Customer Reviews

The LAST YANKEE: THE TURBULENT LIFE OF BILLY MARTIN

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It's a shame this book is out-of-print. It took Amazon.com a few weeks to find it and ship it to me, but it was well worth the wait. Billy Martin is the type of subject who causes a potential biographer to salivate. He was one of the most remarkable characters the game has ever produced and it's amazing that there aren't more books about his turbulent life. Given his limited talents as a ballplayer, Martin overachieved on the diamond and made a name for himself in the 50s as the scrappy second baseman of Casey Stengel's New York Yankees. In the sixties, he managed in the minor leagues before making it back to the majors. In his very first year as a big league skipper, he lead the Minnesota Twins to the American League West title and was fired despite the strong showing. Almost everywhere he went he won at least one division championship, usually with the type of ballplayers who would have sent most managers to an early retirement. As a stategist, Martin was the most brilliant manager of his time, considered the greatest captain ever by no less an expert than the Elias Sports Bureau. Unfortunately, Martin's attachment to booze and his violent temper marked him everywhere he went. He was too prone to outbursts and alcoholic rage to suit the tastes of his employers, most of whom eventually grew tired of his constant shenanigans both on and off the field. Despite his amazing abilities as a manager, he was fired from every major league job he ever received. Most noteworthy among his stops was the New York Yankees. He could never get along with owner George Steinbrenner, who hired and fired Martin a ridiculous five times. Martin was too obsessed with being a Yankee to ever let rational thought keep him from taking over the reins of the team. His much-publicized bar fights were the stuff of legend and he never admitted to starting a brawl; it was always someone else's fault. He died tragically in a drunk driving accident in which he may or may not have been at the wheel (depending on whose story you believe). One of the reasons this book is such a fascinating read is that Falkner doesn't outdo himself in telling the story. He doesn't try -- as many authors surely would have -- to add his own personal touch to Martin's legend, but instead allows his readers to form their own opinion on the subject. Only in the epilogue does the author give his own opinions on Martin's career as a baseball genius. All of the controversies -- from the on-going feuds he had with Reggie Jackson, to ordering pitchers to plunk batters, to punching travelling marshmallow salesmen, etc. -- are reported in sufficient detail. It's a shame people don't have better access to such a fine book.

I also am sorry this book is out of print, because it was an excellent read. Let me say at once, I don't consider it as complete as Peter Golenbock's "Wild, High and Tight", but then I am very biased and consider Golenbock the best sport's writer alive. In any event, I was very surprised at how well this book was put together, an outstanding awareness by Mr. Falkner of Billy's psychodynamics and his acute alcoholism. There is no judgement from the author, just the facts and some very profound insights. If you are a Billy Martin fan, as I have been since boyhood, this is a must have for your library. Billy could have been the greatest manager ever, and maybe he was, even with his flaws, and perhaps those very flaws are what drove him. Buy the book while you still can.

I just read this book this summer. I had been a huge Billy Martin fan and, with the ESPN show "The Bronx Is Burning," my interest was renewed. I went to the library and discovered this book. I own most of the ones written in the late 70s and early 80s, including Billy's own book, "Number One," but I found this one to be the best. Falkner begins the book with information on Billy's family as it existed when he was born and takes it to some of the turmoil that followed his death. Wonderfully comprehensive and, in my opinion, non-judgmental. Falkner uses quotes from Billy and his book to tell the story along side interviews with those who knew him best during the time period the author is writing about to present a well-balanced account of this man's life. Superb!

This book, all be it very informative, is very slow. Most of the information comes from people who "knew" Billy and not from the man himself. Several parts are very conflicting in their stories and the author is not exactly sure who to believe. If toy want to know abput the factual life of Billy in baseball this is for you. If want to here stories about Billy as a Yankee and a hot tempered manager try something else.