Billy ”The KId” Martin

As a player, Billy Martin was a fundamentally sound second basemen with a .257 batting average over an 11 year playing career, most notably for the Yankees fom 1950 to 1957. On the World Series stage, he was a clutch beast with a .333/.371/.369 slash-line, 5 Home Runs and 19 runs driven in, with flawless defensive play. As a manager, he developed the reputation of a strategical genius, who could ostensibly turn almost any team into a contender. But he was also considered a longterm liability whose erratic personal behavior, usually due to his excessive alcohol consumption. and his inability to handle veteran players, or young pitchers, led to early dismissals. In his 16 seasons as a field general, he would win five divisional titles with four different franchises; two American League Pennants and a World Championship in 1977 with the Yankees. This week we profile the baseball journey of this brash, fearless, and pugnacious leader who would hone his craft on the Oakland sandlots, before implementing his lessons on life and winning in the majors. #BillyMartin #BerkeleyCalifornia #CaseyStengal #MickeyMantle #WhiteyFord #AlfredManuelPesanoJr #JoanPesano #JimmyPiersell #ClintCourtney #JackieRobinson #MattBatts #ReggieJackson #GeorgeSteinbrenner #MinnesotaTwins #DetroitTigers #OaklandAthletics #TexasRangers #NewYorkYankees