His legacy is a strange mixture of winning baseball and strained relationships, but there’s no denying George Steinbrenner was a colorful and remarkable man. We remember his defining moments.
1973: Within the first months of Steinbrenner’s ownership, Yankees manager Ralph Houk is overwhelmed by an inexplicable desire to resign
1975: Steinbrenner fires Billy Martin 16 times during the job interview
1983: Though Dave Righetti pitches a no-hitter against the Red Sox for Steinbrenner’s 52nd birthday, the Yankees owner is upset because he really wanted the new Eurythmics album
1985: In a special ceremony at Yankee Stadium, Steinbrenner presents manager Yogi Berra with an oversized pink slip
1989: The modern era of the Republican Party is entirely encapsulated in one pen stroke as Ronald Reagan pardons George Steinbrenner for his illegal contributions to the Richard Nixon campaign
1990: The Yankees reach an agreement to pay a stipend to Major League Baseball in exchange for allowing Steinbrenner to say whatever the hell he wants
2004: Pretty much acts like a cock the entire year
2009: Steinbrenner’s fading health becomes impossible to ignore as he asks his nurse over and over if she has found any dirt on Dave Winfield yet
2010: With his dying breath, Steinbrenner encourages his sons to charge fans by the inning
