Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Damn Yankees

Page 281

Western Division by nine games over Oakland, with Boswell winning eight games down the stretch.

The Twins played the Orioles, who had won 109 games during the regular season. In the 1969 American League Championship Series (ALCS), Baltimore won the first two games of the best of five series at home, with both games going extra innings. At home for Game Three, Martin was expected to start star pitcher Jim Kaat but instead chose Bob Miller, who was knocked out of the box in the second inning, and the Twins were eliminated.

Martin had been given a one year contract for 1969. He asked for a two year deal for 1970 and 1971. Griffith was unhappy both that Martin had not pitched Kaat, a friend of his, and that the explanation he had asked Martin for had been; "Because I'm the

manager." Martin's decision was defensible, as Kaat had been struggling with injuries, and Miller had won during the pennant race. Other events during the season, such as the fight with Boswell and Martin kicking former US Vice President Hubert Humphrey out of the locker room when he tried to visit after a Twins loss also embarrassed the team. Twins executives had also received numerous complaints about Martin drinking heavily during road trips, and were angered when Griffith told

“Minneapolis Tribune” columnist Sid Hartman off the record that the Twins were thinking of firing him. Although Martin had led