George Steinbrenner, the New York Yankees baseball club owner, who was one of the most colorful and controversial figures in the history of U.S. sports, has died in Florida at age 80.
Known as "The Boss" for his tempestuous style, Steinbrenner was loved by Yankees fans and hated by his rivals.
He resurrected the most successful franchise in U.S. sports from a period of decline, returning it to glory in the 1970s.
Steinbrenner demanded results and got them as the Yankees won seven World Series titles and 11 American League pennants since he bought the fabled club in 1973.
He was twice suspended by baseball -- once for making illegal campaign contributions to President Richard Nixon's 1972 re-election campaign and then for hiring a private investigator to dig up information on one of his players.
Steinbrenner handed over daily operations of the club to his sons in recent years. His Yankees empire, which he bought for 15 million dollars , is now worth more than 2 billion dollars, nearly twice as much as any other team in baseball.
