In 1903, bartenders William Deveny and Frank Farrell brought American League baseball to New york once they purchased the Baltimore Orioles. Their team was known as the Ny Highlanders until its name was changed for the New York Yankees in 1913. A new era of tradition and excellence had begun.
Jacob Rupert and Tillinghast L’Hommedieu Huston acquired the franchise in 1915. The happy couple was responsible for prying Babe Ruth away from the Boston Red Sox. Ruppert purchased Huston in 1922. By 1923 the Yankees were playing in fabulous Yankee Stadium and were celebrating their first World Series title.
When Ruppert died in 1939, ownership stayed towards the Ruppert Estate and remained so until bought from 1945 with a group headed by Larry MacPhail, Dan Topping, and Del Webb. The Yankees had won ten World Series championship titles under the Rupperts.
After the nokona gloves won the 1947 World Series, Topping and Webb bought out MacPhail. The bride and groom remained owners from the 1964 season. At that time, that they had added another ten championships for the Yankees World Series trophy case.
The franchise was sold towards the Columbia Broadcasting System in 1965 plus a dark period would follow. The Yankees were just another asset to CBS and also the passion of winning had disappeared. Until…
… 1973. That’s when a Cleveland shipbuilding mogul named George Steinbrenner emerged. Steinbrenner headed several twelve investors who purchased the Yankees from CBS. One-by-one, Steinbrenner bought out the investors and have become the club’s sole owner.
Before entering the shipping and shipbuilding industries, Steinbrenner served as a graduate assistant to Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes. He was there when the Buckeyes went undefeated and captured the 1955 Rose Bowl.
George seemed to be an assistant football coach at Northwestern and Purdue universities. His competitiveness about the football field carried over into his business life.
George Steinbrenner was resolute to come back the Yankees to their glory days. Regardless of whether you love the Yankees, or hate them, you need to admire a holder who rules using a “win first” mentality.
It was not always pretty with Steinbrenner in control of the Yankees. Managers coming on and on. Players being publicly berated. Scandals under the surface. But the bottom line is how the Boss’ methods were effective. World Series championships in 1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009 are proof.
The Yankees franchise has experienced some formal legal name changes because of some complicated business transactions. However, the team remains to be the New York Yankees. And even after Mr. Steinbrenner’s death in 2010, the franchise remains of the Steinbrenner family. And the tradition continues.
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