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Billy Martin is fired as manager of the Oakland A's

Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin Jr. (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) second baseman and manager, who, in addition to leading other teams, was five times the...

Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin Jr. (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) second baseman and manager, who, in addition to leading other teams, was five times the manager of the New York Yankees. First known as a scrappy infielder who made considerable contributions to the championship Yankee teams of the 1950s, he then built a reputation as a manager who would initially make bad teams good, before ultimately being fired amid dysfunction. In each of his stints with the Yankees he managed them to winning records before being fired by team owner George Steinbrenner or resigning under fire.

Martin was born in a working-class section of Berkeley, California. His skill as a baseball player gave him a route out of his home town.

Historical Significance

Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin Jr.

Key People

Billy Martin

Athlete

American baseball player and manager

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Events Before

  1. Greece becomes the 10th country to join the European Economic Community

    Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia...

  2. Police drama "Hill Street Blues" premieres on NBC

    "Hill Street Station" is the first episode of the first season of the American serial police drama Hill Street Blues.

  3. Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States

    The first inauguration of Ronald Reagan as the 40th president of the United States was held on Tuesday, January 20, 1981, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

  4. Twenty-year-old Edmonton center Wayne Gretzky becomes the first player in NHL history to score five career hat tricks be

    Twenty-year-old Edmonton center Wayne Gretzky becomes the first player in NHL history to score five career hat tricks before age 21, scoring five goals and two assists in a 9-2 Oilers home win against St. Louis

  5. George Harrison is ordered to pay ABKCO Music $587,000 for "subconscious plagiarism" of his song "My Sweet Lord" from Ro

    George Harrison is ordered to pay ABKCO Music $587,000 for "subconscious plagiarism" of his song "My Sweet Lord" from Ronnie Mack's song "He's So Fine"

Events After

  1. 'New Age' music radio program "Hearts of Space," hosted by Stephen Hill, makes its national syndication debut on U.S. Na

    'New Age' music radio program "Hearts of Space," hosted by Stephen Hill, makes its national syndication debut on U.S. National Public Radio

  2. IOC restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals for his pentathlon and decathlon victories, 70 years after they were stripped f

    IOC restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals for his pentathlon and decathlon victories, 70 years after they were stripped from him for accepting $25 to play semi-pro baseball

  3. Film genius Jerry Lewis (56) marries 2nd wife dancer SanDee Pitnick

    Film genius Jerry Lewis (56) marries 2nd wife dancer SanDee Pitnick

  4. Final TV episode of "M*A*S*H" airs on CBS, a two-hour special directed by series star Alan Alda titled "Goodbye, Farewel

    Final TV episode of "M*A*S*H" airs on CBS, a two-hour special directed by series star Alan Alda titled "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"; a record 125 million viewers watch in the US

  5. Actor Harrison Ford marries screenwriter Melissa Mathison (divorced 2004)

    Francis Ford Coppola ( KOH-pə-lə; born April 7, 1939) is an American filmmaker. One of the leading figures of the New Hollywood, Coppola is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential...

More from the 1980s

Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall falls as East Germany opens its borders, symbolizing the end of the Cold War and the beginning of German reunification.

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Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

The Space Shuttle Challenger breaks apart 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members in one of the most devastating disasters in space exploration history.

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The "Epic in Miami," played in 85°F heat, sees the San Diego Chargers defeat the Miami Dolphins 41-38 in overtime in the

The "Epic in Miami," played in 85°F heat, sees the San Diego Chargers defeat the Miami Dolphins 41-38 in overtime in the AFC Divisional Playoff, setting numerous playoff scoring records

death

Bill Veeck dies

Bill Veeck baseball executive, known for american baseball executive, died on 1986-01-02. William Louis Veeck Jr.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on October 20, 1982?
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin Jr. (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) second baseman and manager, who, in addition to leading other teams, was five times the manager of the New York Yankees. First known as a scrappy infielder who made considerable contributions to the championship Yankee teams of the 1950s, he then built a reputation as a manager who would initially make bad teams good, before ultimately being fired amid dysfunction.
Why is Billy Martin is fired as manager of the Oakland A's significant?
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin Jr.
Who was involved in Billy Martin is fired as manager of the Oakland A's?
Key figures include Billy Martin (Athlete).

Explore More

October 20 in HistoryYear 1982