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George Steinbrenner

Famed New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner died early this morning after suffering a major heart attack in Tampa. He was 80.

Steinbrenner was loved and hated for turning the Yankees into a pro-sports behometh with a combination of swagger and deep pockets. He was nicknamed The Boss.

“He was a visionary and a giant in the world of sports. He took a great but struggling franchise and turned it into a champion again,” the family said in a statement published on ESPN.

“He was an incredible and charitable man. First and foremost he was devoted to his entire family — his beloved wife, Joan; his sisters, Susan Norpell and Judy Kamm, his children, Hank, Jennifer Jessica and Hal; and all of his grandchildren. ”

He had a heart attack, was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, Fla., and died about 6:30 a.m., according to news sources.

(Cover illustration courtesy of ESPN.com)