(Originally published by the Daily News on Tuesday, July 31, 1990; written by Kevin McCoy and Richard T. Pienciak)
George Steinbrenner was permanently banned last night from control of the most famous team in sports because he secretly paid a Bronx gambler $40,000 for helping the Yankee owner's renegade investigation of Dave Winfield.
"He did something to harm baseball and he has to pay the price," said baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent, who announced his action against Steinbrenner at a packed news conference at the Helmsley Palace Hotel. "He knew, or at least should have known, that if the payment were exposed, it would bring disrepute to him and therefore to baseball.