Who is Howard Spira, the gambler mentioned in Derek Jeter doc ‘The Captain’ who got George Steinbrenner suspended

ESPN's "The Captain" briefly touched on Steinbrenner's dealings with Spira.

If you’re like me, someone who grew up with a special nostalgia for the Derek Jeter-era New York Yankees, then the ESPN documentary about his life and career The Captain was appointment viewing. And by appointment, I mean whenever I could get around to watching it.

That time finally came Sunday, and the first episode absolutely did not disappoint. The background on who the Yankees were pre-Jeter was enlightening. There was so much I didn’t know about the franchise I grew up rooting for.

One of those things was the lifetime ban Yankees owner George Steinbrenner received for his dealings with gambler Howard Spira – and how it was the likely catalyst for the dynasty they became. Digging into the situation a little more turned up how silly and avoidable the entire ordeal was, and I’m guessing I’m not the only one who wanted to learn more.

So here’s what happened.