European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 27, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday. December 27.1989 the stars and stripes Page 21 sports yanks Martin Dies in crash b William Kates port Crane . A Billy Martin the hard drinking hard nosed former Yankee manager whose on and Oft Fidd brawls overshadowed his accomplishments on the baseball Diamond died in an alcohol related traffic Accident hewas6l. Martin was a passenger in a pickup truck that skidded off an icy Road in front of his farm Christmas Day. The Driver longtime Friend Wil Liam Reedy. 53, of Detroit was charged with driving while intoxicated Broom county sheriff an Thony Rufito said. It s like losing part of my own family said new York Yankees principal owner George Stein bran nor. Who hired and fired Martin five times As manager. He was one of a  if somebody rubbed wrong against him. Hell punch a in the nose no sooner than look at him said Yogi Berra. A former teammate and a Friend for 40 years. But he was a great Man. A see Martin on Page 26 you re fired George Steinbrenner joked during this january 1983 news conference when he hired Martin to manage the Yankees for the third of five limes. Billy nil settles its last minute business vikes Bounce bengals to claim pfc Central Minneapolis a the Minne Sota Vikings won the pfc Central title monday night beating Cincinnati 29-21 As Rich karts kicked five Field goals and Chris Dolman led a league leading de sense that produced six turnovers and barely held off a Laic charge by the Beng als. The win in what amounted to a regu Lar season playoff game Between preseason super bowl favourites eliminated the bengals the defending acc champions from the playoffs and put Pittsburgh in As the second acc wild card. The result also knocked out Green Bay which tied Minnesota at 10-6 but was 5-3 in he division compared to 6-2 for Minnesota. The Vikings who finished 8-p at Home now go on the Road to play either san Francisco or the new York giants in two weeks while the St Celers. In the playoffs for the first time in five years arc at Houston next sunday in the of child card game. Karlis had first half Field goals of 31. 37, 22, 42 and 24 Yards and Wade Wil son threw for 264 Yards in the first two periods alone but just 39 in the second half As Minnesota scored on its first five possessions look a 22-7 halftime Lead then let the defense take Over. It was almost a fatal error. Boomer Esiason sacked six times threw a 65-Yard to pass to Rodney hoi Man on the third play of the second half then combined with Craig Taylor on an 18-Yardcr with 8 49 left in the game that Cut it to 22-21. He finished 31 of 54 for 367 Yards. But the Vikings came Back with a 67 Ard drive aided by 27 Yards in penalties against Cincinnati to put the game away on Wilson s i Yard to pass to backup tight end Brent Novoselsky with 4 17left. Novoselsky who had three re cup see vikes on Page 23 rams pages oers na/7 Down wild cards by United press International the fuzzy nil playoff picture came into focus when Pivotal games on the final sunday of the season and Minnesota s Victory monday decided the postseason Fate for a handful of teams. The Indianapolis Colts were in a Posi Tion to decide their own destiny a Victory Over the new Orleans saints would have clinched an acc wild card berth for the Colls. But when Indianapolis suffered a 41-6 pounding in the super Doc they were eliminated and the door was opened for six other acc teams looking for a wild card spot. The result gave Houston an automatic berth but the second wild card spot was t decided until Minnesota s Victory at Cincinnati monday put nil Roundup the Pittsburgh St Celers in the playoffs. The los Angeles raiders needed to beat the new York giants to take advantage of the Indianapolis loss but were eliminated when they lost 34-17. The giants clinched the pfc East with the Triumph. Miami also could t take advantage of the Opportunity and was eliminated by a loss to Kansas City. The chiefs needed Pittsburgh to lose As Well and therefore were eliminated by the sleepers Victory Over Tampa Bay. The St Celers needed the raiders an bengals to lose to claim the last acc wild card berth. Thai s what happened As Pittsburgh completed a remarkable see nil on Page 23 a pack of bengals descends on Minnesota s Herschel Walker and Kirk if i milk 63