Steinbrenner family
The Steinbrenner family are of Irish-German descent, and have owned the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball since George Steinbrenner purchased the franchise in 1973. After George's death, Hal Steinbrenner, his son, became the chairman of the Yankees. The Steinbrenner family also has financial interests in real estate, horse racing, and car racing. Forbes estimated the Steinbrenner family to be worth $3.8 billion in 2015, making them the 75th richest family in the U.S.[1]
First generation
George Steinbrenner worked in business, purchasing the American Ship Building Company and serving as its chairman. He led a group that bought the Yankees from CBS in 1973 for $10 million. He sold two garages included in the sale, reducing the purchase price to $8.8 million.[2] He invested $168,000 of his own money in the sale.[3]
George married Joan (nee) Zieg on May 12, 1956. Joan was a philanthropist and invested in real estate.[4]
Second generation
George and Joan had four children: Hank, Jessica, Jennifer, Hal.[5]
Hank is the oldest of the four children. He is a general partner and co-chairman of the Yankees. He is divorced, four children. Hal is the youngest of the four. He is chairman and CEO of Steinbrenner Hotel Properties.[6] He became chairman of the Yankees in 2008, succeeding his father.[7]
Jessica runs Kinsman Farm, a horse farm, in Ocala, Florida.[8] and has authored children's books.[6] She has been married and divorced three times. Her second marriage was to Joe Molloy, who served as managing general partner of the Yankees in 1992, while George was banned from baseball. Her third husband, Felix Lopez, served as a vice president for the Yankees.[9]
Jennifer majored in business in college and briefly worked in press relations for the Yankees. However, George did not let her rise in the Yankees organization, saying "I've always been a chauvinist."[6] Jennifer married Steve Swindal, who became a general partner in the Yankees was named heir to the Yankees in 2005. They divorced in 2007, and the Steinbrenner family purchased Swindal's financial interests in the franchise. Jennifer runs the Steinbrenner family foundation.[10]
Third generation
The four children of George and Joan Steinbrenner have had 14 children.[5]
Robert Molloy, the son of Jessica and Joe Molloy, is a film producer. He runs the production company Pinstripe Productions.[11] George Michael Steinbrenner IV, the son of Hank, co-owns Steinbrenner Racing with his father, which competes in the IndyCar Series in conjunction with Andretti Autosport.[12]
Stephen Swindal Jr. works in baseball operations for the Yankees.[13][14] Haley Swindal is a singer and actress. She performed in Broadway shows.[15]
According to Jennifer, the family wants to own the team for an "eternity".[13] Hal said the family had begun discussing future plans for the family's involvement in the franchise, and that several of George's grandchildren, including Stephen Swindal Jr., George Michael Steinbrenner IV, Robert Molloy, Julia Steinbrenner Vinas (George IV's sister), and Katherine Steinbrenner (Hal's daughter) have all expressed interest in running the Yankees.[16]
References
- ^ https://www.forbes.com/profile/steinbrenner/#66796e015854
- ^ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218837
- ^ http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/13/local/la-me-george-steinbrenner-20100714/
- ^ https://www.tampabay.com/tampa/philanthropist-joan-steinbrenner-yankees-vice-chairwoman-and-widow-of-george-dead-at-83-20181214/
- ^ a b https://nypost.com/2018/12/14/joan-steinbrenner-wife-of-late-yankees-owner-george-dies-at-83/
- ^ a b c https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/02/nyregion/emotional-steinbrenner-aims-to-put-all-his-houses-in-order.html
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/21/sports/baseball/21hal.html
- ^ http://www.espn.com/espnw/news/article/6648357/at-farm-jessica-steinbrenner-boss
- ^ https://nypost.com/2015/08/16/jessica-steinbrenner-serves-third-husband-divorce-papers/
- ^ https://www.tampabay.com/sports/five-years-after-death-of-the-boss-steinbrenner-family-remains-committed/2237104
- ^ https://www.tampabay.com/business/steinbrenner-grandson-to-produce-two-films-and-a-television-series-in-hillsborough-20181205/
- ^ https://nypost.com/2018/11/28/george-steinbrenner-iv-looking-to-make-mark-in-another-sport/
- ^ a b https://nypost.com/2017/01/18/steinbrenners-want-to-own-yankees-for-eternity/
- ^ https://www.mlb.com/news/steinbrenners-committed-to-owning-yankees/c-213930320
- ^ http://www.playbill.com/article/jekyll-hyde-actress-haley-swindal-will-play-to-win-at-54-below-com-216972
- ^ http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/14892174/hal-steinbrenner-says-family-no-intention-selling-new-york-yankees