Well the 1978 season came with some shakeups at the top for the franchise. Owner Ted Bonda sold controlling stake in the club to Francis J. “Steve” O’Neill. Not sure how you derive “Steve” from Francis J, but I digress. O’Neill was part of the syndicate that helped purchase the Yankees alongside George Steinbrenner a few years prior. O’Neill, a graduate of Notre Dame, was a lifelong resident of the Cleveland area and had made his money in the trucking industry. He’d been a minority owner of the Indians in the 60’s but sold his stake when he helped Steinbrenner buy the Yankees.
75 Years and Counting: The Story of the 1978 Cleveland Indians
