George Steinbrenner died in Tampa today, July 13, 2010. He took over a Yankee baseball franchise that was quickly becoming a second rate team. All that changed when Steinbrenner took charge. He gave the impression of being a ruthless, mean and dominating man.
I only saw him up close once. That was about 1984 at the ball field in Tallahassee, Florida. The Seminoles were finishing a practice game in early spring in preparation for their then annual game against the Yankees who were headed north after their spring training season ended. Our eyes met in the mostly empty stadium and Steinbrenner starred at me from about twenty feet away like he was casting a drop-dead spell on me. Then he reared back and said something to Lou Piniella (Yankee coach) and Dick Howser (Seminole manager), who were talking with him. Howser waved to me and went back to the discussion. Steinbrenner continued to stare at me. I was already on my way out of the stadium on my way back to work after my lunch break, so I continued and left. It was a cool day and I had left my coat and tie on, perhaps that’s what attracted attention, but I got a taste of a extremely powerful personality. I can imagine that if you worked for him and he gave you that look and raised his voice, you could easily vibrate.
Looking back over his period of ownership, one can easily say that he brought out the best in his organization. You could also say that he did it by spending lavishly and tossing more money into the game than most of the teams in major league baseball had available to them.
Steinbrenner stands today as the figurehead of that which I see being the great destroyer of all sport. That is the subjugation of the game to the act of winning. True, the intent of all games is to win, but the purpose is to play the game - that is the only way it can remain a display of skill, talent and ingenuity.
Steinbrenner was only one of many who advocate winning at all costs, regardless of the money that may take, regardless of the effects on the players and of the other teams in the league, and regardless of what it does to the game itself. There is no such thing as “sport” anymore. It is all big business now and the only rule that counts is to win at any cost. May you rest in peace Mr. Steinbrenner, in that graveyard of sports which was so meticulously and expensively prepared by you and many others.
Steinbrenner was only one of many who advocate winning at all costs, regardless of the money that may take, regardless of the effects on the players and of the other teams in the league, and regardless of what it does to the game itself. There is no such thing as “sport” anymore. It is all big business now and the only rule that counts is to win at any cost. May you rest in peace Mr. Steinbrenner, in that graveyard of sports which was so meticulously and expensively prepared by you and many others.
