Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Damn Yankees

Page 282

the team to a division title, Fox and other Twins executives felt Martin was more trouble than he was worth and urged his dismissal. Griffith fired him on October 13, 1969. There was outrage among Twins fans, and attendance, which had been boosted by Martin's presence and the team's success, sank in 1970. The Twins won their second straight division title but again lost the ALCS to Baltimore in three games, this time with Kaat pitching, and losing Game Three.

Martin spent the 1970 season out of baseball for the first time since 1946, but stayed in the Twin Cities as an interviewer for

Minneapolis station KDWB. He received nibbles of interest, including from A's owner Charlie Finley, and each later blamed the other for the failure to come to terms. The Detroit Tigers had won the World Series in 1968, but dropped below .500 two years later. Team general manager Jim Campbell felt that the

team could win again with the right manager. On October 2, 1970, Campbell fired manager Mayo Smith and gave Martin a two year deal for 1971 and 1972 at an annual salary of $65,000. Martin seemed to be an odd fit for the Tigers, given their straitlaced reputation under Campbell, but the general manager felt that Martin was the spark the Tigers needed to return to contention.

Martin announced that the Tigers would win the 1971 American League East title, and that the Orioles were over the hill. He