BOWIE, Md. – When George Steinbrenner, owner of the Yankees since 1973, passed away yesterday at 80 years old, it set off an almost universal feeling of sadness throughout baseball. The man known for ruling his club with a fist of iron and a resolve of steel also made an impact on more than a few people associated with Mercer County.

There’s Joe Finley, who has been involved with the Thunder since they first opened up shop in 1994. He currently serves as the team’s president, and fills the same role for the Lakewood BlueClaws, the Phillies’ Low-A affiliate.

In a statement yesterday, Finley remembered Steinbrenner more for his humanitarian efforts than his days ruling the New York tabloids.

“Mr. Steinbrenner was a visionary in the world of baseball and business that is unmatched. Equally unmatched was his passion for helping people less fortunate than he. His devotion to helping disadvantaged children, the families of slain law enforcement officers and military families speaks volumes as to the type of person he was,” Finley said. “His leadership turned the Yankees into the world-class franchise that we are so proud to be affiliated with.”

Of course, the people on the field, even those who never spent time with the Yankees, were touched by the man who spent decades as baseball’s loudest, most ever-present voice.

Tommy Phelps, the Thunder’s pitching coach as well a Florida Marlin for part of three seasons, expressed his sadness over Steinbrenner’s death.

"Mr. Steinbrenner ran a first class organization and this is a sad day for baseball," Phelps said. "When I talked to my wife about it, she said that we 'lost a legend' today. We both grew up in Tampa, and he was such a big influence on the community there and was just a wonderful man."

Frank Menechino, a veteran of 11 major league seasons and the Thunder’s hitting coach since 2009, reflected on the unchecked passion for winning that accounts for so much of Steinbrenner’s legacy.

“Baseball has lost one of its best competitors,” Menechino said. “He was dedicated to winning, and that dedication made the Yankees the best organization in baseball.”

Of course, a Steinbrenner retrospective would be incomplete without a player’s view. For that, there’s Alan Horne, the 2007 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year who also spent parts of 2008 and 2009 with the Thunder.

What he’ll remember about the man who for decades became synonymous with Yankees is the equality with which he treated his players, from the superstars to the hot-shot prospects to those fighting just to get recognized.

“I think it’s a sad day for sports, not just baseball,” Horne said in a text message to The Trentonian. “He pushed his organization to be the greatest and he treated every single one of us with respect. He was a great man and special person, aside from a front office genius.”

Those works of charity to which Finley referred were not always high-profile. Sometimes, because those acts of generosity benefited individuals and not organizations, they went nearly unnoticed.

Once such story was related to The Trentonian yesterday by one of its former correspondents, Dennis Maffezzoli, currently a columnist with the Sarasota Tribune-Review.

The story hinges around the death of Yankees scout named Jack Llewellyn who spent years scouring the Inglewood, Fla. area for talent.

“Jack was a good guy. He was one of those old-time scouts with the clipboard and the stopwatch, a good old, old-time scout,” Maffezzoli recalled. “Jack passed away, and I guess his wife didn’t have enough (to pay for his final expenses). Steinbrenner actually paid for the funeral and showed up in Inglewood, which is like 100 miles from Tampa, for Jack’s funeral.”

Those unprompted acts of kindness, sprinkled with his undying quest to build a winner for New York, are only part of the reason that Steinbrenner has left behind a legacy that has no chance of ever being matched.

BOWIE, Md. – More than his own time at the plate, Thunder outfielder Justin Christian remembers the first time he heard Bob Sheppard call out the Yankee captain’s name.

“What I remember more than my name being called is Derek Jeter’s, his signature when he comes to an at-bat. His voice has always been recorded for Jeter. It was great to hear that, and I think that’s a tribute to (Sheppard) as a person.”

Starting with Boston’s Dom DiMaggio on May 17, 1951, Sheppard famously dictated every player’s name with the same amount measure, rhythm and respect, whether or not he played for the Yankees.

One such lucky player is Jody Reed, who spent 11 seasons in the show. He made his Yankee Stadium debut in 1987, just seven games into his big league career. He remembers knowing the voice waiting for him, if not the name.

“I didn’t know who Bob Sheppard was, and then you’re hearing him call out the opening lineups, and the voice is so distinct,” said Reed, the Thunder’s interim skipper while Tony Franklin is at the Futures Game. “Of course the veteran guys, Dwight Evans, Jim Rice, they tell you who is and you’re like, ‘Wow.’”

For Reed, as his career wore on and the trips to the Bronx became more frequent and familiar, the thrill of hearing Sheppard – who became known as The Voice of God – pronounce his name never grew tiresome.

“Of course, over a 10-year career, hearing Bob announce the name and announce the lineups – and that voice – you never forget it. Hearing that voice (and) the slow, perfect enunciation – and it is booming – it is so distinctive. As you go on, every time you go in there, you look forward to hearing him call your name.”

Thunder hitting coach Frank Menechino, a veteran of seven seasons, was visibly broken up when he heard just before game time about Sheppard’s passing. Hearing his name over the Yankee Stadium loudspeakers meant so much to Menechino that he wanted to whatever he could to have that feeling available forever.

With a little ingenuity and some help from the Yankees’ public relations department, that’s a possibility.

“I have it recorded at home,” Menechino said. “That way I can listen to it over and over, whenever I want.”

That, in a nutshell, tells you all you need to know about the impact Sheppard and his voice made for 58 legendary seasons.

Clockwise from top left are: Luis Nunez, Frank Menechino and Vic Valencia with the World Series trophy, Damon Sublett, Reid Gorecki, David Adams and Austin Krum.

Clockwise from top right are: Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes; Luis Sojo, Jesus Montero and D.J. Mitchell; Derek Jeter; Frank Menechino and Tino Martinez, Jeter again, and Montero again

Heading out to the fields soon, so I just wanted to check in before I left. Here's a couple of links before I go try to make the most of my last day in minor league camp.

First, here's my story yesterday on new Thunder catcher/utilityman Myron Leslie

Second, here's the notebook I did with news about two cuts, David Phelps, John Van Benschoten, Casey Erickson and Tony Franklin

Here's a link to The Trentonian's video page, where you can find Part 2 of my interview with Leslie (Part 1 is included with the story)and a video of Austin Romine doing catching drills with Thunder coach Vic Valencia.

Reminder, tomorrow night I will be doing a Web chat to wrap up my stay. Stay tuned.

Photos are, clockwise from top right: Wilkin De La Rosa, David Adams' glove, Frank Menechino, Kei Igawa (and his fabulous blue glove), Damon Sublett and D.J. Mitchell.