[copaliscrossing]

Mr. Steinbrenner has been personally and quietly generous to a number of the old-timers who played before generous pension funds. He took care of some of baseball’s great and very-goods who were down on their luck (both financial and health-wise) with stipends and sinecures.

I believe Al Davis of the Raiders does the same thing. Behind the scenes he takes care of a lot of ex-players and their families. He considers all of them part of his "family" and does what it takes to see they have what they need.

It's funny how similar George and Al are in that respect plus I believe both of them were born on the 4th of July.

[Alberta's Child]

Harold Ballard -- the eccentric, erratic former owner of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs whose antics made Steinbrenner and Davis seem like quiet, even-tempered men -- was the same way. Former players from Toronto's "olden days" who were in financial distress were often hired to work as ushers and customer service reps at Maple Leaf Gardens.

This was the guy who once fired the coach in the midst of a losing season, then offered to give the guy his job back if he agreed to wear a paper bag on his head as he coached the team behind the bench. LOL.