George Steinbrenner could be a bully and full of ego and bluster, but all along he has retained an eagerness to be in the company of his heroes. In the summer of 1998, I interviewed Steinbrenner for a profile in the New York Times Magazine, and Steinbrenner -- born and raised in the shadows of Cleveland -- vividly recalled going to the Yankees' team hotel as a boy and seeing the bag belonging to Joe DiMaggio in the lobby and feeling a thrill. Not at the sight of the star center fielder, but his bag.
In 1973, Steinbrenner bought the Yankees, and his father Henry -- a tough man with high standards that his son has spent a lifetime trying to reach -- was quoted in the Cleveland Plain Dealer as saying it was the first smart thing that George had ever done. And George was able to bring Henry to the Yankees' training camp and introduce him to Joe DiMaggio, to bring his father into the company of Hall of Famers.
Steinbrenner often warred with his players in his first years as the Yankees' owner, but that experience never fully hardened his fan's love of being around players.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Buster Olney
