Steinbrenner timeline

A look at the Yankees' ownership tenure of George Steinbrenner:

January 1973: Steinbrenner, the head of a Cleveland shipbuilding company, leads a group that buys the Yankees from CBS for $10 million. He says he will not "be active in the day-to-day operations of the club at all."

November 1974: Steinbrenner is suspended for two years by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn after pleading guilty to a felony charge of conspiring to make illegal contributions to President Nixon's presidential campaign. The suspension later is reduced to 15 months.

December 1974: While under suspension, Steinbrenner signs pitcher Catfish Hunter to an astounding five-year, $3.75 million contract, helping usher in the free-agency era in baseball.

August 1975: Steinbrenner hires Billy Martin to manage the Yankees, the first of Martin's five terms as manager and the second of 20 managerial changes through 1995.

October 1977: Led by free-agent signee Reggie Jackson, the Yankees win the World Series for the first time since 1962.

December 1983: Kuhn fines Steinbrenner $250,000 for his comments and actions regarding the infamous "pine tar game." It's the third time he is fined by Kuhn that season.

April 1985: Steinbrenner fires manager and Yankees legend Yogi Berra 16 games into the season despite vowing before the season that "Yogi will be the manager the entire season, win or lose." Berra does not set foot inside Yankee Stadium until Steinbrenner apologizes 14 years later.

February 1988: In the midst of a six-medal performance at the Calgary Winter Olympics, the U.S. Olympic Committee calls on Steinbrenner to review the committee's operations and improve performance. A year later, Steinbrenner produces a report and while other factors come into play, the U.S medal total grows over time to a record 37 medals in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

July 1990: Steinbrenner is banned from day-to-day operations of the team for life by Commissioner Fay Vincent for paying $40,000 to a gambler to obtain damaging information about Yankees outfielder Dave Winfield. The ban is lifted in 1993.

October 1996: The Yankees defeat the Braves to win their first World Series since 1978, and go on to win in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009.

March 2002: YES Network, which carries games and team-related programming, launches. By 2005, its revenues are reported to be $257 million, making it the top regional sports network in the country and a healthy revenue stream for the club.

May 2005: Bellamy Road, the sixth and last horse that Steinbrenner ran in the Kentucky Derby, finishes seventh, leaving him without a Derby winner.

December 2007: A new Tampa-area high school is named after Steinbrenner, a Tampa resident who had made several charitable contributions to the community over the years.

November 2008: Major League Baseball owners approve transfer of control of Yankees from Steinbrenner to his youngest son, Hal.

April 2009: Steinbrenner attends the home opener at the new $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium, nicknamed "The House That George Built."

November 2009: The Yankees, with a league-highest payroll of more than $208 million, win their seventh World Series under Steinbrenner and 27th overall.

April 2010: Forbes magazine estimates the Yankees' value at $1.6 billion, the third highest in the world for a sports franchise -- behind Manchester United and the Dallas Cowboys.

July 13, 2010: Steinbrenner dies of a heart attack.