I am not a particularly big sports nut. I do enjoy watching many different sports and going to live events but I don’t keep up with teams, standings or ratings like many do. So why am I blogging about the death of George Steinbrenner?
There was a time in my aviation career that I had an opportunity to fly Mr. Steinbrenner on many occasions, His daughter attended the Culver Military Academy in Culver Indiana. I would pick-up George in Chicago or Indianapolis and fly him into the little airport in at Culver.
On one drop off at O’Hare I was getting back into the airplane and noticed he had dropped his wallet along side the seat. I ran it into the office where we parked and caught him before he left the building. Say thanks to me he reached into his wallet and pulled out a bill and handed it to me.
Returning to the airplane I dug the bill out of my pocket to find out it was $100. For a twenty four year old charter pilot, that wasn’t too bad.
A couple of decades later I saw Mr. Steinbrenner waiting for a Southwest flight in the Tampa Airport. He was checking out the airline for a possible contract for the Yankees transportation. Anyhow, I approached him and introduced my self as the young charter pilot a couple decades ago that would fly him to Culver. He obviously did not remember my name but remembered me providing that service. Then he engaged me in conversation which I found somewhat odd until he explained it to me as we went down the jetway.
He thanked me for talking with him as it kept other people from approaching him for autographs and such. I found that somewhat funny but also understand the lack of privacy such public people are allowed.
Your welcome George and rest in peace!
Cya... Doug
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