A new biography of one of the most controversial figures in sports: New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner

For 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 draws on more than a hundred interviews with those who have known Steinbrenner throughout his life to tell the fascinating story of “The Boss,” from his Midwestern childhood and family shipping business background through his decades-long ownership of the Yankees–the longest in the team's history. He gets inside the countless manager hirings and firings (and sometimes rehirings) 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, as well as the astute business deals–with cable television and others–that transformed the Yankees from a $10 million franchise into a powerhouse worth over $1 billion today. Packed with drama, insight, and fascinating front-office details, George will be essential reading for baseball fans and anyone who loves a terrific story well told.

Peter Golenbock (St. Petersburg, FL) is one of the nation's best-known sports authors. He has written five New York Times bestsellers, including Number 1 with Billy Martin, Balls (978-0-671-54389-1) with Graig Nettles, and The Bronx Zoo (978-1-57243-715-9) with Sparky Lyle. His other books include his bestseller on NASCAR, American Zoom (978-0-02-032782-0), and 7: The Mickey Mantle Novel (978-1-59921-270-8).