Jan. 3, 1973: George Steinbrenner and a group of investors buy the New York Yankees from CBS, bringing peace and tranquility to a troubled franchise. The Yanks hadn't won an American League pennant since 1964 and hadn't captured a World Series title since 1962. Into this turmoil stepped Steinbrenner, a shipbuilder and former college football coach who immediately restored order by firing 17 managers in his first 17 seasons, spending extravagantly on free agents and forcing the sport's powers that be to suspend him twice. Oddly, not everyone in baseball admires Steinbrenner's methods, but the results speak for themselves. The team has won 10 pennants and six world championships during Steinbrenner's tenure as owner. Moreover, the franchise, for which Steinbrenner paid about $12 million, is now worth an estimated $950 million. And everyone laughed when he signed Ron Kittle and Ed Whitson. Who's laughing now?—Jeffrey Kanige
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