, one thing should not be lost. Whether a Yankee fan or a Yankee hater. George Steinbrenner was the kind of owner you wanted to own your team. He loved his team but he loved to win even more. He would do whatever was possible at whatever the cost to win. Think about the men or organizations that own your favorite team. Can any of them make that same claim ?

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