This day in NY sports history

THIS DAY IN NY SPORTS HISTORY

Saturday, July 29, 1978

Martin makes surprise visit

The crowd of 46,711 at Yankee Stadium was pleasantly surprised as Bob Sheppard announced recently resigned skipper Billy Martin, who returned to the stadium to partake in the Old Timers' Day festivities. Martin had resigned just five days earlier after a dispute with George Steinbrenner and Reggie Jackson. The mercurial manager soon reconciled with Steinbrenner and was introduced as the team's next manager for the 1980 season; the plan being for current skipper Bob Lemon take a front office role. After a slow start in '79, Lemon was fired and Martin rehired to manage the last 95 games. But an October altercation in a Minneapolis hotel cost Martin his job. It was Martin's second of five firings by Steinbrenner.