NEW YORK, NY – It was Easter week of 2008 when I first saw the Co-Chairperson of the NY Yankees, who was actually the son of George. Hank Steinbrenner was affectionately called “The Baby Boss” by the media, who he despised but tolerated.
He was walking through the tunnel of Legends Field (as it was named at the time) holding four Easter baskets as he played the role of daddy. Hank was headed to his car, which
was parked in the players lot, when he was stopped by a reporter from a low-level media outlet.
He patiently answered his questions with some slick, quick wit and then moved on. A few days later it was my turn to pick Hank’s brain about his team. The interview took a 180 degree turn and became a conversation about women, relationships, and the fake-ass people we’ve come across. With that, a friendship formed which turned into a brutally honest relationship.
I told it like it was about his scrub players, his blue blazer/khaki pants wardrobe, and the yes-men around him. Hank’s personal driver was astonished at what came out of my vulgar
mouth, but got a kick out of Hank’s jovial reactions.
April 14th marked five years since The Baby Boss passed on and to say I miss him dearly is an understatement. He would have got an earful from me, starting with the leasing of Steinbrenner Field to the Tampa Bay Rays, and the failures of both Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton to contribute to another championship, or even stay active.
I miss his amused looks whenever I made a point, and his shouts of, “Will you shut the f*ck up already?” when the truth stung him. But most of all I miss Hank.
