Evening star., 1959-12-18
WIN,'LOSE OR
HNAV By FRANCIS sTANN
Angry Young Man

Yankees
in 1885, tough well-muScled dead-end kid out of
Berkeley, Calf he called upon his tangbes and in
tangbeS with such violence he looked certain to be New
YorkS regular second baseman for long he could
play.
He didn't hit for the big average over season, al
though he batted 500 in the 1858 World Series and set
record with IL hits in sx-game classic. He didn't hit
the long ball. either, and there have been more gifted
heders and base But when all Of Alfred Manuel
Martins toaled it obvious that he
extremely valuable man.
But something has happened to Martin since June l5
1857, when, in fit of pque General Manager George
Weiss traded Billy to Kansas City The fellow hasn't
been able to stick with club since The Athletics
Tigers and Indians swapped him after less and
Billy belongs to the Redegs of the National League
part payment for Cncnnat's crack second baseman,
Johnny Temple
BILLY THE KIDS troubles stemmed you may recall
from the night of May 16 1857 when Martin became 20
years old. There birthday party at the brasSy
Copacabana night club and Yogi Berra, Whitley Ford,
Mickey Mantle, Hank Bauer and Johnny Kucks attended
the celebration.
During the course of the evening some of the cele-
orators exchanged words with members of Bronx bowling
party The upShot that Bauer the muscular
Marine hailed into court on charges of Sugging a
kegler. Bauer was cleared but Weiss, who never felt
that Martin precisely wholesome influence some
of the young players seized upon the incident
to Danish Billy to the Yankees Siberian retreat Kansas
City.
Martins roommate as a Yankee was Mantle the kid
convvial threesome not always respectful of the
curfew Manager Casey Senge aside from occasional
barbed thrusts at Mantle and Ford abded the Three
Musketeers After ALL didn't the Yankees win the pennan
every year?
MARTINS EXILE to Kansas City distressed Stengel
because Billy his boy his pet his verbal sparring
partner Casey managed Billy at Oakland in 194748.
He understood the cocky inf1elder, which quite
trick.
There really must be two Billy Martins At times he
is witty engaging, smiling On other occasons-and
invariably during a ball game-he is the angry young
of baseball snarling defiance at the enemy, cauStc
toward his teammates. He will fight at the drop of a
oath the flash of spike or the buzz of bean ball
stengel used to call him. That fresh little punk"
Then he would add How love him" No. Casey wasn't
happy when Weiss sent him away. He missed his almost
daily battles" with the deadender. With relish Casey
recalled that at Oakland he tried to alter Bilys way of
pvotng the double play.
whats wrong with my way?" Martin braShly de-
manded. II got quick hands and feet"
"You amt on the dance floor jitterbuggng" stengel
retorted
Don't knock my way just because you can't do it,
Martin snarled
so 1T WENT between mentor and pupil down the
years, beginning in Oakland and ending in New York.
Once Stenge asked why he put up with such a
cantankerous kid. Casey bristled Indignantly.
Because he wants to play so bad it hurts he replied
another kid I'd send packing but not him."
Despite his travels in the last three years. Martin is
much sought after player. No did he report
to Kansas City than most American clubs asked his
price, including Washington. When the Indians acquired
him from Detroit they went high giving up those good
releverS, Don MoSSi and Ray NareSk And the Relegs
wouldn't have dreamed of trading Temple if they didn't
respect Martins ability to play second base.
His running feud with Joe Gordon, Cleveland manager
ironically SecondbaSing predecessor of Martin flag
winning Yankee clubs, was well known. After the trade
the other day Billy blasted Joe saying $50 out
the American League because Gordon doesn't like me
That's about what it amounts to-"
COrdn deot1U idnt ,l;l
Stengel, who barked, "You talk big, kid"
Il play big too" Billy snapped
Casey waited until Martin turned away before hi
permitted appreciative smile.