ESPN's "The Captain" briefly touched on Steinbrenner's dealings with Spira.
If you’re like me, someone who grew up with a special nostalgia for the Derek Jeter-era New York Yankees, then the ESPN documentary about his life and career The Captain was appointment viewing. And by appointment, I mean whenever I could get around to watching it.
That time finally came Sunday, and the first episode absolutely did not disappoint. The background on who the Yankees were pre-Jeter was enlightening. There was so much I didn’t know about the franchise I grew up rooting for.
One of those things was the lifetime ban Yankees owner George Steinbrenner received for his dealings with gambler Howard Spira – and how it was the likely catalyst for the dynasty they became. Digging into the situation a little more turned up how silly and avoidable the entire ordeal was, and I’m guessing I’m not the only one who wanted to learn more.
So here’s what happened.
