Joe Torre's tenure with the Yankees ended on a bitter note, but the relationship Torre had with George Steinbrenner appeared to remain stable.
Torre's last in-person meeting with Steinbrenenr came at a failed contract negotiation after the 2007 season.
In Torre's book, ``The Yankee Years,'' written by Tom Verducci, a critical passage contained the following insight:
Torre shook the hands of everybody in the room, starting with George. The old man took his dark glasses off and said, "Good luck, Joe."
"Thanks again, Boss," Torre said.
As everyone knows, Torre won four World Series and six pennants with the Yankees. He was picked off the managerial scrap heap and pointed toward a Hall of Fame tenure by Steinbrenner. Torre realized that Steinbrenner was already well in decline after the 2007 season and that contractual issues were being handled by other executives.
Torre never forgot what Steinbrenenr had done for him. And tonight he pays tribute to the man who gave him that opportunity.
