George Steinbrenner Belongs In The Hall Of Fame

New York Yankees Principal Owner George M. Steinbrenner III, is one of a kind.  A few years ago it was asked if an owner should be eligible for the baseball hall of fame.  And with Walter O'Malley's induction last year, there is no question in my mind that the man they call "The Boss" should be in there as well.

The story of George Steinbrenner is far too vast and detailed to chronicle in just one article.  The son of a ship builder, born in Rocky River, Ohio, the man who made the Yankees matter again.  Steinbrenner, who has owned the Yankees longer than anyone in team history, took the team from the depths of obscurity for a "paltry" sum of $10 million to a multi-billion dollar franchise.  Steinbrenner also restored the history and tradition and winning ways of the New York Yankees.

During his reign the Yankees have reached the playoffs 18 times, won 10 pennants and 6 World Series.  Under him they renovated Yankee Stadium and have built a state of the art Stadium which opened this season.  They've also been able to create a virtual cash cow with the inception of the YES Network in 2002.  Additionally for better or for worse, Steinbrenner is willing to spend whatever is necessary to win.  Sure he has had virtually unlimited resources in New York, but how many titles have Fred Wilpon, James Dolan and Woody Johnson won?

Granted there have been controversies, with Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson, Dave Winfield and heck even with the new Stadium, but Steinbrenner has always been a master of controlling the back pages of the New York papers. 

However, sadly as we have come to see publicly over the last few years unfortunately his health seems to be in decline.  So hopefully Mr. Steinbrenner who has gotten to view his dream of his new Stadium, gets to accept and be able to fully appreciate a Hall of Fame plaque in Cooperstown, N.Y. before it’s too late.  Then again George would probably just assume trade it all for a 27th title this season.