Billy Ball: Billy Martin and the Resurrection of the Oakland A's

In the early 1970s, the Oakland Athletics became only the second team in major-league baseball history to win three consecutive World Series championships. However, by the decade's end, the team was in free fall, having lost 108 games in 1979 and drawing just 307,000 fans. Enter Billy Martin, a hometown boy from West Berkeley, who was hired as manager in 1980. Martin's aggressive style of play, known as "Billy Ball," captivated fans and the media, and the As returned to playoff baseball. However, his clash with the new As management and the siren song of the Yankees led to his departure in 1983. Despite this, the magical turnaround of the As has never been forgotten in Oakland, and Martin and Billy Ball remain iconic figures in baseball history.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 01 May 2023
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

The Oakland Athletics achieved a remarkable feat in the early 1970s, becoming only the second team in major-league baseball history to win three consecutive World Series championships. However, as the decade drew to a close, the A's faced a significant decline, losing 108 games in 1979 and drawing just 307,000 fans. The team's fortunes had been affected by free agency, and their colorful owner, Charlie Finley, was seeking a buyer.

Enter Billy Martin, a hometown boy from West Berkeley, who was brought in to revive the team's fortunes. Sportswriter Dale Tafoya's book, Billy Ball, provides a captivating account of Martin's homecoming to the Bay area in 1980, his immediate embrace by Oakland fans, and the As' return to playoff baseball. Tafoya describes Martin's reputation as a brawling, hard-drinking baseball savant with a knack for turning bad teams around, which he fully lived up to in Oakland. His aggressive style of play became known as "Billy Ball," and fans and the media loved it.

However, all good things must come to an end, and Tafoya chronicles Martin's clash with the new As management and the siren song of the Yankees that lured the manager back to New York in 1983. Despite this, the magical turnaround of the A's has never been forgotten in Oakland, and neither has Billy Martin and Billy Ball.

Billy Ball not only filled the stands, rejuvenated fans, and saved professional baseball in Oakland, but it also had a lasting impact on the city and the sport. It showcased the power of teamwork, determination, and a passionate fan base, and it remains a beloved memory for many years to come.

Weight: 380g
Dimension: 143 x 224 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781493071197