Yankees Birthday of the Day: Billy Martin

(Original Caption) New York Yankees manager Billy Martin (c) is shown arguing with umpire Tim McClelland over the amount of pine tar on the bat used by George Brett of the Royals, who got a two run homer in the ninth inning. For all of the mythical greats that litter the history of Yankees Baseball, there is also a healthy list of characters, people who may not have been legends, but who nonetheless who have defined the franchise’s path over more than a century. Near the top of that illustrious list for the Bombers stands Billy Martin.

When the weight of one’s name far outweighs any on the field contributions they made, it’s likely that something either went really right, or really wrong. In the case of Billy Martin, it was a little bit of both. A decent player in his own right, and an enigmatic manager who left it all on the field, Martin made a significant mark on the Yankees, particularly during his days as a manager — and conflicts with both owner George Steinbrenner and superstar Reggie Jackson.

Between a preposterous number of hirings and firings, World Series wins, and moments of controversy, his time with the Yankees could certainly be described as memorable. The story of the Yankees could not be told without him. Alfred Manuel “Billy” Martin, Jr.

Born: May 16, 1928 (Berkley, CA) Died: December 25, 1989 (Johnson City, NY) Yankees Tenure: 1950-57 (Player), 1975-78, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1988 (Manager) Born in the late 1920s in California, Billy Martin was primarily raised by his mother and grandmother following his parents’ split. It was a tough childhood, but sports were a refuge. He made his first mark on professional baseball with Oakland in the Pacific Coast League, before being sent to the Yankees in 1949.