Bob Watson, baseball's only Black GM, leaves the Yankees

Jet, Feb 23, 1998

New York Yankees General Manager Bob Watson, who built a World Series team in 1996, resigned from his post and stepped away from the team's tumultuous owner George Steinbrenner.

Watson was baseball's only Black general manager (GM) and was the 14th GM under the 25-year reign of Steinbrenner.

Even though Watson was named major league's executive of the year in 1996, he and Steinbrenner often clashed because the owner reportedly was often critical of Watson and many times interfered.

Two Yankee officials told the New York Times that Watson had wearied of his ever-changing working relationship with Steinbrenner. Watson would have control of trade and contract negotiations for weeks at a time, but then would find them wrested away from him, with Steinbrenner relying on advisers based at team offices in Tampa, FL.

Steinbrenner denied there was bad blood between the two.

Watson was GM with the Houston Astros before coming to the Yankees.