A Look Back At The Classic George Steinbrenner Vs. Billy Martin Feud

Good morning, Rat Rock Nation!  Davey Mac here with a fresh Sports Report for ya on a Thursday!  NBA resumes action!  Big hockey matchup tonight!  Baseball hot stove!   And a "football news story" that you will probably hate!  But first... ...Major League Baseball Spring Training is officially here, ladies and gentlemen!  Warm weather, hot dogs, beer, good times...baseball is back!  Let's go, baby!  Anyway, I posted a story yesterday about how Aaron Judge said the Yankees 2023 season was embarrassing.  This led to some fun talk about George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin in the comment section. https://www.facebook.com/959therat/posts/786208933538930?ref=embed_post   Anyway, that got my retro vibes pumped up as the Billy Martin Vs. George Steinbrenner feud is one of the classic and most epic rivalries in all of sports...and they were on the same team!  It started in 1976 when Steinbrenner hired Billy as manager of the Yanks.  Billy immediately won an American League Pennant that season and then a World Series in 1977.  Things were great, right?  Well, just one year later...it all unraveled.  Billy had major issues with both Steinbrenner and superstar Reggie Jackson...and after Billy felt Reggie wasn't hustling one day against the Red Sox, Billy lost his cool. https://youtu.be/cw8ySODBnhU?t=54   This culminated a month later when Billy gave a now-legendary, impromptu press conference.  Billy told reporters how he felt...and stated about Reggie and Steinbrenner that "one's a born liar, and the other's convicted."  Ouch!  He then stated he was going to resign. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLoZMwP1a28   Billy then resigned the next day after the controversy got too big to handle in another memorable and off-the-cuff press conference.  In tears, Billy stated it was time for him to move on from the Yanks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4qDEEcL3Ss   But then...insanity happened!  Just a month later...as if it were the WWE...Yankees P.A. announcer Bob Sheppard shockingly announced to the Yankee Stadium crowd that Billy would be returning as skipper in 1979!  BOOM! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQf2BYjnkRw   Steinbrenner and Billy then had a press conference to make it official.  And we were off to the races.  No one had ever seen this kind of craziness happen in baseball. https://youtu.be/d4pzRsx6M2I?si=Fy14U_ORRSElLuOp   Billy would ultimately get hired and fired FIVE TIMES as manager of the Yankees by Steinbrenner.  It was almost surreal.  Even the two enemies began making fun of it at press conferences. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcMQH_vDovs   And then the commercials came in!  Check out this classic Miller Lite ad with Billy and Steinbrenner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOVHc4hcCX4   And here's a rare Pepto Bismol commercial with the two icons.  Quite frankly, with how many times he was hired and fired by George, I'm sure Billy needed a LOT of Miller Lite and Pepto Bismol to get through the day! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRiR8jMw95c   The two legends even appeared on David Letterman to continue their feud... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgzZcfGro8g   ...and Letterman even got Steinbrenner to PRANK CALL Billy on one episode! https://youtu.be/qi7qAUokKFA?t=470   And of course, Steinbrenner (as portrayed by Larry David) went on a rant about managers and Billy Martin in a classic Seinfeld episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV-GJ9iNX8g   Ahhh...they don't make baseball managers like they used to.  What fun times those were.  I'm Davey Mac...now on to the Scoreboard! [caption id="attachment_973973" align="aligncenter" width="594"] Billy Martin of the New York Yankees looks on during a game.[/caption]