The Yankees have not yet made an official announcement, but according WABC-TV in New York via ESPN George Steinbrenner has passed away at the age of 80. Steinbrenner was one of the most known owners in sports thanks in part to owning one of the world's most prolific franchises, and in part to just being George and his desire to put together a winning team.
He purchased the team in 1973 and saw his Yankees win 7 World Series titles. In 2007 he gave control of his team his sons Hank and Hal.
Steinbrenner, who turned 80 on July 4th, is said to have suffered from a major heart attack. He is partly responsible for things such as the hugely successful, YES Network (he was the first owner to sell cable rights and then helped form the network after a dispute with MSG Network), and the New Yankee Stadium.
While he mellowed out with age, he was a man that was constantly in the spotlight in his ownership position. One of the most notable occurrences was during the 1981 World Series (which the Yankees lost) when he showed up one day with his hand in cast and some other injuries. He attributed the injuries to a fight he got in with two Dodgers fans but some believe it was just a stunt to get the team motivated.
There certainly has been no other owner in baseball history like George Steinbrenner. My condolences go out to the Steinbrenner Family and to the New York Yankees.
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