Title/Author:
“Billy Ball: Billy
Martin and the Resurrection of the Oakland A's" by Dale Tafoya
Tags:
Baseball,
professional, history, Athletics
Publish date:
March 1, 2020
Length:
264 pages
Rating: to
4 ½ of 5 stars (excellent)
Review:
Billy Martin's managing
career in major league baseball is remembered primarily for three reasons – his
success with the New York Yankees, the numerous times he was fired and rehired
by Yankee owner George Steinbrenner and whenever he wasn't managing the
Yankees, the team he WAS leading would usually make a substantial leap in the
standings and performance. One of those
teams was the Oakland Athletics (or A's for short) and for three years,
1980-82, Martin's team was one of the most improved and exciting teams in
baseball. Those years are captured in
this excellent book by Dale Tafoya.
The book starts out
with a description of the depths to which the A's had fallen. In the mid 1970's, the team won three consecutive
World Series championships. But by 1979,
with the loss of free agents and owner Charlie Finley unable to afford to pay
the higher salaries of the new baseball landscape, the A's sank to the worst
record (54-108) and attendance (306,763) in baseball. That latter figure is one that a reader won't
forget as it is mentioned several times throughout the book, the only quibble
this reviewer has with the book as it felt like this point was made too often.
However, after this
season when Finley and Martin shocked the world when it was announced Martin
would become the A's manager for the 1980 season, the book takes off nicely in
describing the rise of the A's under Martin, both in wins and attendance. What makes this part especially good is the
writing about the starting pitchers for that 1980 season, when the A's pitchers
were throwing many complete games. The
criticism that Martin heard long after that season, that so many complete games
took their toll on those pitchers and ended their careers prematurely, is also
addressed by talking to each of those pitchers and writers covering the
team. It presents a fair picture of that
issue, allowing the reader to make his or her own conclusion.
The 1981 season is the
one in which the A's reached their highest peak under Martin, reaching the
American League championship series where they were swept by the New York
Yankees. Despite this and the fact that the
season was shortened by a mid-season player's strike, it is considered to be
one of the most exciting in the franchise's history in Oakland. The writing about that season is very good as
well. The next year, 1982, was only
successful at the turnstiles as while attendance was setting records, the team
slumped badly. Many players had off
years (with the notable exception of Rickey Henderson and his setting a new
record for stolen bases). However, the book's documentation of that season is
mostly on Martin, who was not only getting more upset with his team's performance,
but was also considering a return to the Yankees. In the end, that eventually happened.
The book is an
excellent source of information for not only Martin, but for the background and
insight into the A's for that short time frame and it is a good reflection of
the time Martin spent managing the team – very good reading from the start, gets
better and even though the ending may not be what one wants, the overall takeaway
is a very positive one.
Book Format Read:
E-book (Kindle)
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