Paraphrasing the last line of George Steinbrenner’s NYT obit. Some guys with local connections helped out with five of the Boss’ seven World Series titles:

By the 1990s, with free agents becoming ever more expensive, Mr. Steinbrenner acknowledged the need to develop the Yankees’ minor league system. The Yankees swept to championships with home-grown talent like Jeter, center fielder Bernie Williams, catcher Jorge Posada and pitchers Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera.

All Greensboro farmhands, with the exception of Bernie Williams. But it’s still interesting is how the man and moment converged —-right after Steinbrenner took over the Yankees came the 1975 arbitrator’s ruling ushering in free agency. Baseball would never be the same again, and no one would symbolize that change more than Steinbrenner.