Legends Never Die

I had something else planned for today's post, but with the recent passing of Bob Sheppard and the news of George Steinbrenner's passing today, I'd be remiss if I didn't comment.

I am a lifelong New York Yankees fan, and when I say lifelong, I mean it. When I was a little girl, only about two or three years old, I would lay down on my mom's bed and watch the Yankees with her. Most of the time, I'd fall asleep before the end of the game. When my dad would get home, he'd pick me up and carry me to my room, and I would inevitably ask, "Did the Yankees win?"

When I think Yankees, I think summer, fun, my family and love. The first day of baseball is just as important to me as seeing that first spring bud. Baseball has and always will stand for everything that's right in the world. Last weekend I was at a Boston Red Sox game, and I soaked in all of the joy that radiated from the fans. I loved watching sons and daughters with their mothers and fathers, old friends meeting up to take in a game and people just generally enjoying a beautiful afternoon in an incredible ball park. That is what sports is about.

Bob Sheppard was dubbed "The Voice of God." I will never forget the night of August 9, 1994 - Phil Rizzuto Hall of Fame Night at Yankee Satdium. The Yankees were in first place in the AL East and had the best record in baseball. They were unstoppable. Don Mattingly had a chance for a title. And the strike was looming. Bob Sheppard announced in his beautiful, booming voice not only Phil Rizzuto, but also Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and Mickey Mantle. I had the extreme privilege of being there to watch them walk around the entire field as they waved to us, the fans. It's one of those moments that I will never forget. My Mom framed the poster they gave away that night.

George Steinbrenner was all that is America wrapped up into one person. Everything had to be the best, the top of the line, no matter how much it cost, whether it was a player or a stadium. While other baseball fans chastised the Yankees for spending tons of money on players, I always thought that if you had the money to own a Bentley, would you buy a Chevy Cavalier just because you felt bad for other people? The answer is no, and George thought the same way and rather unapologetically, I might add. It was the spirit of never giving up and doing anything to win that helped the modern Yankees rise up to meet the team's history.

Love him or hate him, George Steinbrenner had more vision than he knew what to do with. He is the father of modern baseball. He created theater with all of his antics, good and bad. His tirades, his calling out of players, his stormy heart, his attitude, his swagger, his enterprising mind and his desire to be the best all added up to something that was much more than a game. He made baseball more than a bat against a ball.

George once said that owning the Yankees was like owning the Mona Lisa. In the end, he painted his own work of art.