BILL VIRDON (Manager)
"Bill is his own man. He assumed his position with the Yankees under the worst of circumstances and made the best of it, leading the club to a strong second place finish.
'When I saw the Yankees in Florida, I didn't think they could possibly finish higher than fourth or fifth,' said Tigers' scout Jack Tighe. 'Virdon did a terrific job.' Bill was no better than the second choice to manage the team last season after Dick Williams was blocked by Charles O. Finley from taking it.
'It's an honor to be second to Dick Williams,' he said and he managed like he meant it. He drove the Yankees hard in spring training, ignored the grumbling of players who had been pampered by Ralph Houk and, on his own counsel, made the switch which reverberated around New York - moving Bobby Murcer to right field and placing Elliott Maddox in center. Murcer howled but the Yankees won.
Born in Hazel Park, Michigan, Bill was an outstanding major league center fielder and played on the Pirate team which upset the Yankees in the 1960 World Series. He won one division title as Pirate manager and was fired the next year with the team just two games out of first.
He's a tight-lipped and firm man with a droll sense of humor and a reputation for complete honesty."
Joe Gergen, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1975 Edition
"No one said Bill Virdon's job would be an easy one when he took over the Yankees under unusual circumstances in 1974. The team was unsettled, the ballpark was new, the players were unfamiliar, and Bill was there because Dick Williams couldn't be.
All Bill did was run a tough spring training, move his players in and out until the right combination came along, and bring the Yankees closer to a pennant than they had been in ten years. With that, the Sporting News tabbed him Manager of the Year, as he joined former Yankees Joe McCarthy, Bucky Harris, Casey Stengel and Ralph Houk in winning the honor.
The Sporting News had honored Bill once before - he was Rookie of the Year in 1955, when he launched a fine career as a center fielder with the Cardinals, going on to stardom with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
New York Baseball Writers named Bill the winner of the 1974 'Good Guy' award - and if fans had participated in the voting, he'd have won it from them. Bill has brought the Yankees back to contention through the good old fashioned winning methods. And whatever methods he turns to in 1975, you can be sure they're for the good of the club."
-The New York Yankees Official 1975 Yearbook
"A surprise choice to manage the Yankees in 1974, Bill wound up winning the Sporting News Manager of the Year award for bringing the Yankees closer to the top than in any of the previous nine seasons. He joins Joe McCarthy, Bucky Harris, Casey Stengel and Ralph Houk as Manager of the Year winners with the Yankees.
Bill ran a well-disciplined spring training camp, and continued experimentation with his lineup throughout the season, bringing the Yankees on fast at the end. His move of Elliott Maddox to center and Bobby Murcer to right was his most publicized move.
Named Yankee manager on January 3, 1974 after attempts to hire Dick Williams were thwarted, Bill had already agreed to manager Denver (PCL) for the 1974 season, and received permission to take the Yankee offer. He signed a new two-year pact after the '74 World Series.
The Sporting News had honored Bill once before - as National League Rookie of the Year while with St. Louis in 1955; he hit .281 with 17 homers that year. He was traded to the Pirates in 1956 and established a reputation as an outstanding center fielder. He was a member of the 1960 World Champions and hit the famous ground ball in the 7th game which struck Tony Kubek in the throat.
Bill was originally signed by the Yankees back in 1950 by Tom Greenwade, the same scout who signed Murcer and Mantle. He was traded to the Cardinals with Mel Wright and Emil Tellinger for Enos Slaughter in 1954. 1956 was his best season - he hit .319, second only to Hank Aaron in the N.L.
Virdon managed in the Mets' organization after his playing career, helping to develop Nolan Ryan, Tug McGraw, Jerry Koosman and Ken Singleton. He rejoined the Pirates as a coach in 1968 and was right-hand man to Danny Murtaugh. Bill succeeded Danny as skipper of the Bucs in 1972 and won the Eastern Division title, losing the Championship Series to Cincinnati in the last inning. He had the Pirates in the race again in 1973, but was fired in September in hopes Murtaugh would spark the club to another pennant; the Mets won, however.
Bill has also managed in Winter Ball, leading San Juan to the 1971 championship. He was selected by the New York BBWAA as the 'Good Guy' award winner for 1974. His hobbies include hunting and fishing."
-1975 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
"Bill Virdon, now in his second season as Yankee manager, was named Manager of the Year by the Sporting News in 1974. The one-time Pittsburgh center field star, who led the Pirates to the Eastern Division title in 1972, was previously honored by the Sporting News as Rookie of the Year in 1955.
The Springfield, Missouri resident signed his first pro contract with the New York Yankees in 1950."
-1975 New York Yankees Scorecard & Official Magazine
BILLY MARTIN (Manager)
1975 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM COACH
"Billy the Kid. A tempestuous and talented manager. Don't underestimate his role in the rise of the Rangers.
'I think a manager can make a hell of a difference,' he says. His confidence borders on cockiness. He still shoots from the hip, sometimes leading to fights and suspensions. Billy was set down for three days by AL President Lee MacPhail last season for his part in a beanball skirmish with the Brewers.
'The way I was taught to play,' he says, 'was to give no ground and ask for no ground. I manage the way I played.' Born Alfred Manuel Martin in Berkeley, California, he's a child of the depression whose hunger never has been satisfied. At his best in big games, he batted .333 in five World Series with the Yankees. He's never had a losing season as a manager, either in the minors of the majors.
Billy was embroiled in several scraps while leading the Twins and the Tigers to division titles. 'My temper has been my greatest asset,' he says."
-Joe Gergen, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1975 Edition
"Billy Martin returned to the Yankees on August 2, 1975 as the club's 20th manager. It was a bold and daring move, for that's what Billy is all about ... and no man can command a game or set the tempo for a team more than Billy the Kid can.
Billy was the star second baseman for five pennant-winning Yankee teams in the 1950s and his fiery competitiveness played a major role in the success of those clubs. That's the kind of spirit he instills in his teams and the kind of excitement he brings to the Yankees.
It's a happy reunion for uniform number one and Billy Martin in New York City."
-The New York Yankees Official 1975 Yearbook
WHITEY FORD (Coach)
"You can't ask for more than a Hall of Famer as a pitching coach. And Whitey Ford, who has helped make the Yankee staff one of the best in baseball, joined the Hall of Fame last year after winning more games than any Yankee in history, and more World Series games than anyone on any team.
This is Whitey's second year as Bill Virdon's pitching coach."
-The New York Yankees Official 1975 Yearbook
"He's the winningest pitcher in Yankee history. With his long-time teammate, roommate and friend Mickey Mantle, Whitey entered the Hall of Fame last summer. His uniform #16 was officially retired by the Yanks at Old Timers' Day last August.
Among pitchers with 200 career victories, Whitey has the highest lifetime winning percentage, .690. He is the all-time Yankee shutout leader with 45, and also tops in strikeouts with 1,956. He played for eleven pennant winners and in six All-Star games. He hurled consecutive one-hitters in 1955. The Cy Young Award winner in 1961 when he was 25-4, Whitey holds World Series records for most victories (10) and most consecutive scoreless innings, 33, breaking a Babe Ruth record.
Raised in New York, Whitey played on the city's sandlots. He's considered one of the real 'money' pitchers in baseball history, and one of the most popular athletes in New York.
Circulation problems in his left arm brought his great career to a halt in 1967. Whitey served annually as a spring training instructor after that, and as first base coach in 1968. He became pitching coach last year, a position he held as a player-coach under Yogi Berra in 1964. He has also done Yankee broadcasting on TV as well as many commercials.
Whitey's oldest Eddie was Boston's number one draft pick last June. His younger son Tommy worked as a TV cameraman at Yankee games."
-1975 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
ELSTON HOWARD (Coach)
"First-base coach Elston Howard was the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1963, the last Yankee so honored. He spent 13 years in the major leagues, appearing in the World Series in ten of them and earning selection to nine All-Star teams.
Ellie has been first base and batting coach of the Yankees since 1969."
-The New York Yankees Official 1975 Yearbook
"One of the most popular Yankees of all time, Elston is now in his seventh season as first base coach. He played for the Yankees for 13 years, participating in nine All-Star Games and nine World Series - he played in a tenth Series with Boston in 1967.
Elston was the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1963, the last Yankee so honored, and the Babe Ruth Award winner for his heroics in the 1958 World Series, playing left field. He batted .348 in 1961, a career high.
Originally signed as an outfielder from the Kansas City Monarchs, Ellie was converted to a catcher and led the league in fielding three times. Winner of Gold Glove Awards in 1963 and '64, he set a Yankee catching record in 1964 by making only one error all season.
The first black player on the Yankees and the first black coach in the American League, Elston has many business interests in the New York area, and has served on the Bergen County Board of Vocation and Technical Education."
-1975 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
DICK HOWSER (Coach)
"The Sporting News Rookie of the Year, Dick Howser finished his eight-year career as a Yankee infielder in 1968 and then replaced Frank Crosetti as third base coach. The popular Floridian, still only 38 years old, was noted as a good baserunner, fine fielder and pesky hitter as a player, and passes his talents on to the current Yankees."
-The New York Yankees Official 1975 Yearbook
"Like Bill Virdon, Dick is a former winner of the Sporting News Rookie of the Year award, his honor coming in 1961 while with the Kansas City Athletics. A heady and bright player who became captain of the team and one of the more popular members, Dick stole 37 bases in his rookie season while the rest of the league was pounding home runs in record numbers.
He later played for Cleveland and was dealt to the Yankees on December 20, 1966 for pitcher Gil Downs. He spent two years as a utility infielder with the Yankees, but a broken wrist in 1967 limited his playing time.
Dick succeeded Frank Crosetti as third base coach in 1969 and managed the Yankees' Instructional League team in Clearwater for two seasons."
-1975 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
MEL WRIGHT (Coach)
"Bill Virdon and Mel Wright go way back together - they were both originally signed by the Yankees and traded together to St. Louis in 1954. Last year, the two returned to the Yankee family, and Mel, serving as bullpen coach, was a valuable aide in the chain of command.
Mel has had extensive scouting and coaching experience in the major leagues."
-The New York Yankees Official 1975 Yearbook
"Mel accompanied Bill Virdon to the Yankees last season when Bill was named manager. He had coached for Bill at Pittsburgh in 1973.
Their paths have crossed before, for the two were traded, along with Emil Tellinger, from the Yankees to the Cardinals in the spring of 1954 for Enos Slaughter. Mel pitched for the Cards that season and in 1955, and then reappeared in the majors with the Cubs in 1960 and '61.
Originally signed to a Yankee contract by Atley Donald in 1949, Mel established an Eastern League record early in his career with a 1.93 earned run average. He won 16 straight games after recovering from a broken hand in 1953, 13 of them in the regular season, two in the playoffs, and one in the Little World Series for Kansas City of the American Association.
Mel served as a coach in the Chicago Cubs' system of rotating head coaches in 1963 and '64, and was rehired by the Cubs for 1974 prior to Virdon's appointment as Yankee manager. He scouted for the Cubs for five additional seasons."
-1975 New York Yankees Press/TV/ Radio Guide
MICKEY MANTLE (Special Instructor)
1975 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM HONORARY CAPTAIN
"Mantle was only the seventh player in baseball history to be elected to the Hall of Fame the first time he was eligible. With sidekick and teammate Whitey Ford, they together became the 20th and 21st Yankees in the Hall of Fame in 1974.
Mickey has appeared annually since his retirement after the 1968 season as a special instructor in spring training and serves the Yankees as a good will ambassador throughout the year.
His 18-year career was one of the most dramatic in Yankee history. With injuries to both legs taking a heavy toll from his magnificent performances, Mickey played in more games as a Yankee (2,401) and had more at-bats (8,102) than any other player. The most powerful switch-hitter in the game's history, Mickey ten times hit a home run from both sides of the plate in one game, a major league record. His 18 home runs in World Series play topped Babe Ruth's previous World Series high of 15.
American League MVP in 1956, 1957 and 1962, Mickey won the Triple Crown in '56, and also the Hickok Belt as the top professional athlete of 1956.
Mickey ranks high in most offensive all-time Yankee categories: third in runs scored (1,677), third in hits (2,415), fourth in doubles (344), second in homers (536) and fourth in RBIs (1,509). His 1,734 walks are third on the all-time list and his 1,710 strikeouts are first.
Mickey is one of the most popular athletes in modern sports history."
-1975 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
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