George Steinbrenner Wiki Biography
George Michael Steinbrenner III was born on the 4th July 1930, in Rocky River, Ohio USA of Irish and German ancestry, and died on the 13th July 2010 in Tampa, Florida, USA. He was an entrepreneur, the main owner of the baseball team the New York Yankees. Due to his authoritarian leadership style he was known by the nickname The Boss. Unlike many other team owners Steinbrenner did not hesitate to spend millions on new players to improve his team; George owned the Yankees from 1973 until 2010. Additionally, he was involved in the shipping industry in Gulf Coast as well as the Great Lakes.
How much was the net worth of George Steinbrenner? It had been estimated by sources that the outright size of his wealth was equal to $1.4 billion.
George Steinbrenner Net Worth $1.4 Billion
To begin with, Steinbrenner grew up in Cleveland. He practiced athletics and American Football at Culver Military Academy in Indiana, and also coached Athletics at Williams College in Massachusetts while he obtained his degree, graduating in 1952. After two years in the US Air Force he coached high school teams in American Football in Columbus before accepting an assistant coaching jobs at Northwestern and then Purdue University.
In 1960 he bought the Cleveland Pipers, the team that played in the National Industrial Basketball League. Establishing the American Basketball League (ABL) the team changed to that league; more, they managed to win the title in the first season. Steinbrenner was able to recruit the nationally known basketball talent Jerry Lucas in the following season, hoped to make the Pipers attractive enough to enter the NBA. The plan worked, but the ABL folded, Steinbrenner’s team had no league to play. He resolved all debts, and returned to the American Shipbuilding Company, buying-out the family in 1972, and which was in some ways his bread-and-butter for the rest of his life.
Steinbrenner tried to buy the Cleveland Indians for $9 million in 1971, but his offer was rejected. Shortly thereafter, he bought the Yankees with a group of investors including Lester Crown, Nelson Bunker Hunt and John DeLorean; thus, Steinbrenner’s dream to own a baseball club came true. He was subsequently the owner of the team for 37 years, the longest in the whole history of the team, or any other, except between 1990 and 1993 when he was suspended by the MLB for inappropriate behaviour, and after 2006 when poor health meant that he handed daily control to his sons. During that time, from 1973 to 2010, the team managed to win seven World Series titles as well as eleven pennants. Still, he was considered to be the most controversial figure, as he used to hire and fire players, and interfere in on-field choices, so George was constantly organizing press conferences trying to explain or apologize even for losses.
Furthermore, Steinbrenner became famous as a character in the sitcom “Seinfeld” (1989 – 1998), the most successful 1990s television show of its genre in the USA. These performances were seen as a tribute to Steinbrenner. Initially, he did not like the idea but later agreed to an appearance in the final episode of the seventh season; ultimately it can be seen only on DVD.
During his life, Steinbrenner received many awards including The Flying Wedge Award, Tampa Metro Civitan Club’s Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award and many other highlights. In 2011, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Finally, in the personal life of George Steinbrenner, he married Elizabeth Joan Zieg in 1956, and they lived together until his death in 2010. The family has two boys and two girls. He suffered a heart attack in the morning of the Major League Baseball All Star Game, on 13th July, 2010. He rests at Trinity Memorial Gardens located in Trinity, Florida.
| Full Name | George Steinbrenner |
| Net Worth | $1.4 Billion |
| Date Of Birth | July 4, 1930, Rocky River, Ohio, United States |
| Died | July 13, 2010, Tampa, Florida, United States |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, Businessperson, Investor |
| Education | Culver Military Academy, in Northern Indiana, Williams College in Massachusetts |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Zieg (m. 1956–2010) |
| Children | Hal Steinbrenner, Hank Steinbrenner, Jessica Steinbrenner, Jennifer Steinbrenner-Swindal |
| Parents | Rita Haley, Henry George Steinbrenner II |
| Siblings | Judy Kamm, Susan Norpell |
| Nicknames | Geroge Michael Steinbrenner III, The Boss |
| IMDB | www.imdb.com/name/nm0825859 |
| Awards | The Flying Wedge Award, (National Collegiate Athletic Association), Tampa Metro Civitan Club’s Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award (1992), honored as Grand Marshal at the German-American Steuben Parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City, 2011 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, |
| Nominations | Tony Award for Best Musical |
| Movies | “Seinfeld” (1989 – 1998) |
| TV Shows | The Ninety Day Mistress (1967), The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond (1988), Saturday Night Live (1990), The Scout (1991) |
| Trademark | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Famous for frequently hiring and firing coaches and managers |
| 2 | White turtleneck & blazer |
| 3 | Criticizing players and managers through the media |
| Quote | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Horses are great. They never complain. They can’t talk to sportswriters and tell them what a bum the owner is. Yes, I’ve heard all that stuff about racing being crooked. I believe that racing polices itself better than any other sport. A lot of bad stuff in other professional sports never sees the light of day because it is covered up. |
| 2 | I won’t be active in the day-to-day operations of the club at all. I can’t spread myself so thin. I’ve got enough headaches with my shipping company. — after becoming the principal owner of the Yankees on 3 January 1973 |
| 3 | Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning next. |
| Fact | |
|---|---|
| 1 | The longest tenured manager ever to work for Steinbrenner was Joe Torre from 1996-2007. In that time, the Yankees were AL Champs in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2003. They won the World Series in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. |
| 2 | Steinbrenner and Billy Martin famously spoofed their numerous feuds in a commercial for Lite Beer. In the ad, George and Billy start off acting friendly until they get into Lite Beer’s trademark argument of “less filling” versus “taste great”. The ad ends with Steinbrenner saying “Billy, you’re fired!” and Billy Martin turns to the camera and says “Oh, no! Not again!”. |
| 3 | Repeatedly hired and fired manager Billy Martin five times from 1975 to 1989. The longest period Martin worked for Steinbrenner was from 1975 to 1978 (during which time the Yankees won the AL Champion pennant in 1976 and 1977 and won the World Series in 1977). This cycle ended with Martin’s death on Christmas 1989. He had been hired for the up-coming 1990 season. |
| 4 | The date of his death (July 13, 2010) was also the date of that year’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The National League won the game 3-1, the first win for the Senior Circuit since 1996. During the first ten years of his ownership of the Yankees (1973-1982), the American League had gone winless in the All-Star Game. (From 1959 to 1987, the National League dominated the game with a 27-5-1 record. Before 1959, there was parity between the two leagues in the game.) From 1983 to 2009, the American League had a 20-3-1 winning record in the game. |
| 5 | Father of Hank Steinbrenner, Hal Steinbrenner, Jessica Steinbrenner, and Jennifer Steinbrenner. |
| 6 | In 2006, he donated $1 million to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for Boshamer Stadium for baseball. |
| 7 | Graduated from Culver Military Academy in Culver, IN. Other graduates include Jonathan Winters (actor) and Gene Siskel (the late movie critic). |
| 8 | Was impersonated by Seinfeld (1989) co-creator Larry David starting in the show’s fifth season finale. |
| 9 | Dave Winfield sued him for failing to pay the Winfield Foundation the $300,000 guaranteed in his contract. Steinbrenner paid Howie Spira, a gambler, $40,000 for dirt on his outfielder. On 30 July 1990, Commissioner Fay Vincent banned Steinbrenner for life from running the Yankees. Two years later, Vincent allowed him to return for the 1993 season. |
| 10 | Changed managers 20 times in his first 23 seasons. |
| 11 | Assistant football coach at Northwestern (1955) and Purdue (1956) |
| 12 | On 27 November 1974, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspended him for two years following his conviction for making illegal political campaign contributions to Richard Nixon. He was pardoned by President Ronald Reagan on 19 January 1989. |
| 13 | Banned from baseball for life in 1990 by commissioner Fay Vincent for hiring Howard Spira to dig up dirt on Dave Winfield so that Steinbrenner could get out of paying $300,000 to Winfields’s foundation, as per his contract. He was reinstated in 1993 after Bud Selig led a revolt to oust Vincent. |
| 14 | Bought the Yankees from CBS in 1973 for a mere $10 million. The team has won 12 division titles, 10 pennants, and 6 World Series during his time as owner. |
| 15 | Son, Hal Steinbrenner, owns former Kentucky Derby/Preakness Stakes-winning racehorse Silver Charm. |
| 16 | His New York Yankees were beaten in the 2003 World Series four games to two despite costing $183 million to assemble. |
| 17 | Owns a share of the New Jersey Devils hockey club. |
| 18 | Accumulated his wealth through the shipping business. |
| 19 | Owner, New York Yankees professional baseball team. |
| 20 | Born at 9:0pm-EDT |
Actor
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arli$$ | 1999 | TV Series | George Steinbrenner |
Thanks
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doug Stanhope: No Refunds | 2007 | Video documentary special thanks – as George Steinbrenner | |
| 61* | 2001 | TV Movie special thanks – as George Steinbrenner | |
| Summer of Sam | 1999 | thanks – as George ‘Da Boss’ Steinbrenner |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime 9 | 2011 | TV Series | Himself |
| 2008 MLB All-Star Game | 2008 | TV Special | Himself – Pre-Game Ceremonies / New York Yankees Owner |
| Yankee Baby | 2007 | Video short | Himself |
| The Top 5 Reasons You Can’t Blame… | 2005-2006 | TV Series | Himself |
| Seinfeld: Inside Look | 2005-2006 | TV Series documentary short | Himself |
| 60 Minutes | 2005 | TV Series documentary | Himself – New York Yankees Owner (segment “The Captain”) |
| Mantle | 2005 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| Late Show with David Letterman | 1996-2005 | TV Series | Himself – At Yankees Spring Training / Himself |
| CenterStage | 2005 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker | 2005 | TV Series | Himself |
| ESPN 25: Who’s #1? | 2004 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| The Apprentice | 2004 | TV Series | Himself |
| ESPN SportsCentury | 2000-2003 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Biography | 2003 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Arli$$ | 1999 | TV Series | Himself |
| 60 Minutes Wednesday | 1999 | TV Series documentary | Himself – Owner, New York Yankees (segment “Yankees: The Boss”) |
| The Scout | 1994 | Himself | |
| Baseball’s Greatest Pennant Races | 1994 | Video | Himself |
| The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | 1993 | TV Series | Himself |
| Late Night with David Letterman | 1985-1993 | TV Series | Himself |
| Good Sports | 1991 | TV Series | Himself |
| Saturday Night Live | 1990 | TV Series | Himself – Host / Various |
| Saturday Night’s Main Event | 1989 | TV Series | Himself – Audience Member |
| New York Yankees (The Movie) | 1987 | Documentary | Himself |
| Tomorrow Coast to Coast | 1981 | TV Series | Himself |
Archive Footage
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 Minutes Sports | 2014 | TV Series documentary | Himself – New York Yankees Owner (segment “The Captain”) |
| Prime 9 | 2011 | TV Series | Himself |
| 30 for 30 | 2010 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Yankeeography | 2009 | TV Series | Himself |
| The O’Reilly Factor | 2008 | TV Series | Himself – ‘Patriot’ (segment “Pinheads & Patriots”) |
| The Bronx Is Burning | 2007 | TV Mini-Series | Himself |
| Rome Is Burning | 2007 | TV Series | Himself |
| 60 Minutes | 2006 | TV Series documentary | Himself – New York Yankees Owner (segment “The Captain”) |
| ESPN Outside the Lines Nightly | 2006 | TV Series | Himself |
| Reverse of the Curse of the Bambino | 2004 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| Faith Rewarded: The Historic Season of the 2004 Boston Red Sox | 2004 | Video documentary | Himself – Yankees Owner |
| The Curse of the Bambino | 2003 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |