from the USTA Communications Department
Columbus, OH —- George Steinbrenner, best known as the owner of the New York Yankees, but with an extensive background in horse racing, died Tuesday, July 13. He had just celebrated his 80th birthday on July 4.
Mr. Steinbrenner had a heart attack, was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, Fla., and died at about 6:30 a.m. (EDT), according to multiple reports.
Mr. Steinbrenner’s involvement in harness racing began when his father and his uncle Mark Zettlemeyer took him to county fairs. He continued his involvement while he was in school and later stationed at Lockbourne AFB in Columbus, Ohio, and the Steinbrenner family at one time co-owned and operated Balmoral Park and Maywood Park in Illinois, and Thoroughbred track Tampa Bay Downs.
Among the top Standardbreds that Mr. Steinbrenner owned were Incredible Finale and Pacific, which he owned in partnership with Charlie Day.
Mr. Steinbrenner was such a fan of racing that on September 25, 1996, the day his Yankees clinched the pennant en route to their first World Series win in 18 years, he was in Lexington, Kentucky, watching his trotting filly Personal Banner win the Bluegrass Stakes.
He was also an owner of Thoroughbreds and entered six horses in the Kentucky Derby, failing to win with Steve’s Friend (1977), Eternal Prince (1985), Diligence (1996), Concerto (1997), Blue Burner (2002) and the 2005 favorite, Bellamy Road.
The Steinbrenner family said that funeral arrangements will be private, however details about an additional public service will be announced at a later date.