The Boss and Chicago

Beyond baseball, George Steinbrenner had several longtime connections with Chicago that covered football, horse racing and basketball.

College football: In 1955, he was an assistant football coach at Northwestern before he moved on to Purdue University for two seasons.

Thoroughbreds: Throughout his life, Steinbrenne also fed his his love of horse racing (he had six horses run in the Kentucky Derby). A longtime breeder and thoroughbred owner based in Ocala, Fla., with Kinsman Stables, he often visited good friend Richard Duchossois and Arlington Park when baseball meetings would bring him to Chicago each year.

Harness racing: In 1987, he convinced Eddie DeBartolo to sell him ownership interest in Balmoral and Maywood race tracks, and he began a long relationship with Billy Johnston and his sons, John and Duke, who became his partners.

NBA: Steinbrenner bought a 7 percent interest in the Chicago Bulls in 1972, which he sold in 1985 when Jerry Reinsdorf purchased the team.