WATCH: Peacock's 'Bronx Zoo '90' docuseries promises uncensored look inside chaotic world of 1990s Yankees
An upcoming documentary based on the New York Yankees' 90s era is set to hit Peacock. However, rather than the glitz and glamor of their World Series wins, this series focuses on their struggles at the start of the decade. From the feud between owner George Steinbrenner and star player Dave Winfield to unwanted losing records, this series promises to be a great watch.
"Bronx Zoo '90" director, D.J. Caruso, spoke to NBC Local and concisely said:
"I don't think there's ever been another team like the 1990 New York Yankees."
Talkin' Yanks shared a clip of the teaser on X:
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner's fall out with Dave Winfield
While 'Bronx Zoo '90' should only see the tail-end of the relationship breakdown between George Steinbrenner and Dave Winfield, the pair had a tense decade in New York.
When Winfield joined the New York Yankees via free agency in 1980, he became the highest-paid athlete in the sport. However, a cost of living clause changed the size of the deal from $15 million to $23 million, something Steinbrenner took umbrage with.
While the Yankees owner would occasionally make controversial comments to the media regarding Winfield's performance, the situation escalated near the end of the '80s.
The team was looking to trade the right fielder but Winfield had veto rights in his contract and used them, with one of his conversations on the matter continuing into a room of reporters.
Winfield later discussed the matter (via the New York Post):
“It was a matter of who was going to blink first, and when I didn’t blink with all they were doing to me, they tried to pull off a trade without talking to me first,” Winfield remembered. “I didn’t give in for nine years before that, I wasn’t going to in the last year.”
During his time in New York, Winfield sued the Yankees for not making contractually agreed payments to the Winfield Foundation. In turn, the franchise was preparing to sue him for "misappropriation and misuse of funds," as per the New York Post.
The situation spiraled out of control when George Steinbrenner reportedly paid $40,000 to a former publicist from the foundation, Howard Spira, who had gambling debts. Spira was allegedly paid for information on Winfield and the foundation, and he felt that he could prove that not all the payments were making it to the foundation.
Further complicating the issue, Steinbrenner allegedly refused to pay Spira the full amount, and then Spira was charged with extortion. Then-MLB commissioner Fay Vincent started an investigation into the matter, and at the same time, a trade was being arranged with the Angels, which never went to arbitration.
Steinbrenner met with Winfield and reportedly told him that if he won the arbitration case, the star would be welcomed back to the team. However, the commissioner deemed that meeting to be tampering. He fined the Yankees $25,000, and they were ordered to pay the California Angels (now LA) $200,000.
Shortly thereafter, the Yankees owner was banned permanently from day-to-day activities with the team, a ban that lasted two years. As for Dave Winfield, he was traded to the Angels, and when he was elected into the Hall of Fame in 2001, he went in as a member of the San Diego Padres.