After Win, Hal Steinbrenner Sounds Like George

Hal Steinbrenner tried to hide in the crowded clubhouse, but there was nowhere to go. As a smiling Derek Jeter approached the Steinbrenner family with a bottle of Champagne on Sunday, he first poured some on Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal, then dumped some on Hal’s head.
“He used to do that to my father all the time,” Steinbrenner said. “I guess it’s my turn.”
George Steinbrenner, the principal owner of the Yankees, rarely attends games anymore, so he was not involved as the team celebrated defeating the Los Angeles Angels in the American League Championship Series. The Yankees and the Phillies will meet in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday night.

Instead of listening to George gush about the Yankees, we listened to Hal. While it is doubtful the son will ever be as demanding, vocal or entertaining as his blustery father, he said some of the same things his father used to say in winning clubhouses. Wittingly or unwittingly, Hal Steinbrenner, the managing general partner, spent a few minutes sounding like his famous dad.
“This team played like a family all year long,” he said. “They picked each other up when somebody was down. They’ve got hearts of lions. They never give up. They’ve earned this, every bit of it.”
When he was asked about the Phillies, he dipped into George Steinbrenner’s answer bag again. Remember to show respect for the opponent but remember to emphasize that the Yankees, your Yankees, are probably better.
“They’re a tough team,” he said. “They’ve had a couple more days off than us. We’ll see how that plays out. But we’re pretty confident in ourselves. We got a great team. These guys get along. There’s a lot of ability, and we’re going to give them a run for their money.”
If a Steinbrenner is talking, it is natural to ask a about the manager. Joe Girardi, the second-year manager whose employment status could have been in doubt if he the team failed to make the postseason, led the Yankees to 103 wins and a berth in the World Series. Of course, Hal Steinbrenner expected Girardi to thrive.
“He’s the right man for this job,” he said. “He continues to show that. I’m so happy for him and his family. I’m happy for these players, this team and this whole organization. I’m happy for the fans, for the city of New York and so on and so forth.”
George probably would have given Hal a demerit for saying “so on and so forth.” That was a lazy response. George would have raved about the fans by saying he loved to produce a winner for a city in which the average Joe and Joanne have to fight for a seat on the subway or to get a cab each morning. Maybe Hal had his father on his mind because he took another stab at praising the fans.
“Our fans have been there the whole year,” he said. “The fans have come out and supported us, even though times are tough. We all feel that we owe this to them.”
Like George, who sometimes cried after the Yankees won a title, Hal was quick to offer a personal reflection about Yankees’ history. When Hal, 40, was asked about his World Series memories, he flashed back to being a boy.
“I remember Mike Torrez catching that little pop-up to him to end the ‘77 World Series,” Hal said. “I’ll never forget that. This is every bit as good. No doubt about it. We got one more step to go.”
Hal had spoken only for a few minutes, but, unlike his father, he does not revel in the attention. So he said, “All right, guys,” and walked away. But Hal Steinbrenner added, “One more,” as in one more series win for a championship. George Steinbrenner would have said the same thing.
Source bats.blogs.nytimes.com/