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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 25, 1978)
Page 8 THE BATTALION TUESDAY, JULY 25, 1978 Martin’s career marred by controversy (Continued from page 7) sions between the two cooled con siderably this year when Al Rosen replaced Gabe Paul as club Presi dent. Many of the seeds of unrest on the Yankees were planted when Steinbrenner went on offseason spending sprees for high-priced superstars the past two seasons. Most notable of those acquisitions was Jackson, the $3 million right fielder whom Martin was restrained from punching out during a dugout dispute last June 18 in a nationally televised game from Boston. Martin had accused Jackson of not hustling on a fly ball. Jackson went on to be come the World Series hero by hit ting home runs in his last four at- bats but the bitterness always existed. At one time last year, Steinbren ner felt Martin had lost control of the team and the respect of the players and reportedly was set to fire him. Paul persuaded Stein brenner to retain Martin and on June 20, while the Yankees were in Detroit, Paul issued a statement in the press box at Tiger Stadium that read: “There will not be a change in our organization regardless of what has been said. We don’t feel there’s a better manager than Billy Martin and we want the Yankees to have the best.” Rosen issued a similar statement this year when a local newspaper report had Martin once again on the firing line. The Yankee front office indicated Martin’s position was safe at least through the end of the sea son. Winning the World Series did not solidify Martin’s shaky status this season. A sign of more trouble began during the winter when the Yankees obtained relief pitchers Rich Gossage and Rawly Eastwick in the free agent draft, causing Gy Young Award winner Sparky Lyle to complain about his apparently di minished workload. In fact, during the first two months of the season, Martin ap peared to call on Gossage more often in the key spots. Meanwhile, Martin frequently referred to Eastwick as “George’s Boy,” while ignoring the ex-Cincinnati right hander for long periods of time be fore a trade in mid-June sent him to Philadelphia. Martin also had run-ins with out fielder Mickey Rivers, pitcher Ed Figueroa and catcher Thurman Munson. His troubles with Rivers resulted in an early-season incident in which the moody center fielder was benched for three games for lack of hustle. Martin engaged in a shouting match with Munson during a plane flight home after the Rivers’ benching, but the manager later apologized to the catcher and team captain. Figueroa openly criticized Martin on two occasions for not pitching enough. Their differences widened Sunday June 18 when Figueroa was secondguessed by Martin for serv ing up a game-winning home run to California’s Ron Fairly in the ninth inning. Martin claimed he had told Figueroa to pitch around Fairly, while Figueroa, who walked out on the team during last year’s World Series after being passed up for a starting role, countered that he was an experienced enough pitcher not to need such advice. Martin previously held manage rial jobs at Minnesota, Detroit and Texas. He won division titles with the Twins in 1969, the Tigers in 1972 and the Yankees in 1976. He was also fired in all three cities. In all three places Martin enjoyed success on the field but inevitably was fired because of his disputes with the front office. At Minnesota, he once punched out one of his pitchers, Dave Boswell, in a bar. At Texas, he slugged the chib’s public relations man, Burt Hawkins. Yanks comment on Marti United Press International KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The New York Yankees, almost to the man, recited a litany of “No comment” following the abrupt resignation of Manager Billy Martin Monday. Roy White, Sparky Lyle, Lou Piniella, Gary Thomasson and Coach Yogi Berra did not wish to discuss Martin’s demise. Reggie Jackson, the longest of thorns in Martin’s side, delivered an unso licited “no comment” when ap proached simultaneously by three writers. “I don’t have one. I don’t have one, I don’t have one,” Jackson told the reporters. “Thank you and have a good day. I’ve an swered your question already.” New York bullpen ace Rich Gossage questioned the timing of the alleged voluntary resigna tion. “It can’t help us,” said Gos sage. “It’s somewhat of a surprise but then it doesn’t surprise me. It comes at a bad time because we just started getting back in our winning way.” “He (Martin) was always over fair with me,” added center fiel der Mickey Rivers. The Kansas City Royals, who fell in the American League Championship Series to the Martin-led Yankees each of the last two years, were kind to their greatest tormenter. “It’s too bad,” said shortstop Fred Patek, “I know the players were impressed with his J agerial structure. I wonlj want that job — there’s toot garbage going on over there glad to see (new Manager! Lemon get the job but 11 see him have to go throui the garbage.” “You can’t make it in this ness on bad health,” former kee now Royal pitcher Gura said of Martin. Tml he’ll catch on with anothejJ club somewhere. I’m surej haven’t heard the last ofh “I’ll miss him,” saidcei fielder Arnos Otis. “I thought he was a I manager. 1 didn’t like him person and he didn’t liken but he was one hell of a i i i f ager. Rose ties streak recon United Press International NEW YORK — Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Rieds slammed a seventh-inning single into the rec ord books Monday night — tying Tommy Holmes’ modern National League record of hitting safely in 37 straight games. Rose’s key hit was a single on a 1-1 pitch off Mets righthander Pat Zachry to left with one out. He will have a chance to break the record when he goes up against the Mets’ righthander, Craig Swan, tonight. The record-tying hit drew a Bethea back United Press International THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The No. 1 draft choice of the world champion Dallas Cowboys returned to training drills Monday, appar ently recovered from an ankle injury that had kept him out for several days. Larry Bethea, a defensive line man from Michigan State, worked out in pads with the offensive and defensive lines. Cowboy officials said starting right guard Tom Rafferty suffered calf injury while working out in those drills and was forced to leave the afternoon session. OPEN MONDAY-FRIDAY 9:30-9:30 SATORDAY 9:00-9:30 Prices Good Monday July 24-Saturday July 29 . WEEK-LONG SPECIALS 3-SPEED FAN 18 88 Sale Price 20 inch, 5 blade breeze box fan. Beat the heat! SAVE $ 103 3-PIECE LIVING ROOM GROUP Our Reg. $300 197 Beautiful Herculon® olefin up holstery cleans easily. Includes: sofa, chair, loveseat. In gold or ( brown. Hurry-only 1 2 to sell. ‘GREASE® ’ALBUM >97 Our Reg. 11.97 © Sound track from the smash movie'Grease'. 48-QT. ICE CHEST 3°° Our Reg. 4.97 Plastic foam chest with end handles. Lid locks. PICNIC JUG >68 Our Reg. 3.97 A 1 gal. Thermos® insulated picnic jug. Save at Kmart. PICNIC TABLE 2788 Our Reg. 39.96 6 ft. table with 2 matching benches. Redwood stained. IS 88 •til 1 NOVELTY T-SHIRTS 3OO Our Reg. 3.88 32-OZ. 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The other streaks in the modern era were 40 consecutive games by Ty Cobb of the Detroit Tigers in 1911 and by George Sisler of the St. Louis Browns in 1922. Rose flied out harmlessly to cen ter field in the first inninjj night’s game, grounded j routine forceout in the t Jolted another ily hall toeaW the fifth. I He then ambled to theM what might have been B chance in the seventh. ■ 1 wanted to reach outarB every one of their hands,’’sB of the croud. “Lately I'vebB ing oil my hat so many tiJ been losing my hair.” B Rose also led oil the niiB another single before MihB belted his fifth home runB 3-3 tie oil loser Skip LoehB When it was over, after\W had dropped a 5-3 de> Cincinnati Reds, the their heads in wondenB Rose easily won over IN 1 ? 1 crowd, hut his higgestil" Holmes. 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