When George Steinbrenner bought the New York Yankees in 1973 -- what seems an impossibly long, yet oh-so-short time ago (The Boss was always about internal contradictions), he pledged in one of his first statements to the media, "I won't be active in the day-to-day operation of the Yankees. I'll stick to building ships."

Yankee fans everywhere -- and truthfully, this should also be true for all baseball fans -- are grateful that King George was, well, a bit off the mark on that.projection. One of the most pwerful and inflential team owners ever in any professional sport, Steinbrenner actually did step away from active control of the Yankees eventually -- after 35 years of Reggie, Billy, Rickey, Gator, Goose, Stick, and three straight titles to close out the 20th century. Steinbrenner, who turned 80 on July 4, passed away this morning.

George Steinbrenner was a great baseball man -- in the sense of the word "great" that means "huge, massive influence." He should be -- and will be, someday soon -- inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Ironically -- no, appropriately -- that's in New York.