I miss Billy Martin

[Auggie]

As Ricky Henderson enters the Hall of Fame, I'm reminded of the days Billy Martin managed the Oakland A's and ushered in "Billyball." If you weren't following baseball back then, the A's were really exciting to watch. And Martin was the center of it. He was larger than life. He was controversial. But he had a great, gut feeling for baseball, was aggressive, and invented ways to win. He made baseball fun.

He would have turned 80 this past May.

[Onceuponalife]

1. I don't miss him

Too many bad memories with the Yanks. He presided over some really horrible seasons with the A's. To me, "Billyball" means Billy Beane as in Moneyball.

[Auggie]

2. One bad season, 1982

They finished 68-94.

In 1980 the record was 83-79. In 1981, 64-45 (strike year).

[El Supremo]

3. I met him.

He got into a fight at the restaurant I worked at in Arlington. He had a real problem with alcohol.

But 1974 was the best year ever for the Rangers. He made them good then burned them out.

[H2O Man]

4. He had lived

near Binghamton, too. Had a reputation for not being able to control his alcohol consumption/temper.