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legendsport · 10-30-2009, 01:43 PM

from the Washington Post

IN STENGEL'S MOLD by Bob Addie

ORLANDO, FL. - The first thing Billy Martin did when he was named manager of the Minnesota Twins was to set his boss straight. His boss is Calvin Griffith, president of the Twins.

"I told him," said Martin today, "that the clubhouse was not a country club and that I was barring all unnecessary people including Calvin's friends. I don't want kids or hangers-on coming into the clubhouse. It's my indoor place of business when I come in from the field. I don't want tourists coming through my clubhouse."

Everyone except the players and coaches needs a clubhouse pass down here. Martin doesn't upstage the press. He's candid and he's enthusiastic, and it appears he will pattern himself after Casey Stengel. Martin played under Stengel for seven years when the old man managed the Yankees.

"After every game," Martin said, "I'm going to take a walk through the clubhouse. That way I can spot the players who leave early and those who stay around to talk baseball. I don't mean everybody has to stay after school, but I want to see that winning attitude and you don't get it by sitting around the clubhouse talking about broads and television shows and golf. You win in baseball by talking, thinking and living baseball."
It sounds like Vince Lombardi, doesn't it?

Martin said he heard that Robert E. Short, new owner of the Senators, desperately wanted him as a manager. "For one thing," said Martin, "I was already signed with the Twins. I was offered other managerial jobs before Calvin Griffith asked me to take over the Twins, but I figured Calvin had stuck with me for eight years and if I was going to manage in the big leagues it would be for him first."

Martin, when he was a coach, was accused of waiting impatiently in the wings to take Sam Mele's place as the Minnesota manager. But when Mele was fired during the 1967 season, Cal Ermer was hired.

"I have all the respect in the world for Ermer," Martin said, "but I discovered that when he took over my duties were getting less and less. So when Calvin asked me to manage Denver last May, I jumped at the chance."

It was apparent that when the Twins slumped after Martin was sent to Denver on May 28, Griffith made up his mind to dispose of Ermer.

What kind of manager will firebrand Martin make? He was known as one of the few baseball players in history who could fight. He didn't just throw dirty looks at ten paces. He successfully demolished a series of opponents including Jimmy Piersall, Clint Courtney and Jim Brewer.

The case of Brewer came back to haunt him. Martin was with Cincinnati in 1960 on an August afternoon when the Reds were playing the Chicago Cubs. He got into an argument with pitcher Brewer, walked to the mound and threw one punch. Brewer was out for the rest of the year with a broken cheekbone.

Brewer sued. The case dragged through the courts until a few weeks ago, when the pitcher was awarded $10,000 in damages. Meanwhile, it has cost Martin, who is appealing, almost that much in legal fees.

Then there was the incident when the Twins were flying into Washington and Martin, then a coach, punched Howard Fox, the club's traveling secretary, after a dispute.

"That's all behind me," Martin said today. "I'm truly sorry for the way I've acted on occasion."

Martin has joined the "What-Kind-of-a-Manager-Will-Ted-Williams-Make-Club."

"I analyze all the managers I must play against," Martin said. "I am a great believer in the theory that a man manages the way he played. So that means I'll be daring and go for the gamble. Jim Lemon (deposed manager of the Senators) was a conservative player. That's the way he managed. Gil Hodges is a resourceful manager because that's the way he played ball. Ted Williams was conservative, wasn't he? Make your own analysis. All I hope is that Ted gets the same percentage managing as he did hitting - .400.
"Seriously, I'm delighted Ted Williams is in our league and I wish him well except when he plays us."

Martin intends to introduce the "computer system" (his words) to baseball. He said he would have every opposing pitcher and batter charted and the information fed into a computer and the results given to his players.

"I'm going to platoon the way Stengel did," Martin said, "But that doesn't mean I'm always putting in a right-handed batter because a left-hander is pitching. It means that if the opposing pitcher is a low-ball pitcher, I'll go with my guy who likes to hit the low pitch.

"One thing my guys are going to do - hustle. The country club days are over."

10-30-2009, 01:43 PM	#19 (permalink)
legendsport Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Behind The Lens Posts: 2,158 Thanks: 3 Thanked 8x in 8 posts	February 26, 1969 from the Washington Post IN STENGEL'S MOLD by Bob Addie ORLANDO, FL. - The first thing Billy Martin did when he was named manager of the Minnesota Twins was to set his boss straight. His boss is Calvin Griffith, president of the Twins. "I told him," said Martin today, "that the clubhouse was not a country club and that I was barring all unnecessary people including Calvin's friends. I don't want kids or hangers-on coming into the clubhouse. It's my indoor place of business when I come in from the field. I don't want tourists coming through my clubhouse." Everyone except the players and coaches needs a clubhouse pass down here. Martin doesn't upstage the press. He's candid and he's enthusiastic, and it appears he will pattern himself after Casey Stengel. Martin played under Stengel for seven years when the old man managed the Yankees. "After every game," Martin said, "I'm going to take a walk through the clubhouse. That way I can spot the players who leave early and those who stay around to talk baseball. I don't mean everybody has to stay after school, but I want to see that winning attitude and you don't get it by sitting around the clubhouse talking about broads and television shows and golf. You win in baseball by talking, thinking and living baseball." It sounds like Vince Lombardi, doesn't it? Martin said he heard that Robert E. Short, new owner of the Senators, desperately wanted him as a manager. "For one thing," said Martin, "I was already signed with the Twins. I was offered other managerial jobs before Calvin Griffith asked me to take over the Twins, but I figured Calvin had stuck with me for eight years and if I was going to manage in the big leagues it would be for him first." Martin, when he was a coach, was accused of waiting impatiently in the wings to take Sam Mele's place as the Minnesota manager. But when Mele was fired during the 1967 season, Cal Ermer was hired. "I have all the respect in the world for Ermer," Martin said, "but I discovered that when he took over my duties were getting less and less. So when Calvin asked me to manage Denver last May, I jumped at the chance." It was apparent that when the Twins slumped after Martin was sent to Denver on May 28, Griffith made up his mind to dispose of Ermer. What kind of manager will firebrand Martin make? He was known as one of the few baseball players in history who could fight. He didn't just throw dirty looks at ten paces. He successfully demolished a series of opponents including Jimmy Piersall, Clint Courtney and Jim Brewer. The case of Brewer came back to haunt him. Martin was with Cincinnati in 1960 on an August afternoon when the Reds were playing the Chicago Cubs. He got into an argument with pitcher Brewer, walked to the mound and threw one punch. Brewer was out for the rest of the year with a broken cheekbone. Brewer sued. The case dragged through the courts until a few weeks ago, when the pitcher was awarded $10,000 in damages. Meanwhile, it has cost Martin, who is appealing, almost that much in legal fees. Then there was the incident when the Twins were flying into Washington and Martin, then a coach, punched Howard Fox, the club's traveling secretary, after a dispute. "That's all behind me," Martin said today. "I'm truly sorry for the way I've acted on occasion." Martin has joined the "What-Kind-of-a-Manager-Will-Ted-Williams-Make-Club." "I analyze all the managers I must play against," Martin said. "I am a great believer in the theory that a man manages the way he played. So that means I'll be daring and go for the gamble. Jim Lemon (deposed manager of the Senators) was a conservative player. That's the way he managed. Gil Hodges is a resourceful manager because that's the way he played ball. Ted Williams was conservative, wasn't he? Make your own analysis. All I hope is that Ted gets the same percentage managing as he did hitting - .400. "Seriously, I'm delighted Ted Williams is in our league and I wish him well except when he plays us." Martin intends to introduce the "computer system" (his words) to baseball. He said he would have every opposing pitcher and batter charted and the information fed into a computer and the results given to his players. "I'm going to platoon the way Stengel did," Martin said, "But that doesn't mean I'm always putting in a right-handed batter because a left-hander is pitching. It means that if the opposing pitcher is a low-ball pitcher, I'll go with my guy who likes to hit the low pitch. "One thing my guys are going to do - hustle. The country club days are over." __________________ The Baseball Chronicle - Swinging thru History! The Football Chronicle - Hitting Hard Historically (PFS - 1962) Alternate Universe Football (FOF - 1994)