European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 26 the stars and stripes wednesday april 25,1990carrying a Lyons share of the Load White sox outfielder Steve Lyons put ing his clubs annual exhibition game nine positions during the contest at catching pitching playing the Outfield some variety into his Day monday Dur against the cubs. Lyons who played All Wrigley Field is shown from left and first base. The White sox won 6-5.tape delivers Martins parting shots by Joe Gergen new Day the last word on Billy Martin has not been spoken or written. It will be Many years before that Day is reached. Certainly As Long As George Steinbrenner owns the new York Yankees the late managers name and reputation will be preserved and promoted if not revered. What we have however is the last word from Martin at least the last word recorded for Public consumption. Fittingly he closed the final major interview of his life with a Soliloquy on winning. It was a subject on which he was Well versed. Occasionally the Pursuit appeared to consume him. He was a manager in waiting when Herb Sevush accompanied by a camera Crew visited him at his Home in upstate new York for the purpose of taping a video for Cabin fever entertainment inc. And it was winning he decided he missed most in his life in exile. A the fanfare that a Fine that a wonderful a he said. A the ovations you get As a manager that a Nice. But the winning is really All of it. If there a such a thing As a Good loser then Why do we keep score i done to Ever like to see a High school coach a Junior High school coach or a grammar school coach say losing is Good. Be a hard loser but be a smart being no. 1, finishing first was All that mattered to Martin according to Willie Randolph one of his former players interviewed. A at times a Randolph said a Billy was almost obsessed with but the video a a Billy Martin the Man. The myth. The manager a is not about obsessions about self destructive behaviour about loss of control. It is about the qualities that made Martin an outstanding manager a Winner. Like the news conference publicizing its release at Mickey mantles restaurant it was blessed with the Home Field advantage. A this Wasny to an objective third person View of Billy a Sevush said monday. The producer director who also conducted the taped interviews came to the project an unabashed Yankee fan and Martin admirer. A this was Billy on Billy. A when he died a Sevush said a what was i going to do go to Reggie Jackson and ask a Why did you think Billy was a creep a go to Butch Wynegar and ask a Why did no to you like Billy a a instead he asked the right questions of the right people and got the positive Side. A i had a third base coach who a a manager now in the National league that missed More signs than the a Billy Martin cubs Don Zimmer As a result there Are few revelations. But that does no to mean that the final product is Dull. Conversations with Martin invariably unearthed nuggets of interest even if they were derogatory to other individuals. According to Sevush Martin declined to discuss his problems with Jackson or Steinbrenner. Yet he did no to mind taking an Oral slap at both in one digression. A i had one owner who wanted me to Bat Reggie Jackson fourth All the time a he said on the tape. A i did no to want to Bat Reggie Jackson fourth because he Wasny to a Contact hitter. I did no to want a rally killer there so i moved him to fifth or to other although Martin never mentions Steinbrenner by name the owner does appear on the tape. In his interview Steinbrenner said that dismissing the Man for the fifth time was a one of the biggest mistakes he Ever made. On previous occasions Steinbrenner had said much the same thing about allowing Jackson to leave the Yankees As a free agent. Martin also declined to name others for whom he had Little regard among them Don Zimmer. A i had a third base coach who a a manager now in the National league that missed More signs than the players a he noted. Sevush confirmed the Many a identity. One Man he did no to mind ridiculing by name was Ted Williams the great Boston red sox Star and former adversary. Conceding that Teddy ballgame was one of the greatest hitters in history Martin denied that he was a great player. A the was a mediocre left fielder he was a Lousy baserunner he never knocked a Guy Down at second base a the late manager said. A the had the same uniform for two years. He never had to Wash none of those observations surprised Yankee Don Mattingly who attended the screening monday. A Billy was outrageous in a lot of ways a the first baseman said. A the was controversial he spoke his yet Mattingly said that when he stepped to the plate for his first at Bat on opening Day at Yankee stadium this year he looked up at the big screen in Center Field and was moved by the closeup of the no. 1 on the shoulder of his uniform. A i said then a he recalled a a a this season is for you a Martin was Mattingly a manager in his Rookie season 1983. The Man took full credit on the video for benching Steve Kemp making room for the kid and a taking heat from the press and the As Mattingly recalled h took a collision involving Kemp Jerry Mumphrey and Willie Randolph to open a position in time for the Home opener. A i started by default a Mattingly said. A we lost about 12-4, and i had three Tough plays in the Livia. Billy told me afterwards done to worry about it Kio you la be All and i was although he did t play me for about 27 straight Days after Mattingly laughed. If he Wasny to Martins discovery there were other notable careers on which the manag had a major Impact. Players such As Randolph k. Carew Graig Nettles and Rickey Henderson gave t Mony to Sevush. Even Tony Larussa manager of the world series Champion Oakland athletics said what a Challe g was to manage against Martin. That surprised the Man. A i decided to go after the opposition a Martin Sai a a a assessing his philosophy of managing a to Max worry about what Billy Martin was going to do nex. If it seemed such unpredictability applied to behaviour off the Field As Well be advised tha subject for a different video
