Evening star., 1956-08-17
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW sy FRANCIS s7Auu
Mantle But Martin, Too


world as baplayer once was asked for his greatest thrill
THE time Billy Martin caught the pop fly" replied the
Yankees veteran of Is and nine World Series
Martin in the news today because he helping Mickey
Mantle, perhaps than any other Yankee to win
pennant Billy the Kid main subject in the
Saturday Evening Post this week.
But like most easy-reading stories the SEPs not
trey free from Martin is rated when his game
as the best middle defenseman meanng second base) in
the American League according to the story Actually this
is not true and the Yankees much they the fellow
the first to refute the claim.
"The best double play I've seen Rzzuto says
"s Jerry Coleman Then there's kid had-and he'll be
back from Denver-Bobby Richardson These guys make
plays that Martin can't make Yet, when add it all
Billy the Yankee second baSeman and you don't find very
many as good"
1T IS NO GREAT SECRET that Martin, tough and
wry Portuguese Italian is Casey Stengels pet or Casey
admits it. Inimtaby, Stengel puts it much like this
"He didn't hit except maybe .263 but he don't like to
leave the bases and if those big fellows barrel
into him at second base he'll em, and then
with ball between the eyes, Now that creates certain
amount of respect but aside from being little
things when it's somebody ese job to do Like that
pop fly
enge and other Yankees refer happened in the seventh
game the World Series against the Dodgers Jackie
Robinson hit it with the bases loaded and two out in the
seventh inning Probably the most gamorous pop fly
in history.
Naturally, all base runners were on wheels when the
pitch delivered The ball didn't precisely straight up
first should have tackled the job of catching it. Oh
the catcher if you absolve pitchers.
But nobody after it except Martini playing deep
second base unorgettable the memory The Kid
glove. If Martin hadn't made the catch Robinson would
have driven home three a drive that didn't
measure 40 feet from home plate
PROBABLY 1T WOULD HAVE won the game and the
Series Martins nose which considerable, plowed fur
almost to home plate before he to complete stop
and this the play Rzzuto and Senge and most of the
Yankees remember best.
Of the field Billy is made out to be complex person
victor environment, and perhaps it's true.
the dressing he admits he near-juvenie delin
quent dedicated on diamond but by admission
frequently confused after doffng his working clothes
II took goof balls-seeping pills-or most of sea
son." Billy relates And not eating, lost weight" Hi
teammates recall that Martin, who normally weighs l6
pounds tipped the scales at only 1872 when he lfte
bodily and, his protests. placed on the measure.
HE lost 80 pounds in about three weeks" Yankee
said. "Then he just the pennant and saved tn
World Series"
DURING THE PROCESS OF BECOMING star Martl
frequently has found himself pinned to corner in tn
Yankee dressing by reporters who want know hi
background OF his italian mother he spoke glowngy Hi
Portuguese father hand from Kauai in the Hawaiian
Islands, he would mention only after The Post
Al Stump states fatty that Billy abandoned by his sir
at the age of months
His fist hghts-notably with Clint Courtney and Jir
Persaare matters of record and memories as as fan
concerned Courtney with the Senator's and don
very WELL belonged the old St. Louis Browns in 1852
was overly beigerent, so the Yankees claimed
Martin, according to the SEP, nominated tn
team policeman" Il guess expendabe" he add
Anyway when Courtney bareled into second base Billy tn
Kid did his level best to the ball down his throat
that touched off a Donnybrook
THE UNDER STANDS BATTLE with Piersall-
everything to have happened in l952rst pointed
Martin devil-may-care scrapper guy free with HI
fists Which, of course he and remains. When he
tacng Piersan Of the Red Sox he giving away weigh
which bothered Martin But what he didn't learn unit
much later that Persa mentally Ill at the tim
couple Of months afterward Bostons defensiy
magician hosptalzed and under psychatric reamen
I'm ashamed Of that (fght Martin said later Il didn
know Piersa on the verge Of cracking up. My onl
excuse Is that was only Jump away from the guys wit
the white coats myself"