Billy Martin was known for his temper. The colorful Yankee skipper’s antics never grew old, whether it be kicking dirt on an umpire or fighting his own players. He was fired from the New York Yankees on five separate occasions due to a tumultuous relationship with owner George Steinbrenner.

Allow me to set the scene: Billy Martin instructs Reggie Jackson to bunt (right? Imagine Aaron Boone telling Luke Voit to bunt?). Reggie misses the bunt. Billy Martin takes the sign off. Reggie bunts anyway and pops out. Billy Martin suspends Reggie for the remainder of the season, until ownership talks him down to only five games. Billy Martin does not like this, hears word of a trade with the White Sox for manager Bob Lemon and the trade falls through. Steinbrenner then fires Maritn after White Sox owner Bill Veeck fires Lemon and hires Lemon to manage the Yankees. Billy Martin goes on record to say “they deserve each other: one’s born a liar, the other is a convicted one.” Of course, this was in reference to the shady dealings of Steinbrenner and the Richard Nixon campaign.

In 1979, Bob Lemon was not having a successful season for the Bleacher Creature faithful. The Yankees were 34-30 when he was let go from his contract. It was a trying season for the Yankees, whose new manager got them up to 89 wins on the season. Key injuries happened to players such as Hall of Famers Rich Gossage and the aforementioned Jackson. Yet, the biggest tragedy for the Yankees was the plane crash that caused the passing of veteran backstop Thurman Munson.

In June, the team’s new manager was revealed to be Billy. He pulled them back together. He looked to stay long-term, until that offseason when the Yankee skipper once again got handed his pink slip.

As you can see by a newspaper clipping (if you’re reading this in a newspaper, I’ve made it far. But you likely aren’t, because it’s 2020 and PSE doesn’t run in print), he got into a fight with a dude who sold marshmallows. One question to ponder is why? Well, there’s really no rhyme or reason when you’re Billy Martin, but an agitate drunk Billy Martin went to a hotel bar on this day in 1979 right after the season ended.

There he was greeted by a fan who blazoned that Earl Weaver of the Orioles and Dick Williams of the Athletics (both Hall of Fame managers) were better managers than Billy. Billy thought that this sentiment was preposterous and called him a “jackass.” Martin asked what it is that Joseph Cooper replied that he is a marshmallow salesman. Of course, Billy Martin found this to be hysterical.

Billy Martin wagered $500 that the fan could not win in a fight against him. Billy Martin sucker punched him and beat him to a pulp, as Cooper required nine stitches.

With an unhappy Commissioners Office, Martin was released from his contract five days later by Steinbrenner. In the ultimate form of irony, his next managerial job was in Oakland, where he replaced Dick Williams heading into the 1980 season. Martin would return to the Yankees three more times in 1983, 1985 and 1988. He passed away in a car accident in 1989. It was Christmas Day and he was driving under the influence.

As a manager in his career, he led the Yankees to a World Championship while going 1253-1013 over tenures with the Twins, Tigers, Rangers, Yankees and Athletics.

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