Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Damn Yankees

Page 302

award, which he believed should have gone to Dick Williams or Earl Weaver. Martin replied by mocking Cooper's profession and in the process angered him to the point where Cooper challenged Martin to a fight. Martin responded by wagering $500 that he could beat Cooper and proceeded to do so. Facing pressure from the commissioner's office to do something about Martin's off field conduct, Steinbrenner fired Martin five days later.

Martin did not get any immediate interest after being dismissed by the Yankees, but in February 1980, Oakland owner Charlie Finley sought to hire him. The A's had fallen far from their

championship heyday of the early 1970s as Finley had refused to go along with the escalating salaries of free agency. In 1979, the team was 54–108 - .333, the second worst record in baseball, and drew less than 4,000 per home game. In hopes of reviving the franchise, Finley turned to Martin. While the job brought Martin

back to his East Bay roots, he was well aware that it might be his last chance, both because of the conflict that surrounded him and his lack of success with the 1979 Yankees.

The 1980 A's had few standouts, and many of the young players were in awe of Martin; some who later became stars credited Martin with developing them. He had Rickey Henderson steal only

on signs until Henderson learned how to read pitchers in their windup. Then Martin turned Henderson loose. According to