Yankees History: Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson Nearly Brawl in Dugout

The New York Yankees of the 1970s were a talented, yet volatile, collection of players. That was plainly evident on this day in 1977, when manager Billy Martin and outfielder Reggie Jackson nearly came to blows in the dugout of a nationally televised game.

During the 1970s, New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was obsessed with trying to build the team back to their previous glory days. He exploited free agency to sign the best players available, inking stars like Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter to come to the Bronx. While those moves made the Yankees contenders once again, it also transformed the team into a volatile collection of personalities that would come to be called the Bronx Zoo.

Those personality conflicts came to a head on this day in 1977. During the sixth inning of a nationally televised game against the Boston Red Sox, Jim Rice had a base hit to right. Reggie Jackson appeared to take his time getting to the ball, allowing Rice to get to second with a double. This angered the always temperamental Billy Martin, who was in the dugout for his first stint as the Yankees manager, who decided to teach Jackson a lesson.

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As such, Martin sent fourth outfielder Paul Blair into the game to replace Jackson immediately after the play. Jackson felt that Martin was showing him up by yanking him in the middle of the inning, and furiously confronted the manager in the dugout, spewing profanities in his direction.

That was all the provocation that Martin needed. He was not exactly enamored with the Yankees newest star anyway, given Jackson’s ego and personality. With the television cameras trained on the dugout, and the nation watching, the two combatants nearly came to blows. Only the efforts of coach Elston Howard and other players kept the two from brawling in the dugout.

In the end, things worked out for the Yankees that year. They ended up winning 100 games, and ended their 15 year World Series drought, taking the championship in six games. Jackson earned the nickname “Mr. October” with his efforts, hitting home runs in four cosecutive swings of the bat, including three in the decisive sixth game. The Yankees may have been the Bronx Zoo, but they were World Champions.

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Even with their success that year, the heated exchange between Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson became the signature moment of the 1977 New York Yankees. In a way, that moment encapsulated that entire era in Yankees history.