George Michael Steinbrenner III was born in suburban Cleveland on July 4, 1930. It’s fitting that the man who owned the New York Yankees—one of the most famous franchises in sports history—was born on Independence Day.
Steinbrenner was a man of many personalities; he could be mean at times while showing tremendous kindness and compassion. He was a man who enjoyed living a quiet life in Tampa while never being a big fan of living in New York.
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He was one of the most interesting people I ever met. In New York, he earned a reputation for being difficult to deal with and sometimes unpleasant. However, in his adopted home of Tampa, he conducted his business in a relaxed and personable manner, and, yes, even showed kindness.
When I first met George Steinbrenner, I was 24 years old and serving as the news and sports director for channel 44, WTOG-TV. I hosted a baseball pregame show that aired before our 80 regular-season games featuring teams that trained in the area. One day, I attended a lunch with my boss, James Dowdle, the general manager of WTOG, and Jack Lake, the publisher of the St. Petersburg Times. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a new golf tournament that would be held in the Bay Area. However, Dowdle failed to mention that Steinbrenner was also a guest at this gathering.
I introduced myself to Steinbrenner, who quickly informed me that he knew who I was and had a bone to pick with me. He expressed his frustration about not being invited as a guest on my pregame show. I extended a standing invitation, and over the next three years, he joined me as a guest more than a dozen times.
While I wouldn’t consider us friends, he was very kind to me for nearly 30 years and helped me in my career on several occasions. He enjoyed living in Tampa and took pleasure in helping young reporters and broadcasters he saw on local TV or read their work in the Tampa Tribune or St. Petersburg Times.
It may surprise many to learn that the man who purchased the Yankees in 1973 never owned a home in New York. Tampa was truly his home, and he was frequently seen around town, where locals would greet him with a smile and say, “Hi, Boss! How are you doing?”
In 1979, “The Boss” relocated his shipping business from the Cleveland area to Tampa. After finding a temporary place to live while searching for his forever home, Steinbrenner purchased a south Tampa estate in 1986. This estate was conveniently located near his favorite restaurants and golf course. For nearly 30 years, he and his wife, Elizabeth, raised their four children there.
This home served as George Steinbrenner’s headquarters for managing the New York Yankees. He conducted business from his home office and watched the team’s away games via satellite dish, which was quite uncommon in the 1980s. While running the Yankees, he remained an active member of the Tampa community. He donated money to various causes and was a prominent figure in the Bay Area until his death. In recognition of his contributions, a high school has been named after him.
Under Steinbrenner’s ownership of the New York Yankees from 1973 to 2010, the team played in 11 World Series, with seven World Series wins and just four losses under “The Boss.” By the way WWBA 820 AM and WHBO AM our stations are the Tampa home of New York Yankees radio.
Steinbrenner moved the Yankees’ spring training operations to Tampa in 1996. The team had previously trained in Fort Lauderdale, but a deal was struck in 1993 to build a new stadium in Tampa — what would become Legends Field, later renamed George M. Steinbrenner Field in 2008.
At Yankee Stadium in New York, Steinbrenner made a minor dig at St. Petersburg by simply putting the Rays’ name on the scoreboard or Tampa. This season, the Yankees arranged for the Rays to play at Steinbrenner Field after Hurricane Milton damaged the roof of Tropicana Field as “The Boss,” family came to the aid the team.
Steinbrenner graduated from Wiliams College but he was a strong supporter of USF Athletics. In the late 1970s and beyond, Steinbrenner made generous donations to USF athletics, including covering budget deficits and funding travel for students and cheerleaders to tournaments.
He financed the installation of the first set of lights at USF’s baseball stadium in 1977 and later helped bring the Tampa Yankees to play at USF’s field while Steinbrenner Field was under construction. Additionally, he supported USF’s music program and paid tuition for dozens of students who could not afford college, none of whom were athletes. His influence in Tampa’s business and sports communities helped elevate USF’s profile, making it more appealing to major conferences like the Big East.
But his also helped the University of Tampa by donating lights so they could play night baseball and helping to promote Spartans baseball to the most successful program in Division II history. They have won a record 10 national championships, surpassing Florida Southern’s previous mark of nine. Their titles span several decades: 1992, 1993, 1998, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2024, and one additional year. The Spartans have made 22 appearances in the College World Series, reaching the finals 12 times.
Steinbrenner had two of the University of Tampa’s top players in Lou Pinnella and Tino Martinez as members of the Yankees. As for the class A Tampa Tarpons they were the launching pad for Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton all spent time with the minor league team.
Hal Steinbrenner follows in his father’s footsteps as he runs the team from Tampa, specifically on Davis Islands, a prestigious waterfront community known for its upscale homes and celebrity residents. His residence is a luxurious estate with seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a movie theater, a wine cellar, a rooftop deck, and a private boat dock.
