Jeff Bennett's Blog

What a big week for baseball.  The passing of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.  Big Papi winning the “home run derby.”  The All Star Game.

I love baseball and I am a lifelong fan of the “seven-time” World Champion Red Sox.  How about that for a description of the Red Sox!  Based on a life of cheering for the home town team, I have surely come to respect the Yankees.

As if it were yesterday, I remember listening to the Red Sox – Yankees playoff game in 1978.  We had a boom box at the middle of the field as we were in the middle of high school soccer practice.  Bucky “bleeping” Dent.

Also like yesterday, I remember watching Aaron “bleeping” Boone hitting that home run to beat the Red Sox in Game 7 in 2003.

My son went to kindegarden that year and he befriended some boys who were Yankees fans.   By the end of the first week of classes he was a Yankees fan too.  I was happy that he was just a fan…coming to this on his own.  But when I asked why he was a fan of the Yankees he said it was Derek Jeter…”a great player and person…and they are the Champions.”   I could not argue with the logic.

And yes the greatest comeback in sports history.  The Red Sox erasing a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS on their way to the World Series title.

These are just a few of the highlights of many memories of the Yankees.

The impression that formed about the Yankees for me over the years is that “they played to win.”  Hey I play to win too. I am ok with that.

The modern day Yankees are built in the image of George Steinbrenner.  Sure along the way there were days when his overbearing personality might have got in the way of baseball.  The buck started and stopped with this guy though.  He was able to spend alot of bucks too over the years to field some very talented teams.  At the end of the day though Steinbrenner ran a franchise that was committed to win.  Clean cut players.  Little tolerance for incompetence.   One clear mission though…playing to win.  The record speaks for itself.

We posted a tribute to George Steinbrenner on our blog featuring the “Top Baseball Movies.”  Check it out here on the “Swapping Ideas” blog.