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Billy Martin

Object Details

Exhibition Label
Born Berkeley, California
Billy Martin was always a wild card. As an infielder with the Yankees in the 1950s, he contrasted average regular-season play with postseason sparkle that produced World Series victories for New York in 1952 and 1953. Unfortunately, the combative behavior that cost Martin his job with the Yankees in 1957 remained a liability as he later bounced around the league. After retiring from play in 1961, Martin switched to managing and built a reputation for his ability to turn underperforming ball clubs into winners. Named Manager of the Year on three occasions, Martin won five division titles, two American League pennants, and one World Series championship with the five franchises he piloted. Despite his successes, Martin’s volatility on and off the field made it difficult for him to keep a job, and his serial firings by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner became legendary.
Collection Description
In 1978, Time magazine donated approximately eight hundred works of original cover art to the National Portrait Gallery. The museum is dedicated to telling the stories of individuals who have shaped the United States, and the Time Collection—featuring prominent international figures and events—enriches our understanding of the United States in a global context.
En 1978, la revista Time donó a la National Portrait Gallery cerca de 800 obras de arte originales creadas para sus portadas. Nuestro museo se dedica a narrar la historia de figuras que han contribuido a forjar el desarrollo de Estados Unidos, y es así que la Colección Time, que incluye retratos de importantes personalidades internacionales, nos ayuda a comprender mejor a nuestra nación en un contexto global.
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Artist
Richard Hess, 1934 - 1991
Sitter
Alfred Manuel Martin Jr., 16 May 1928 - 25 Dec 1989
Date
1981
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Time magazine
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
Sight: 40.3 x 30.5cm (15 7/8 x 12")
Frame: 64.1 x 53.3 x 4.4cm (25 1/4 x 21 x 1 3/4")
Type
Painting

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