Legendary Yankees owner George Steinbrenner died Tuesday morning. The 80-year-old reportedly suffered a heart attack.

George Steinbrenner ruled the New York Yankees with an iron hand and an oversized checkbook.  He wanted to win at any cost.

When he bought the team in 1973, The Bronx Bombers were bombing. Steinbrenner made his fortune in the shipping industry and spent a fortune building his ball team. He may have been born in Ohio but Steinbrenner became a New Yorker.

He once said "When you put the pinstripes on, you are wearing tradition and you are wearing pride."

His firings were as famous and his hires. In 20 years, he changed managers 23 times, sacking Billy Martin five times.

While many criticized his antics, Steinbrenner's success speaks for itself. Under his watch, the Yankees earned 11 pennants and won 7 World Series titles. The team he bought for $10 million is now a billion dollar empire.

Steinbrenner was always willing to get his hands dirty and that nearly cost him the team. He was banned from Major League Baseball in 1990 when he was caught paying a gambler to dig up dirt on Yankee outfielder Dave Winfield.

When the ban was lifted two and half years later Steinbrenner toned down his antics, but his bluster remained legendary.

In the TV show, "Seinfeld", character George Costanza worked for the Yankees and often visited the boss' office.

During his last years, Steinbrenner turned over control of the Yankees to his two sons.

But he made an emotional return for the 2008 All Star game, held at Yankee Stadium for the last time.

A frail Steinbrenner cried as the crowd cheered.

New Yorkers loved to hate him but, in the end, they applauded the legacy he brought to the house that Ruth built.