January 4, 1973 … "A date which will live in infamy."
Sound familiar?
It should. It's taken, of course, from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's declaration of war on Japan, before Congress, Dec. 8, 1941. The day before, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in the Pacific.
What came next was an enlarging World War II.
In a way, the ship builder from Cleveland was declaring war, but in a much more cheerful way, in and on the baseball world, on Jan. 4, 1973.
George Steinbrenner (The Boss) purchased the world’s most famous sports team.
He privately had a plan.
He wanted to make it the most important and powerful, not to mention profitable sports organization!
In order to do that he also understood that he had to win and win quickly.
He put together a five-year plan however each year he went at it with the intention of winning that year.
On the fourth year, thanks to Chris Chambliss and the most dramatic home run in Yankee history, the Yanks would win the American League Championship.
The following year, Reggie Jackson put on a show for the ages with the three home run game and Thurman Munson would declare him "Mr. October."
George Steinbrenner lived up to his promise and the Yankees would become World Champions on the fifth year of ownership.
When it comes to on the field itself, I can only say that the rest is history.
The Boss and the Bronx Bombers would go on to win six more world championships and some absolutely great players like Don Mattingly and Derek Jeter would get to wear the pinstripes.
That’s all fine and dandy but the thing that made and makes the aura of George Steinbrenner and the Yankees so mystical is the fact that so many people throughout the years would have a better life because of the incredible heart of The Boss.
One time, I was sneaking some kids into the stadium, and I got caught doing it by security. They reported me to the Boss.
When I went in to see him, he asked me why I did it.
I told him they were poor kids that had never been to the park (even though they lived in the neighborhood).
He asked me why I didn’t tell him beforehand, and I said because they were not affiliated with anyone. At that moment he said "F*** labels."
Then he went into his pocket and gave me two hundred dollars so that I could show them a good time.
This is just a micro-example of who this man was and how he cared for those less fortunate.
I am eternally grateful because as the world knows, I was once one of those kids and that man and the Steinbrenner family has gone above and beyond the call. . .
In my house, between me and my cousins, there were twelve kids, there were seven boys.
Of the seven boys I’m the only one alive today.
They all died from various causes, inclusive of a shooting.
I often ask myself what might have happened to me had George Steinbrenner not purchased the Mona Lisa of sports, The New York Yankees?!
Ray Negron is a sports executive with over 40 years of experience in baseball. His first job came from a chance encounter with George Steinbrenner as a youth. Mr. Negron is an American film producer, a best-selling author, and philanthropist. His memoir is entitled, "Yankee Miracles: Life with the Boss and the Bronx Bombers." Read Ray Negron's Reports — More Here.