George Steinbrenner faced one of his toughest times in the summer of 1978. His team, the defending champions, was lagging two weeks behind the Red Sox, and his star player, Reggie Jackson, was at odds with the immensely popular manager, Billy Martin.
Just when Steinbrenner thought things couldn’t worsen, he received a call on July 23rd from Henry Hecht, the Yankees beat writer for the Post.
“George,” Hecht started. “You won’t believe what Billy just said.”
This was the height of a chaotic situation involving Reggie, Billy, and Steinbrenner. A week prior, during an overtime game against Kansas City, Martin had asked Reggie to lay down a bunt. Reggie failed, and Billy, visibly upset, exploded with anger.
After suspending Jackson for a week— a decision Steinbrenner backed— Jackson returned to the team after a series in Chicago. When asked what he had been pondering during his time off, Reggie casually stated, “My greatness.”
Later at O’Hare Airport, while discussing the situation, Martin confronted reporters, asserting that his relationship with Jackson was beyond salvage. He growled, “Shut up, Reggie Jackson. We can win without you,” which prompted a writer to question the wisdom of writing that down. With a drink in hand, Martin urged, “Let’s print it!”
As the Yankees prepared to board, Martin spoke to reporters Chass and Hecht, asking if they had published his previous remarks. Satisfied with their confirmation, he appeared somewhat in control despite his earlier drinking.
Then, with sharp insults, he said, “These two deserve each other,” about Jackson and Steinbrenner, adding, “One is a born liar, the other is a convicted liar.”
Hecht was the first to inform Steinbrenner, who was visibly enraged. Steinbrenner, still touched by his past suspension due to illegal contributions, found Martin’s comments unbearable.
“I can’t believe he said that,” Steinbrenner exclaimed, demanding to know if Martin was under the influence. Hecht confirmed Martin’s sobriety during their encounter, leaving Steinbrenner with no choice but to have his GM approach Billy for his resignation.
Upon witnessing Martin tearfully announce his resignation to reporters, Steinbrenner’s fury intensified. To make matters worse, a Post poll asking readers who should leave— Billy or George— resulted in overwhelming support for Steinbrenner’s exit, which the sports editor later sought to recount, only to find it slightly better than 99% against him.
Just days later, Billy was welcomed back with open arms during Old Timers Day announcement for the upcoming season, leaving Jackson in dismay. When asked about his feelings on the situation, Steinbrenner initially resisted a meeting with Martin but ultimately relented, allowing for some discussion at a Bronx restaurant under careful conditions.
After a round of drinks, Martin vented about his feelings towards Steinbrenner, albeit a little tipsily. Morabito, present at the gathering, sensed he needed to prepare for the fallout which could come from a sharp comment.
Returning to the office only heightened the tension. Steinbrenner, receiving a report from Morabito, bluntly warned, “If Reggie’s in the paper tomorrow, you’re fired.”
Meanwhile, in a twist of events, the newspaper guild called for a strike, preventing any negative articles from running and unexpectedly saving Morabito from repercussions.
Three years later, after a disappointing postseason loss to Milwaukee, Steinbrenner’s mood was again down. He blamed players like catcher Rick Cerrone for poor performance, raising the tension in the locker room.
After a fiery speech aimed at the team, a frustrated Cerrone snapped back, voicing his disdain for Steinbrenner’s lack of playing experience.
Silence enveloped the room, and players were surprised by Cerrone’s boldness. To their shock, Steinbrenner responded with a remark about not being in the game next season.
In a surprising turn of events, the next game, Cerrone hit a home run, securing a victory, leading to Steinbrenner being the first to congratulate him.
Reflecting years later on the experiences with the fiery owner, Cerrone noted that fear could sometimes drive players to outperform. As time passed, even after Steinbrenner faced difficulties, Cerrone acknowledged the positive impact Steinbrenner had on his career.
(Tomorrow: Mr. October’s Romance and Courtship)
