(Originally published by the Daily News on January 20, 1989. This story was written by Maureen Santini.)
WASHINGTON - Down to his last few at-bats as President, Ronald Reagan granted a pardon to Yankee owner George Steinbrenner that wipes the slate clean on The Boss' 1974 guilty plea to making an illegal contribution to Richard Nixon's 1972 reelection campaign.
A senior White House official said last night that Steinbrenner was the only well-known figure in a group of 10 pardons Reagan approved earlier this week on the recommendation of the Justice Department.
Reached in Tampa, Steinbrenner sounded like an errant manager whose owner, has given him a second chance.