The Ballad of Billy and George: The Tempestuous Baseball Marriage of Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner

They were compared to Mutt and Jeff, Hatfield and McCoy, even Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton: two stubborn and driven men whose on-again off-again partnership entertained the nation for two decades. When Yankees owner George Steinbrenner first hired former player Billy Martin to manage his famous American League franchise, they won the pennant and the World Series. But Martin was a scrappy, defiant son to Steinbrenner’s role as fickle father. Feuds erupted and separations ensued when each accused the other of disrespect, and the dysfunctional house that Ruth built was frequently rocked by public arguments and name calling. Five times Steinbrenner hired Martin, and five times he fired him.
This is a wonderful, blow-by-blow history of their combustible chemistry, drawn from interviews with Billy Martin Jr., Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Ron Guidry, Sparky Lyle, Goose Gossage, Bucky Dent, Clete Boyer, Graig Nettles, Lou Piniella, Clyde King, and Gene Michael. Black and white photos enhance the drama, presented by a veteran sportswriter who covered the Yankees every day and whose previous books have been national bestsellers.