On This Date in Sports December 25, 1989: The Demise of Billy Martin
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
Billy Martin dies at the age of 61 after spending Christmas Day drinking at a local bar. Martin and a close friend Bill Reedy were heading home when his truck ran off the road and rolled into a drainage culvert at the edge of the five-time manager of the New York Yankees manager’s home. Both men were drunk and not wearing a seatbelt.
Billy Martin loved nothing more than being a member of the New York Yankees. He was born Alfredo Manuel Martin Jr. on May 16, 1928, in Berkley, California. When he was born, his grandmother and immigrant from Italy often called him “Belli” for beautiful this nickname would evolve into Billy.
In 1946, Billy Martin, who had worked out with the Brooklyn Dodgers, signed his first professional contract with the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League. While playing for the Idaho Falls Russets, a Class D affiliate of the Oaks caught the attention of Manager Casey Stengel, who liked his scrappy style of play. In 1948, Martin helped lead Oakland to the PCL Championship, which earned Stengel an opportunity to manage the New York Yankees. After leading the Yankees to a World Series title in 1949, Stengel convinced the Yankees to purchase Martin’s contract.
Billy Martin had always wanted to play for the Yankees, as he grew up as a fan of Tony Lazzeri and Joe DiMaggio, Italian Americans who like Martin hailed from the Bay Area. Martin became a spark plug for the Yankees, primarily playing second base. In the World Series, Billy Martin was always at his best, making a game-saving catch in Game 7 in 1952, and batting .500 in the 1953 Fall Classic as the Yankees won the World Series five straight seasons.
In 1957, Billy Martin, who was known for his hard play on the field and hard life off the field, was traded by the Yankees after he was involved in a brawl at the Copacabana. Martin finished the 1957 season with the Kansas City Athletics, as he played for seven teams in his final five seasons.
After retiring in 1961, Billy Martin went into coaching and managing. He got his first major league managerial experience with the Minnesota Twins in 1969. Despite leading the Twins to a Division Title, he was fired after one season as Owner Calvin Griffith was concerned with his heavy drinking on road trips. Martin got a second managerial job with the Detroit Tigers in 1971. One year later, he led Detroit to a division title. However, once again, he wore out his welcome fast as he was fired during the 1973 season after being suspended for ordering his pitchers to throw spitballs. Billy Martin would again find work quickly as he was hired as manager for the Texas Rangers in 1974. That season the Rangers were in the Divisional race after losing 100 games the previous season. However, after quarreling with ownership, he was fired in the middle of the 1975 season.
After Texas fired Billy Martin, he landed his dream job when he was hired by the New York Yankees two weeks later. This would begin the most tumultuous relationship between, and owner and manager in baseball history as George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin often clashed. Still, the Yankees boss stood by his manager, who quickly became a favorite among the fans. Through this tumult, the Yankees rose back to the top of the American League, winning the pennant in 1976 and the World Series in 1977. Once again, Martin would be out of a job after achieving success as he reigned in the middle of the 1978 season after making despairing remarks about Steinbrenner and All-Star Reggie Jackson.
While the Yankees moved forward under Bob Lemon, Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner mended fences and made arraignments for him to get his job back. The Yankees won the World Series with Lemon in 1978, but slumped in 1979, leading Martin to get his second term as Yankees manager. The 1979 seasons would be one of heartbreak for the Yankees, as Thurman Munson, a personal favorite of Martin, died in a plane crash. When the season was over, Billy Martin was fired again after he got in a fight with a Marshmallow Salesman.
Billy Martin would go home in 1980, landing a job with the Oakland Athletics. Once again, he was a success as the A’s began playing “Billy Ball” and turned things around from a 100-loss season in 1979. In 1981, Martin led the A’s to the ALCS, where they would be swept by the Yankees. The 1982 season would see both the Yankees and Athletics struggle as Martin almost campaigned for a return to New York.
With much ballyhoo, Billy was Back with the Yankees for the third time in 1983. What started as a promising season fizzled in the second half, as the Yankees were bogged down with the Pine Tar Incident. Again, Billy Martin was relieved of his managerial duties as he was reassigned to be a team scout in 1984. George Steinbrenner tabbed Billy Martin again in 1985 when they got off to a slow start under Yogi Berra. The 1985 season would see the Yankees battle the Toronto Blue Jays until the final week of the season. However, a barroom brawl with pitcher Ed Whitson again led to Martin’s dismissal.
Billy Martin worked as an announcer over the next two seasons and got his fifth chance to manage the Yankees in 1988. This time he would not even make it to the All-Star Break as his erratic behavior led to his dismissal as he squabbled with umpired to the point; it was ordered Martin would be ejected if he even left the dugout. Martin spent the 1989 season as an advisor to George Steinbrenner but rarely left his home in upstate New York. Shortly before Christmas, Billy Martin began contacting his coaches to get ready as he was in talks to get a sixth term as Yankees manager in 1990 if the Yankees got off to a slow start under Bucky Dent.
The sad tale of Billy Martin would end on Christmas as his heavy drinking caught up with him when him and a friend named Bill Reedy were in a single-car accident near Binghamton, New York, where Martin resided in a farmhouse. Neither man was wearing a seatbelt when Martin’s truck rolled into a drainage ditch at the foot of the former Yankees manager’s home. Efforts to revive Billy Martin were in vain as he suffered numerous injuries as a result of the accident. Bill Reedy was charged with DUI and had his license suspended for a year. Though he later claimed that Martin himself was driving and only claimed to be the driver to save his friend the embarrassment.