The New York Yankees name Billy Martin their manager for the third time in eight years. Martin takes over for Clyde King, who is bumped up to the Yankees’ front office. Martin will lead the team to a record of 91-71 this season.
On August 24, 1982, at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Rickey Henderson steals 2nd and 3rd base in the first inning of the Detroit Tiger tandem of Jerry Ujdur and Bill Fahey. Henderson will score on a wild pitch. This was the last homegame before an 11 game road trip and the A’s were trying to make…
On July 8, 1982, Oakland A’s manager Billy Martin notches his 1,000th career win, ironically enough against one of his former teams, a 6-3 win over the New York Yankees. Martin, who will lead the A’s to only 68 wins that year, will be fired after the season. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@
On April 2, 1982, Oakland A’s pitcher Steve McCatty walks to the plate during a spring training game carrying a 15-inch toy bat. A’s manager Billy Martin had ordered McCatty to use the toy bat as a protest of the rule preventing the use of the DH in National League ballparks. Umpire Jim Quick refuses to let McCatty use the bat.
On April 25, 1981, Seattle Mariners manager Maury Wills is suspended for two games as punishment for ordering the grounds crew to enlarge the batter’s boxes at the Kingdome. Wills had decided to tamper with the chalk lines after the Oakland A’s complained that Seattle’s Tom Paciorek repeatedly stepped out of the batter’s box while hitting.
On April 19, 1981, the Oakland Athletics set a modern day record for the most consecutive wins to start a season. Billy Martin’s A’s defeat the Seattle Mariners, 6-1, giving them their 11th straight victory. The Atlanta Braves will surpass the mark a year later by opening the season with 13 consecutive wins.
April 10, 1980 – The largest Coliseum crowd in two years came out to witness Billy Martin’s first game as A’s manager. Martin’s mother Joan Downey threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
1980 – The Oakland Athletics sign Billy Martin to a two-year contract as manager. Martin, who was fired by the Yankees only four months earlier, will popularize the notion of “Billy Ball” with the A’s and lead the team to a split-season crown in 1981.
1979 – Commissioner Bowie Kuhn lets Billy Martin off with a warning, following the October 23rd barroom altercation with a marshmallow salesman.
1979 – The New York Yankees replace fired manager Billy Martin with Dick Howser, the head coach of the Florida State Seminoles and a former coach with the Bronx Bombers. In 1980, Howser will lead the Yankees to 103 victories but will be fired in turn after failing to advance in the ALCS.
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