[Archive 2010-07-15] New York Yankees executive George Steinbrenner dies at 80

Historical archive — originally published 2010-07-15. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

George Michael Steinbrenner III, businessman, owner and former principal executive of the New York Yankees, died at 6:30 a.m. EDT (1030 UTC) Tuesday of a massive heart attack at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, Florida, at age 80.

Born on July 4, 1930, Steinbrenner, a former shipping magnate, bought the Yankees from CBS in 1973. As owner of the Yankees, he led the team to eleven American League pennants and seven World Series titles. Nicknamed "The Boss," Steinbrenner pursued free agents with great fervor, signing Reggie Jackson to a five-year, US$3.5 million deal after the 1976 season. He also frequently changed managers, including firing and rehiring Billy Martin five times. Steinbrenner was banned from baseball in 1990 for paying US$400,000 to get information to discredit former Yankees outfielder David Winfield, but was reinstated in 1993.

Steinbrenner is survived by his wife Joan, two sisters, four children, including Hank and Hal, who took over Yankees operations in 2007, and his grandchildren. The Steinbrenner family said that he will have a private funeral and a public service would be held at a later date. His death comes at a time of great sadness for the Yankees, as two days earlier longtime Yankees public announcer Bob Sheppard died at 99.

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