A history of Steinbrenner's career with the Yankees

1973

Jan. 3: George Steinbrenner is the front man for a syndicate that purchases the Yankees for $10 million.

April 19: Longtime executive Gabe Paul is brought in as the team's chief executive, replacing Michael Burke.

Dec. 13: Yankees name Dick Williams as their new manager, replacing Ralph Houk. But Williams is under contract to the Oakland A's.

Dec. 21: American League president Joe Cronin blocks Yankees' move to hire Williams as manager.

1974

Jan. 3: Steinbrenner hires his first Yankees manager, Bill Virdon, who was fired by the Pirates after the 1973 season. Virdon is the first of 14 managers who will work for Steinbrenner.

April 6: Yankees begin play for the first of two seasons at Shea Stadium, as Yankee Stadium is renovated. Team is 90-69 in two seasons at Shea.

Dec. 31: Free agent righthander Catfish Hunter signs a five-year contract.

Aug. 30: Steinbrenner pleads guilty to making illegal contributions to President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign and is fined $15,000.

Nov. 27: Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends Steinbrenner for two years. The suspension later is reduced to 15 months.

1975

Aug. 1: Billy Martin is hired as manager, replacing Virdon.

1976

March 1: Steinbrenner's suspension ends.

April 15: Team opens remodeled Yankee Stadium with an 11-4 victory over Minnesota.

Oct. 14: Chris Chambliss hits ninth-inning walkoff home run to beat Kansas City in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, giving Yankees their 30th pennant and first for Steinbrenner.

Oct. 21: Cincinnati Reds complete World Series sweep of Yankees with a 7-2 victory at Yankee Stadium.

Nov. 29: Free agent outfielder Reggie Jackson signs a five-year contract.

1977

May: Jackson's "straw that stirs the drink" quote is published in a story by Sport magazine.

June 18: In Game 2 of what would be a three-game series sweep by Boston, Martin pulls Jackson from rightfield for lack of hustle. Martin is restrained by coaches in the dugout as the two exchange words in a nationally televised spat.

Oct. 9: Yankees defeat Kansas City, 5-3, in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series to return to the World Series.

Oct. 18: Jackson hits three home runs in Game 6 vs. the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium, marking Steinbrenner's first World Series championship.

1978

July 24: A day after calling Steinbrenner and Jackson liars - "One's a born liar and the other's convicted," he says - Martin resigns as manager.

July 25: Bob Lemon is named manager, replacing Martin.

July 29: On Old Timer's Day, the Yankees announce that Martin will return as manager in 1980 and Lemon will become general manager.

Oct. 2: After trailing the Red Sox by 14 games, the Yankees complete an improbable comeback, defeating Boston, 5-4, at Fenway Park in only the second playoff game in American League history. Bucky Dent's home run is the decisive blow.

Oct. 17: Yankees beat Dodgers, 7-2, in Game 6, giving Steinbrenner a second consecutive World Series championship.

1979

June 18: With the team struggling, Lemon is replaced by Martin.

Aug. 2: Catcher Thurman Munson dies practicing takeoffs and landings in his new Cessna airplane.

Aug. 6: After attending Munson's funeral in Ohio, the team plays the Orioles in Yankee Stadium on "Monday Night Baseball." Bobby Murcer hits a game-winning three-run homer in the ninth inning and then gives his bat to Munson's widow.

Oct. 28: Five days after getting into a fight with a marshmallow salesman in a hotel bar, Martin is released as manager. Dick Howser quits as coach at Florida State to take over for Martin.

1980

Nov. 21: After his team wins 103 games but loses to Royals in the ALCS, Howser resigns. General manager Gene Michael leaves the front office to replace him.

Dec. 15: Free-agent outfielder Dave Winfield signs a 10-year contract.

1981

Sept. 6: After saying he was tired of having his job threatened by Steinbrenner, Michael is fired as manager and replaced by Lemon.

Oct. 25: Steinbrenner claims to have broken his hand fighting two Dodgers fans in a hotel following a World Series loss in Los Angeles. The story never is confirmed.

Oct. 28: Dodgers beat Yankees, 9-2, in Game 6, clinching World Series victory. According to insiders, the loss prompts Steinbrenner to start calling Winfield "Mr. May."

1982

April 26: Lemon fired as manager, replaced by Michael.

April 27: Angry because the owner let Jackson leave as a free agent, fans jeer Steinbrenner when Jackson comes to bat for the Angels in his return to Yankee Stadium. He hits a home run off Ron Guidry.

Aug. 3: Michael fired as manager after losing doubleheader to White Sox. He is replaced by Clyde King. As the Yankees are being pounded in the second game, Steinbrenner offers fans at Yankee Stadium free tickets to another game.

1983

Jan. 11: Martin returns to manage Yankees for a third time, replacing "interim" manager King.

July 24: Yankees and Royals play famous "Pine Tar Game," in which a game-winning home run by George Brett was initially ruled an out. The result was later overturned by league president Lee McPhail.

Aug. 4: While warming up between innings in Toronto, Winfield accidentally kills a seagull with a ball.

Dec. 16: Martin's third reign ends. Yogi Berra, a team coach continuously since 1976, is hired as manager.

1985

April 28: Berra is fired as manager after one season and 16 games. Martin is his replacement. Berra, angry because Steinbrenner broke a promise to retain him as manager for the entire year, vows never to step inside Yankee Stadium again. He does return in 1999, for "Yogi Berra Day."

May: Steinbrenner goes public with his criticism of Winfield, telling New York Times writer Murray Chass: "Where is Reggie Jackson? We need a Mr. October or a Mr. September."

Oct. 27: Martin's fourth stint as manager ends. He is replaced by one of his coaches and a former player, Lou Piniella.

1987

Oct. 19: Martin returns for his fifth term as Yankees manager, replacing Piniella. Piniella is promoted to general manager, replacing Woody Woodward.

1988

June 23: Martin's fifth and final term as manager ends. He is replaced by Piniella.

Oct. 7: Seeking a tough disciplinarian, Steinbrenner hires Dallas Green as manager.

1989

Jan. 19: President Ronald Reagan pardons Steinbrenner for illegal campaign contributions made to Nixon in 1974.

Aug. 18: Green is fired as manager, replaced by Bucky Dent, hero of the 1978 pennant-winning Yankees.

Dec. 25: Martin dies in a one-car accident near his upstate New York home after drinking in a bar most of Christmas Day.

1990

June 6: In last place in the East, the Yankees fire Dent and replace him with Stump Merrill.

July 30: Commissioner Fay Vincent bans Steinbrenner from baseball for life for paying gambler Howard Spira $40,000 for information on Winfield. The outfielder had sued Steinbrenner for failing to make a $300,000 contribution to his foundation.

Oct. 20: Steinbrenner hosts "Saturday Night Live."

1991

Oct. 7: Merrill is fired as manager.

Oct. 29: Buck Showalter hired as manager.

1993

March 1: Steinbrenner's lifetime ban is lifted by Vincent.

1994

May 19:: Comedian Larry David portrays Steinbrenner in the NBC sitcom "Seinfeld" for the first time. The Steinbrenner character appears in 15 episodes.

1995

Oct. 8: Yankees return to the postseason for the first time since 1981 but fall in a Game 5 loss to Seattle in the division series.

Oct. 26: Showalter fired as manager.

Nov. 2: Steinbrenner hires Joe Torre as manager.

1996

Oct. 26: In his first season, Torre guides Yankees to World Series victory over Atlanta. The Yankees clinch with a 3-2 win in Game 6. Steinbrenner is in tears at awards ceremony.

1998

Oct. 21: Yankees sweep San Diego to win their 24th World Series championship.

1999

April 1: Steinbrenner berates Hideki Irabu after the pitcher fails to cover first base in an exhibition game.

April 9: Berra and Steinbrenner make up as the player returns to Yankee Stadium for the first time since being fired as manager in 1985.

Oct. 27: Yankees sweep Atlanta to win 25th World Series championship.

2000

Oct. 26: In a Subway Series, the Yankees beat the Mets in five games for their fourth World Series title in five years.

2001

Sept. 10: Yankees announce YES, their own cable television network.

2003

Oct. 25: Marlins beat Yankees in Game 6, 2-0, and win the World Series.

Dec. 27: Steinbrenner collapses at a memorial service for former Cleveland Browns football great Otto Graham in Sarasota, Fla.

2006

Oct. 29: While watching his granddaughter perform in "Cabaret" at the University of North Carolina, Steinbrenner collapses again and is rushed to a nearby hospital.

2007

Oct. 6: Steinbrenner says Torre likely will not be return as manager unless Yankees advance in the playoffs.

Oct. 8: Cleveland eliminates Yankees from division series, winning Game 4, 6-4.

Oct. 18: Torre resigns as manager, declining offer of one-year contract.

Oct. 29: Joe Girardi replaces Torre as manager.

Nov. 4, 2009: Yankees win 27th World Championship, the seventh under Steinbrenner.

2010

July 4: Team displays all seven World Series trophies won during Steinbrenner's ownership as a tribute on his 80th birthday.