‘The Boss’ showed he was good sport
Men's room introductions are always a little awkward, but what do you do when you're covering a major baseball story and "The Boss" walks into the john?
It was the early 1980s and Major League Baseball was holding its owners meeting in a San Diego hotel. If memory serves, a players strike was looming and owners were strategizing.
The owners were doing a great job of ducking reporters. When we cornered one, no one was saying anything. Then I bumped into George Steinbrenner, who was clearly a man on a mission.
I was working for The Associated Press, and we were getting a lot of conflicting information. Well aware of his irascible reputation, I still decided to take my shot. I introduced myself and braced for the worst.
Instead of a brushoff, I got the gentle George. He couldn't have been more cooperative. He spoke his mind -- no surprise there -- and didn't back away from sensitive issues. It was a good day. I came away with a whole new level of respect for the Yankees owner, who died Tuesday.
Fifteen years later, I was in Denver working for the Rocky Mountain News and covering the team's first visit to Coors Field. I had heard many stories from some old-timers who had key roles in the Denver baseball scene: baseball guys like Bob Howsam and Jim Burris and Denver Post sportswriter Frank Haraway.
On the day the Yankees arrived in March 1996, I quoted Burris, longtime general manager of the Denver Bears, about Steinbrenner's special relationship with Denver, long a Yankees farm team.
New York City officials had advised him in 1983 to make contingency plans because of a potential delay created by construction at Yankee Stadium. Steinbrenner went to court to move the Yankees' 1983 home-opening series with Detroit to Denver.
"They were looking at the dollars, and it meant Denver was the place to be," said Burris, the Denver Bears' general manager from 1965 to 1984.
A judge ruled against Steinbrenner, but "the prestige from that helped establish in the owners' minds that Denver was the best minor league city out there," Burris said.
About two hours before the Yankees and Rockies played their first game in Denver, word came that Steinbrenner would meet with reporters. Maybe two or three questions in, Steinbrenner spotted me in the press gaggle and said hello and added a "thank you."
As someone who has covered his share of professional sports and the celebrity world, that sort of decency rarely happens anymore.
That's the side of the George Steinbrenner I knew.
SIGHTINGS
Retired baseball star Dwight Gooden, making an appearance Tuesday at the Field of Dreams sports collectible store at the Forum Shops at Caesars. ... Sonny West, toasting Pete "Big Elvis" Vallee and fiancee Amanda Lasham during their pre-wedding dinner Tuesday at Lucille's Barbecue in The District. Elvis Presley was West's best man. West, who lives near Nashville, Tenn., is Vallee's best man tonight in the lounge at Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon. West told wedding guests it was the first time he has agreed to be a best man. ... At separate tables at Rao's (Caesars Palace) on Tuesday night: Brandon Flowers of The Killers and retired NBA stars Patrick Ewing and Spud Webb. ... At Pure (Caesars Palace) on Tuesday: former Las Vegas 51s pitcher Edwin Jackson, who recently tossed a no-hitter for the Arizona Diamondbacks; Denver Nuggets owner Stanley Kroenke, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Hasheem Thabeet of the Memphis Grizzlies and J.R. Smith of the Denver Nuggets.
THE PUNCH LINE
"The owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers was fined $100,000 for his angry rant against LeBron James. Mel Gibson was like, 'You call that a rant?' " -- David Letterman
Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
