Yankees recall tough, caring boss
Source: Agencies |
July 15, 2010, Thursday
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GEORGE Steinbrenner was remembered by members of the New York Yankees on Tuesday as a demanding owner with a passion for winning championships and a caring man who also took time to get to know his players.
Recalling his first encounter with the owner after signing with the Yankees in 2004, All-Star third baseman Alex Rodriguez said Steinbrenner told him several times in the opening minutes of their talk that "we have to win the World Series."
Rodriguez, who helped make good on that request by leading the Yankees to a World Series championship last year, also said he still has a note Steinbrenner delivered to him years ago.
"In 2004 he wrote me a note and it was hand delivered by a clubhouse kid, and at that point I got a little nervous ... in the end he basically said, 'I'm counting on you,' with capital letters and exclamation point." Rodriguez said during a press conference ahead of Tuesday's All-Star game in Anaheim, California. "To this day, we are still playing for him, not to let him down."
Derek Jeter, who has played for the Yankees since 1995 and considered Steinbrenner a friend, said he last saw the owner on Opening Day when the team was presented with their World Series championship rings. "I got a chance to tease him because he had an Ohio State ring and I told him to take it off now and replace it with the Yankee ring," said Jeter, who added that he had planned to visit Steinbrenner this week.
"Those are the memories that you remember, those intimate moments. Doesn't necessarily have to be with a lot of people. We had a lot of one-on-one moments, and that was the last time I saw him."
Steinbrenner, who had owned the successful and lucrative Yankees for 37 years, died on Tuesday in Florida at the age of 80. During Steinbrenner's tenure as owner, the Yankees won seven World Series championships, 11 American League pennants and 16 AL East-division titles.
Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, who has spent 13 of his 16 seasons with the Yankees, said Steinbrenner may have had a reputation as being tough but added that he was always available to his players. "George used to hand me Bible verses before some of my playoff starts and stuff like that. He was tough but he was always there to support you."
Recalling his first encounter with the owner after signing with the Yankees in 2004, All-Star third baseman Alex Rodriguez said Steinbrenner told him several times in the opening minutes of their talk that "we have to win the World Series."
Rodriguez, who helped make good on that request by leading the Yankees to a World Series championship last year, also said he still has a note Steinbrenner delivered to him years ago.
"In 2004 he wrote me a note and it was hand delivered by a clubhouse kid, and at that point I got a little nervous ... in the end he basically said, 'I'm counting on you,' with capital letters and exclamation point." Rodriguez said during a press conference ahead of Tuesday's All-Star game in Anaheim, California. "To this day, we are still playing for him, not to let him down."
Derek Jeter, who has played for the Yankees since 1995 and considered Steinbrenner a friend, said he last saw the owner on Opening Day when the team was presented with their World Series championship rings. "I got a chance to tease him because he had an Ohio State ring and I told him to take it off now and replace it with the Yankee ring," said Jeter, who added that he had planned to visit Steinbrenner this week.
"Those are the memories that you remember, those intimate moments. Doesn't necessarily have to be with a lot of people. We had a lot of one-on-one moments, and that was the last time I saw him."
Steinbrenner, who had owned the successful and lucrative Yankees for 37 years, died on Tuesday in Florida at the age of 80. During Steinbrenner's tenure as owner, the Yankees won seven World Series championships, 11 American League pennants and 16 AL East-division titles.
Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, who has spent 13 of his 16 seasons with the Yankees, said Steinbrenner may have had a reputation as being tough but added that he was always available to his players. "George used to hand me Bible verses before some of my playoff starts and stuff like that. He was tough but he was always there to support you."
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