George Steinbrenner Snubbed by Today’s Game Era Committee

On Sunday, the Today’s Game Era committee voted Harold Baines and Lee Smith into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. George Steinbrenner (aka “The Boss”) wasn’t even close to getting in.

On Sunday, the Today’s Game Era committee, which is comprised of 16 members, held a vote at the Baseball Winter Meetings on a 10-name ballot for the Hall of Fame. The ballot contained six former players, three former managers, and one executive. Of the 10 names, only Two players, Harold Baines and Lee Smith, were elected into the Hall, while the remaining candidates, including George Steinbrenner, received fewer than five votes.

To be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame a candidate must secure 75% of the vote. Considering that the Today’s Game Era committee is only comprised of 16 members, a candidate must secure 12 votes to get in. Lee Smith received 100% of the vote, while Harold Baines secured 75%. The remaining candidates received 25% of the vote or fewer.

For one person in particular, the decision was vastly unjust. I’m speaking of course about George Steinbrenner, who purchased the Yankees in 1973 and remained active in the organization until 2010. In that time span, Steinbrenner and his Yankees won seven World Series championships (’77, ’78, ’96, ’98, ’99, ’00, ’09).

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That’s an average of one championship for every five years or so. How many fanbases would sign up for an owner to deliver that type of success?

Steinbrenner is the third winningest owner of all time, behind Del Webb & Dan Topping (10 Championships) and Jacob Ruppert (10 Championships), also of the Yankees. Most impressive is that Steinbrenner succeeded in an era where free agency was well underway in MLB.  Unlike the winningest owners before him, who had indefinite control over a player, “The Boss” would have to compete with other organizations to obtain a player.

What’s more, Steinbrenner won the bulk of his championships after revenue sharing program a was initiated in baseball in 1996.

Given all of Mr. Steinbrenner’s successes, why would so many members of the Today’s Game Era Committee not vote for “The Boss”?

Well, Steinbrenner was a powerful figure in the world of baseball. He kept members of the Yankees organization on their toes by firing and rehiring managers like Billy Martin at an almost comical level. He angered his peers with his willingness to spend whatever it took to acquire the best major league talent.

“The Boss” was also marred by controversy. In 1990, Mr. Steinbrenner was banned from day-to-day management for paying someone to dig up dirt on Dave Winfield. Winfield, whom Steinbrenner referred to as “Mr. May,” and Steinbrenner immediately butted heads with upon making him the highest paid player in MLB.

Despite all of that, Steinbrenner had a soft spot in his heart for players with checkered pasts. Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden come to mind given that after their careers seemed to be in the tank when they remerged in pinstripes and helped deliver a couple of rings to the Bronx.

Taking all of that into consideration, there is no question that George Steinbrenner deserves every one of those votes. Especially considering that he is the winningest executive in Today’s Game. He’ll have to wait until 2021 for another vote. Let’s see if he gets in.