40 Years Ago Today

It was on this date in 1978 that Billy Martin's first run as Yankee manager ended. Nine days shy of his third anniversary on the one job he long coveted, the feisty former infielder stepped down hours after an emotional tirade ripping both owner George Steinbrenner and his top slugger Reggie Jackson: "The two of them deserve each other. One's a born liar and the other's convicted."
The rest is history. When Martin departed, the Yanks were fourth in the AL East, 10-1/2 games behind the pace-setting Red Sox. Over the next two months and a week, under Bob Lemon, the Yanks caught the Sox, forcing the one-game playoff (the Bucky Dent game) and eventually, their 22nd World Series chamopionship.
Martin would, of course, return for four more terms as the Yankee skipper, never again reaching the playoffs. His number-one is retired by the team. Ironically, on the hallway leading to the entrance of Monument Park, Billy's number is played to the left of and just below that of Jackson.