The passing of baseball legend and icon George Steinbrenner was an incredible loss for my family and everyone at New Era Cap. My father, David Koch, knew Mr. Steinbrenner long before he owned the Yankees. They met in Buffalo on one of Mr. Steinbrenner’s frequent business trips and they became, and stayed, life long friends.

I’ll remember Mr. Steinbrenner’s passion and commitment to the game, and to his beloved Yankees. His competitiveness and forward thinking were evident in every decision he made. He had the courage to make difficult decisions, yet all of his decisions had a singular goal - to win. It is fitting that the Yankees are reigning champions as he passes the torch to his family who will continue the Yankee tradition.

I’m proud to have known him and call him a friend. Mr. Steinbrenner was not just a custodian of a historic franchise; he worked tirelessly to write new chapters in Yankee and baseball history.