What do you think?
Rate this book
George: The Poor Little Rich Boy Who Built the Yankee Empire
The biography of one of the most controversial figures in sports: New York Yankees owner George SteinbrennerFor 34 years, he berated his players and tormented Yankees managers and employees. He played fast and loose with the rules, and twice could have gone to jail. He was banned from baseball for life—but was allowed back in the game. Yet George Steinbrenner also built the New York Yankees from a mediocre team into the greatest sports franchise in America. The Yankees won ten pennants and six World Series during his tenure. Now acclaimed sportswriter and New York Times bestselling author Peter Golenbock tells the fascinating story of "The Boss," from his Midwestern childhood through his decades-long ownership of the Yankees–the longest in the team's history.
Draws on more than a hundred interviews with those who have known George Steinbrenner throughout his life to tell the complete story of "The Boss" and his long tenure as owner of the New York Yankees
Gets inside Steinbrenner’s countless manager hirings and firings, from Billy Martin to Joe Torre; the legendary feuds and hard feelings involving famous figures such as Yogi Berra and Dave Winfield; and the ever-spiraling players' salaries
Covers the astute business deals that transformed the Yankees from a $10 million franchise into a powerhouse worth over $1 billion today
Written by Peter Golenbock, one of the nation's best-known sports authors and the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including Number 1 with Billy Martin and The Bronx Zoo with Sparky Lyle
Packed with drama, insight, and fascinating front-office details, George is essential reading for baseball fans and anyone who loves a terrific story well told.
Draws on more than a hundred interviews with those who have known George Steinbrenner throughout his life to tell the complete story of "The Boss" and his long tenure as owner of the New York Yankees
Gets inside Steinbrenner’s countless manager hirings and firings, from Billy Martin to Joe Torre; the legendary feuds and hard feelings involving famous figures such as Yogi Berra and Dave Winfield; and the ever-spiraling players' salaries
Covers the astute business deals that transformed the Yankees from a $10 million franchise into a powerhouse worth over $1 billion today
Written by Peter Golenbock, one of the nation's best-known sports authors and the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including Number 1 with Billy Martin and The Bronx Zoo with Sparky Lyle
Packed with drama, insight, and fascinating front-office details, George is essential reading for baseball fans and anyone who loves a terrific story well told.
366 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2009
3 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Peter Golenbock
82 books28 followersGolenbock grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, and in 1963 graduated St. Luke's School in New Canaan, Connecticut. His heroes were Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford. One day in the local library he discovered the book, The New York Yankees: An Informal History by Frank Graham ( G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1943) and it made a strong impression on him.''
Golenbock graduated from Dartmouth College in 1967 and the New York University School of Law in 1970.
He was a radio sports talk show host in 1980 on station WOR in New York City. He was the color broadcaster for the St. Petersburg Pelicans of the Senior Professional Baseball League in 1989-90 and has been a frequent guest on many of the top television and radio talk shows including "Biography on A&E," the "Fifty Greatest Athletes and the Dynasties on ESPN," "Good Morning America," "Larry King Live," "ESPN Classic," and the YES network.
Golenbock lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with his two basset hounds, Doris and Fred.
Golenbock graduated from Dartmouth College in 1967 and the New York University School of Law in 1970.
He was a radio sports talk show host in 1980 on station WOR in New York City. He was the color broadcaster for the St. Petersburg Pelicans of the Senior Professional Baseball League in 1989-90 and has been a frequent guest on many of the top television and radio talk shows including "Biography on A&E," the "Fifty Greatest Athletes and the Dynasties on ESPN," "Good Morning America," "Larry King Live," "ESPN Classic," and the YES network.
Golenbock lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with his two basset hounds, Doris and Fred.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 22, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “THIS BOOK IS RIDDLED WITH MISTAKES-THE PUBLISHER SHOULD RECALL IT!”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The author Peter Golenbock is a well known author and should be totally embarrassed with the shoddy final product presented here covering the life of New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Any potential reader that is a true sports fan… and not just a dilettante… will find it hard to relax and enjoy this book, as error after glaring error is perpetrated regarding historical facts… locations… and times. As the reader wades through early blunders… even the roughest critics can cast them aside and continue. But as the pages turn and the missteps accumulate it creates a reading atmosphere akin to “a-dog-that’s-been-hit-too-much”. You find yourself wondering how much of the non-verifiable conversations and situations are not valid either. What makes this literary release so shameful is that in addition to the question of what type of individual proof-read this book… is that with today’s infinite amount of data available at your fingertips… so much of these mistakes could be caught with a quick internet inquiry. It isn’t like the old days where you would need a roomful of people reading day and night.
*A few shameful examples*
The author says George spent six weeks in basic training at Lackland Air Force base in Houston.
INCORRECT: Lackland AFB is in San Antonio. I know I served there.
The author states that “Hopalong” Cassady of Ohio State won the Heisman Trophy TWICE, in 1954 and 1955.
INCORRECT: He did NOT win the Heisman in 1954, only 1955.
The author states that a trade made that included Roger Maris and Hoyt Wilhelm resulted in both of them making the Hall Of Fame.
INCORRECT: Roger Maris is NOT in the Hall Of Fame.
The author states that Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees for $100,000.00 in cash plus other considerations.
INCORRECT: Babe Ruth was sold for $125,000.00 plus other considerations.
The author says the Yankees won the 1959 American League Pennant.
INCORRECT: The Chicago White Sox won the 1959 American League Pennant and then lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The author says Thurman Munson died in September 1979.
INCORRECT: He died in August 1979.
The author says the 1984 Detroit Tigers who started off the season 35 and 5 were led by pitcher Denny McLain.
INCORRECT: Denny McLain retired after the 1972 season.
The author says that Dallas Green as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies won a pennant and World Series in 1981.
INCORRECT: The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series in 1981.
This is just some of the incorrect information provided in this book. As the reader becomes apprehensive about the facts being purveyed… perhaps the two most interesting “non-George” segments of the book are the “PREFACE” in which the author details the synergistic chain of events that led him from his goal of being a lawyer… to becoming a published author… which was all started by a “punch in the face by a mugger in the deserted Rahway, New Jersey, train station, and a few days later, in the elevator of the New York University law library, I had a seizure that knocked me out and put me in the hospital.” This led to a Forrest Gump like culmination to the author he is today. The second extremely interesting “non-George” character study is that of the Yankee president during the CBS ownership days…. Michael Burke who among other things “ONCE DRANK BOURBON WITH ERNEST HEMINGWAY AFTER PARACHUTING INTO PARIS TWO WEEKS AFTER D-DAY”… and also had war experience in the OSS that was so intriguing that the movie “CLOAK AND DAGGER” was made based on his exploits.
The rest of the book ranges from the expected love-hate relationship between George and his Father… the lies… to almost everyone that crossed his path… his hiring’s and firings… wins and losses… his legal problems included… but not limited to… illegal campaign contributions and lying to the federal government… and more lies... but by the half-way mark of the book… there are already so many incorrect statements that you just don’t care as much as you did… when you first started.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The author Peter Golenbock is a well known author and should be totally embarrassed with the shoddy final product presented here covering the life of New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Any potential reader that is a true sports fan… and not just a dilettante… will find it hard to relax and enjoy this book, as error after glaring error is perpetrated regarding historical facts… locations… and times. As the reader wades through early blunders… even the roughest critics can cast them aside and continue. But as the pages turn and the missteps accumulate it creates a reading atmosphere akin to “a-dog-that’s-been-hit-too-much”. You find yourself wondering how much of the non-verifiable conversations and situations are not valid either. What makes this literary release so shameful is that in addition to the question of what type of individual proof-read this book… is that with today’s infinite amount of data available at your fingertips… so much of these mistakes could be caught with a quick internet inquiry. It isn’t like the old days where you would need a roomful of people reading day and night.
*A few shameful examples*
The author says George spent six weeks in basic training at Lackland Air Force base in Houston.
INCORRECT: Lackland AFB is in San Antonio. I know I served there.
The author states that “Hopalong” Cassady of Ohio State won the Heisman Trophy TWICE, in 1954 and 1955.
INCORRECT: He did NOT win the Heisman in 1954, only 1955.
The author states that a trade made that included Roger Maris and Hoyt Wilhelm resulted in both of them making the Hall Of Fame.
INCORRECT: Roger Maris is NOT in the Hall Of Fame.
The author states that Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees for $100,000.00 in cash plus other considerations.
INCORRECT: Babe Ruth was sold for $125,000.00 plus other considerations.
The author says the Yankees won the 1959 American League Pennant.
INCORRECT: The Chicago White Sox won the 1959 American League Pennant and then lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The author says Thurman Munson died in September 1979.
INCORRECT: He died in August 1979.
The author says the 1984 Detroit Tigers who started off the season 35 and 5 were led by pitcher Denny McLain.
INCORRECT: Denny McLain retired after the 1972 season.
The author says that Dallas Green as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies won a pennant and World Series in 1981.
INCORRECT: The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series in 1981.
This is just some of the incorrect information provided in this book. As the reader becomes apprehensive about the facts being purveyed… perhaps the two most interesting “non-George” segments of the book are the “PREFACE” in which the author details the synergistic chain of events that led him from his goal of being a lawyer… to becoming a published author… which was all started by a “punch in the face by a mugger in the deserted Rahway, New Jersey, train station, and a few days later, in the elevator of the New York University law library, I had a seizure that knocked me out and put me in the hospital.” This led to a Forrest Gump like culmination to the author he is today. The second extremely interesting “non-George” character study is that of the Yankee president during the CBS ownership days…. Michael Burke who among other things “ONCE DRANK BOURBON WITH ERNEST HEMINGWAY AFTER PARACHUTING INTO PARIS TWO WEEKS AFTER D-DAY”… and also had war experience in the OSS that was so intriguing that the movie “CLOAK AND DAGGER” was made based on his exploits.
The rest of the book ranges from the expected love-hate relationship between George and his Father… the lies… to almost everyone that crossed his path… his hiring’s and firings… wins and losses… his legal problems included… but not limited to… illegal campaign contributions and lying to the federal government… and more lies... but by the half-way mark of the book… there are already so many incorrect statements that you just don’t care as much as you did… when you first started.
July 12, 2023
This book didn't surprise me. I knew George came from a privileged background but the little things like how he really had a split personality...between being extremely generous with his time and money and also very mean spirited and spiteful.....
Towards the end of the book I felt the writer Peter Golenbock was trying elicit the readers sympathy for George which definitely didn't work for me.
Who knows maybe his disposition in the past was a sign of things to come with his health in the future.
Towards the end of the book I felt the writer Peter Golenbock was trying elicit the readers sympathy for George which definitely didn't work for me.
Who knows maybe his disposition in the past was a sign of things to come with his health in the future.
November 14, 2010
Interesting reading, a little long winded in the information about his shipping business, I wasn't really interested in that. Good stories about my favorite era of Yankee players, the late 70s. Nice analogy by the author on how having his character on Seinfled really humanized him in the eyes of fans. A little long, but good book.
December 24, 2012
Golenbock did everything but write a biography. He interviewed sources and organized their answers but never synthesized the material in a valuable way. Golenbock makes assertions that seem spurious at best and his baseball analysis which I can judge is way off.ii
March 23, 2015
This is a biography of the man who was an ogre and and angel as well as being the long time owner of the New York Yankee baseball franchise. The author explores how his character developed and portrayed itself and his management style. This free review copy was an insightful read about the man.
September 19, 2016
Enjoyed and really learnt a lot about Steinbrenner's background and early adulthood. Author really detailed that part of his life that gets you to understand how the Boss became the person he became. There were some historical errors concerning the baseball events but so what...
August 7, 2011
Not a bad book, but sometimes got bogged down in boring details....on the bright side it neither favoured nor seemed to be directly opposed to George Steinbrenner....fair read.
January 19, 2012
Wow, what a portrait! I always say that biographers either love or hate their subject; there is no in-between. Goldenbock pulls no punches... I loved this book!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews