THE BOSS

Ask a lot of people about the name ... "The Boss" ... most will name someone they work for, or, if a music fan, probably Bruce Springsteen.

But there has been another man known as "The Boss", & all baseball fans -- & many non-fans -- would know that would be George Steinbrenner, the chief owner of the New York Yankees baseball team.

George died today at the age of 80 years old. He was born on the Fourth of July, & died on the day of this years Baseball All-Star Game. How ironic.

I found out about his death this A.M., literally just minutes after I had finished reading the book STEINBRENNER ... The Last Lion Of Baseball, by Bill Madden. More irony.

I've never been a big fan of baseball. The game is too often ... "slow". [I know. I enjoy soccer. Talk about slow. So sue me.] I get bored with the game. I like other sports ... like Australian Rules Football. REAL men's sports.

But I've always been a New York Yankees fan. I grew up in upstate New York. My girlfriend -- yes, "Weiner" -- and her family were BIG Yankee fans. The dad, Roy, would take the kids on trips in the Summer to Cleveland, Ohio, when the Yankees played the Indians.

I loved the Yankee teams that had players like Mantle, Maris, Ford, Berra, etc. Many nights at college -- in Utica, New York -- my roommate & I would do our homework listening to the Yankee games on the radio.

Note: I agree with Seinfeld's George Costanza, "Seven" -- Mickey Mantle's uniform # -- would make a GREAT name for a kid. [Although, the kid would probably get beat up a lot.]

Once I moved to Memphis, I didn't follow the Yankees as much as previously. There just wasn't as much information available about the team. I think it had to do with living in the South & the team's name -- "Yankees". Didn't go over too well back then. Still doesn't in a lot of places down South.

As I've mentioned previously, my DirecTv system here in Arkansas allows me to have network TV stations in New York City ... as well as Little Rock & Los Angeles. The past few years I've found it easier to again follow the Yankees ball club, thanks to Channel 4 in NYC. Baseball is just ... well ... "different" when the Yankees are playing. I enjoy those baseball games.

Reading he book on George Steinbrenner gave me a lot of insight into the Yankee teams of the past 30+ years & "filled in" time frames & history of the team I had ... "missed. It was a good read.

I know George Steinbrenner had a (mostly) good life & was a MAJOR influence on players, fans, New York City & everyone/everything involved with baseball. As noted, I am not a real "baseball fan", but I will ALWAYS be a New York Yankees fan.

Rest In Peace, George. And ... THANKS.