George Michael Steinbrenner III (born July 4, 1930 in Rocky River, Ohio) is a German-American billionaire businessman, an the principal owner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. His outspokenness and role in driving up player salaries have made him one of the sport's most controversial figures, though his willingness to spend to build the club (and its post-season success since 1976) have earned him grudging respect from some baseball executives, while at the same time earning him contempt from some non-Yankee fans.