Baseball After the Boss (Steinbrenner)
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Baseball After the Boss
By FRANK LIDZ, PORTFOLIO.COM
Posted: 2007-08-03 09:10:16
Filed Under: MLB
George Steinbrenner transformed the economics of America's pastime. Now with his health declining, who will take over the New York Yankees and what will it mean for the sport?
Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt from the article "Baseball After the Boss" from portfolio.com.
For more than a month, I have been trying to get an audience with George Steinbrenner III, the principal owner of the New York Yankees. His son-in-law and designated heir, the infelicitously named Steve Swindal, was arrested on the night of Valentine’s Day for allegedly driving under the influence and is now divorcing his way out of the team hierarchy. I want to ask Steinbrenner who will succeed him at the helm of the most famous franchise in American sports.
But the once bold and blustery Boss, as he often calls himself, has been in nearly silent retreat since fainting at a friend's memorial service in 2003. He has been slowed by a bum knee, and his nearly uncontainable energy has ebbed noticeably, some say alarmingly. At 77, he attends his club’s games less and less frequently. He hasn't been sighted at Yankee Stadium since opening day, April 2, and on that occasion he looked unsteady and hid from public view. The Bronx Bloviator, who used to love sparring with sportswriters as much as bullying employees, now speaks to the media in canned statements - issued through his designated mouthpiece, the New York P.R. guru Howard Rubenstein.
Steinbrenner's Howard Hughes-like reclusiveness has fueled rumors that he is, at best, recovering from a mild stroke, at worst, in the early stages of Alzheimer's.
He has only added to the mystery by refusing interview requests and instituting a gag order on the Yankees front office and his relatives. His own publicist declines to discuss him. "Mr. Rubenstein is not available to talk about Mr. Steinbrenner or his team," the flack’s flack told me. "Nor will he be available in the near future.” (Rubenstein later told Condé Nast Portfolio, "I speak to George each day, and he seems okay to me.")
I seek out Tom McEwen, the onetime sports editor of the Tampa Tribune. He and Steinbrenner have been golfing buddies since 1973, the year the Boss bought the Yankees and moved his family from Cleveland to Tampa, Florida. But they haven’t talked to or seen each other in more than a year. "I've heard all the speculation," McEwen says. "I hope he's okay."
The 84-year-old McEwen doesn’t get around much anymore himself. Circulation problems in both legs have confined him to a wheelchair. Still, he offers to accompany me to Steinbrenner’s home, which borders the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club in downtown Tampa. "I don’t care if George gets mad," he says. "At this age, what can he do to me?" So on a bright, cloudless day in June, we pull up to the Steinbrenner compound, a stucco palace with thick white columns.
As my rental car idles near the entrance, the black wrought-iron gates part and another car drives out. McEwen says, "Let’s go in." We do. A portly gardener in a Yankees T-shirt leans against a huge white anchor that dominates the front lawn. McEwen asks him, "Is George home?"
The gardener nods. "Tell him Tom is here to see him," McEwen says. The gardener disappears into the house. We park in the circular driveway, and I help McEwen out of the car and into his wheelchair. Then I push him to the front porch. We stare into a dark alcove and wait.
Five minutes later, a solitary figure emerges out of the shadows, limping toward us. It’s 2 in the afternoon, and George Steinbrenner is wearing slippers, silk pajamas, and a terry-cloth robe - all Yankee blue. A diamond-encrusted World Series ring nearly as big as a Ritz cracker obscures his wedding ring.
When he sees McEwen, a big, goofy grin spreads across his face. "Great to see ya, Tommy," he exclaims.
"Great to see you, George," McEwen says. He introduces me as a writer working on a story and asks about Steinbrenner’s wife, Joan.
"Great to see ya, Tommy," Steinbrenner says.
McEwen asks about his sons, Hank and Hal
"Great to see ya, Tommy," he says.
McEwen asks about his daughters, Jennifer and Jessica.
"Great to see ya, Tommy," he says.
McEwen asks about his health.
Steinbrenner sighs heavily and mutters, "Oh, I’m all right."
He doesn't look all right. In fact, he looks dreadful. His body is bloated; his jawline has slackened into a triple chin; his skin looks as if a dry-cleaner bag has been stretched over it. Steinbrenner's face, pale and swollen, has a curiously undefined look. His features seem frozen in a permanent rictus of careworn disbelief.
McEwen recounts a surreal showdown at a Tampa dogtrack in which George and Joan cursed each other out in the most obscene language possible. "That’s Joan," Steinbrenner says, chuckling. "She’s feisty."
I ask Steinbrenner about the Yankees, who are struggling mightily at the time. The grin turns into a snarl. "They’ll come around," he snaps. It’s the first sign of the old George. I ask Steinbrenner whom he wants to succeed him. He ignores me. That’s the last sign of the old George.
A few minutes later, Steinbrenner starts repeating himself again. "Great to see ya, Tommy," he says in response to every question. "Great to see ya."
Shifting uneasily in his wheelchair, McEwen thanks his old friend for receiving us and says goodbye. Steinbrenner waves and grins. While I wheel McEwen to the car, he whispers, "It's the strangest thing. George didn't want us to go, yet he didn't want us to stay." I look back at the Yankees owner, who is still waving and grinning. "Great to see ya, Tommy," he shouts. "Great to see ya." Then he turns and limps back into the house.
"I'm shocked," McEwen tells me. "George doesn’t even seem like the same person. I figured he might be in a bad way, but I never expected this."
To read the entire article, "Baseball After the Boss," you can read it at portfolio.com.
By FRANK LIDZ, PORTFOLIO.COM
Posted: 2007-08-03 09:10:16
Filed Under: MLB
George Steinbrenner transformed the economics of America's pastime. Now with his health declining, who will take over the New York Yankees and what will it mean for the sport?
Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt from the article "Baseball After the Boss" from portfolio.com.
For more than a month, I have been trying to get an audience with George Steinbrenner III, the principal owner of the New York Yankees. His son-in-law and designated heir, the infelicitously named Steve Swindal, was arrested on the night of Valentine’s Day for allegedly driving under the influence and is now divorcing his way out of the team hierarchy. I want to ask Steinbrenner who will succeed him at the helm of the most famous franchise in American sports.
But the once bold and blustery Boss, as he often calls himself, has been in nearly silent retreat since fainting at a friend's memorial service in 2003. He has been slowed by a bum knee, and his nearly uncontainable energy has ebbed noticeably, some say alarmingly. At 77, he attends his club’s games less and less frequently. He hasn't been sighted at Yankee Stadium since opening day, April 2, and on that occasion he looked unsteady and hid from public view. The Bronx Bloviator, who used to love sparring with sportswriters as much as bullying employees, now speaks to the media in canned statements - issued through his designated mouthpiece, the New York P.R. guru Howard Rubenstein.
Steinbrenner's Howard Hughes-like reclusiveness has fueled rumors that he is, at best, recovering from a mild stroke, at worst, in the early stages of Alzheimer's.
He has only added to the mystery by refusing interview requests and instituting a gag order on the Yankees front office and his relatives. His own publicist declines to discuss him. "Mr. Rubenstein is not available to talk about Mr. Steinbrenner or his team," the flack’s flack told me. "Nor will he be available in the near future.” (Rubenstein later told Condé Nast Portfolio, "I speak to George each day, and he seems okay to me.")
I seek out Tom McEwen, the onetime sports editor of the Tampa Tribune. He and Steinbrenner have been golfing buddies since 1973, the year the Boss bought the Yankees and moved his family from Cleveland to Tampa, Florida. But they haven’t talked to or seen each other in more than a year. "I've heard all the speculation," McEwen says. "I hope he's okay."
The 84-year-old McEwen doesn’t get around much anymore himself. Circulation problems in both legs have confined him to a wheelchair. Still, he offers to accompany me to Steinbrenner’s home, which borders the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club in downtown Tampa. "I don’t care if George gets mad," he says. "At this age, what can he do to me?" So on a bright, cloudless day in June, we pull up to the Steinbrenner compound, a stucco palace with thick white columns.
As my rental car idles near the entrance, the black wrought-iron gates part and another car drives out. McEwen says, "Let’s go in." We do. A portly gardener in a Yankees T-shirt leans against a huge white anchor that dominates the front lawn. McEwen asks him, "Is George home?"
The gardener nods. "Tell him Tom is here to see him," McEwen says. The gardener disappears into the house. We park in the circular driveway, and I help McEwen out of the car and into his wheelchair. Then I push him to the front porch. We stare into a dark alcove and wait.
Five minutes later, a solitary figure emerges out of the shadows, limping toward us. It’s 2 in the afternoon, and George Steinbrenner is wearing slippers, silk pajamas, and a terry-cloth robe - all Yankee blue. A diamond-encrusted World Series ring nearly as big as a Ritz cracker obscures his wedding ring.
When he sees McEwen, a big, goofy grin spreads across his face. "Great to see ya, Tommy," he exclaims.
"Great to see you, George," McEwen says. He introduces me as a writer working on a story and asks about Steinbrenner’s wife, Joan.
"Great to see ya, Tommy," Steinbrenner says.
McEwen asks about his sons, Hank and Hal
"Great to see ya, Tommy," he says.
McEwen asks about his daughters, Jennifer and Jessica.
"Great to see ya, Tommy," he says.
McEwen asks about his health.
Steinbrenner sighs heavily and mutters, "Oh, I’m all right."
He doesn't look all right. In fact, he looks dreadful. His body is bloated; his jawline has slackened into a triple chin; his skin looks as if a dry-cleaner bag has been stretched over it. Steinbrenner's face, pale and swollen, has a curiously undefined look. His features seem frozen in a permanent rictus of careworn disbelief.
McEwen recounts a surreal showdown at a Tampa dogtrack in which George and Joan cursed each other out in the most obscene language possible. "That’s Joan," Steinbrenner says, chuckling. "She’s feisty."
I ask Steinbrenner about the Yankees, who are struggling mightily at the time. The grin turns into a snarl. "They’ll come around," he snaps. It’s the first sign of the old George. I ask Steinbrenner whom he wants to succeed him. He ignores me. That’s the last sign of the old George.
A few minutes later, Steinbrenner starts repeating himself again. "Great to see ya, Tommy," he says in response to every question. "Great to see ya."
Shifting uneasily in his wheelchair, McEwen thanks his old friend for receiving us and says goodbye. Steinbrenner waves and grins. While I wheel McEwen to the car, he whispers, "It's the strangest thing. George didn't want us to go, yet he didn't want us to stay." I look back at the Yankees owner, who is still waving and grinning. "Great to see ya, Tommy," he shouts. "Great to see ya." Then he turns and limps back into the house.
"I'm shocked," McEwen tells me. "George doesn’t even seem like the same person. I figured he might be in a bad way, but I never expected this."
To read the entire article, "Baseball After the Boss," you can read it at portfolio.com.
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Comments
<< <i>
He doesn't look all right. In fact, he looks dreadful. His body is bloated; his jawline has slackened into a triple chin; his skin looks as if a dry-cleaner bag has been stretched over it. Steinbrenner's face, pale and swollen, has a curiously undefined look. His features seem frozen in a permanent rictus of careworn disbelief.
>>
is low class, no matter how you slice it.
The Boss has lead a full & productive life, and I for one feel he and others in his condition deserve basic human respect.
I dont think its disrespectful, i think its an honest portrayel. If anything it might engender some sympathy for George, who is clearly out of sorts and in serious decline.
The sale of the YES network is already being circulated...its only a matter of time before it happens.
BST: Tennessebanker, Downtown1974, LarkinCollector, nendee
Steinbrenner had a pretty good mind and paid a lot of attention to details, so I am kind of surprised he is in such serious decline now. People who have active minds or do a lot complicated or mind exercising activities like reading, puzzles or mathematics usually do not suffer from dementia related ailments--or not so severly.
It reminds us all of our own mortality.
I don't know if this particular news article was done in good taste or not, but it sure sounded like those two guys went to visit Steinbrenner under false pretenses. Sure, Steinbrenner is a public figure, but I can live without knowing these private matters unless the family wants to say something specific first.
My best wishes to the Steinbrenner family--I know how hard it is to see a once proud man with a prominent presence reduced to only a sliver of himself....I have experienced this with the patriarch of my family too....I know the pain and sadness all too well....
BST: Tennessebanker, Downtown1974, LarkinCollector, nendee
Current Health
In recent years, Steinbrenner's mental and physical health have come into question. The first signs of potential problems with his health came to public consciousness when Steinbrenner fainted at the funeral of his long-time friend Otto Graham. Steinbrenner would also later faint at a school play his granddaughter was participating in. Because of his failing health, there have been rumors about Steinbrenner looking to possibly sell his holdings of the team.[2] On Friday, August 3, 2007, the New York Post reported that Steinbrenner's mental health has severely deteriorated and that he is suffering from dementia.[3]
<< <i>2007 Who rules? Reggie. Who used who? Screw Steinbrenner, Selig, Fehr, Sosa, Mac, Raffy, Rose,Gooden, Strawberry,Parker, Berra jr,GAYLORD lol ,Cobb, Wagner,Upper Deck, EVERYONE EXCEPT FOR CURT FLOOD.
Drinking and posting usually don't make for a good combo, but sometimes it all works out.
<< <i>What disrespectful B.S. I don't care if you're a Yankee fan or not, this is a human being, and to write stuff like:
<< <i>
He doesn't look all right. In fact, he looks dreadful. His body is bloated; his jawline has slackened into a triple chin; his skin looks as if a dry-cleaner bag has been stretched over it. Steinbrenner's face, pale and swollen, has a curiously undefined look. His features seem frozen in a permanent rictus of careworn disbelief.
>>
is low class, no matter how you slice it.
The Boss has lead a full & productive life, and I for one feel he and others in his condition deserve basic human respect. >>
How is this disrespectful? The writer is trying to illustrate the current physical state of Steinbrenner, since it apparently is not good. He didn't call him any names, or say anything offensive (IMO). It's sad to read it, but that's what the whole story is about.
<< <i> How is this disrespectful? The writer is trying to illustrate the current physical state of Steinbrenner, since it apparently is not good. He didn't call him any names, or say anything offensive (IMO). It's sad to read it, but that's what the whole story is about. >>
I agree, it was good to find out what is really going on with George but now its time for the media to just let him be.
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
<< <i>
<< <i> How is this disrespectful? The writer is trying to illustrate the current physical state of Steinbrenner, since it apparently is not good. He didn't call him any names, or say anything offensive (IMO). It's sad to read it, but that's what the whole story is about. >>
I agree, it was good to find out what is really going on with George but now its time for the media to just let him be. >>
I agree and I think the media will leave George alone at this point. Except for maybe the National Inquirer which basically has no class, most every media respects a person after a stroke, alzheimers or whatever...really though there's kinda nothing to report when a person is stricken with this...it's not the same person there any longer...in body yes, but in mind no.
I am sure he can still do things like he use to, but has more episodes than ever before regarding symptoms of dementia. A mind like his has mechanisms that prevent this sort of deterioration or do a lot to resist it.
Reports say his son Hal has been filling in the void left by Mr. Swindal, Jennifer Steinbrenner's former hubby and the Boss' former son-in-law. Hal is the most like George Steinbrenner than any of his kids.
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