Billy Martin used to use racial labels, says Reggie Jackson – MLB News
The controversies nowadays are meant to scandals and the differences that come after the player has taken rest from the game, either by retirement or by force. As soon as one player, especially in American sports, leave the game some undisclosed truths and
rumours start coming out from both opponent and allies.
New York Yankees’ former right-fielder Reggie Jackson has disclosed some hidden chapters of the management technique of Billy Martin, who managed the club in two different tenures. Martin, who led the club in 1975 to 1979 and then in 1983, 1985 and 1988,
had been in a habit of using the bigoted and anti-Semitic nicknames for the players, disclosed Reggie.
During an interview with Bob Costas of MLB network, Reggie said, "I never had an understanding of Billy Martin. I did not accept the way he managed me. I did not accept the way he managed Ken Holtzman. I thought there was anti-Semitism there.”
Reggie stated that he, just like others in the World, had not forgotten any indifference behaviour and someone should try to be little better.
"I couldn't accept that. I could not accept the racial epithets in reference to players like Elliott Maddox or Billy Sample. There are players that played for him that would tell you that. So there was uneasiness, knowledge about the person that I was very
uncomfortable with,” Reggie added.
Reggie commented that Martin never took me as his front choice and tried to show it to George Steinbrenner and that it was hard for him to respect Martin as a person.
Replying to a question, Jackson stated that Martin sometimes used such language but not all the time. Jackson was criticised for bringing up Martin with his harsh words for him. However, Jackson commented that he was just remembering his association with
Marin when he played for him. Reggie Jackson is ranked amongst some of the greatest baseball players to have ever played the game with his tremendous skill and talent.
Jackson was the part of the Yankees team in 1977 World Series, in which he launched a three-run game-winning series-grabbing homer in the Game 6.
Tags: