Remember the sizzling, scintillating summer of 1977 when Billy Martin’s Yankees stormed past the Red Sox and went on to capture their first World Championship in 15 years by beating the Dodgers in six games as Reggie Jackson blasted three home runs in the grand finale?
In this series, The Post takes you back 30 years to one of the greatest seasons in Yankee history.
OAKLAND-The Yankees have a chance to set a club record for the ’77 season this afternoon-most consecutive days without a hint of controversy: three.
Last night they won their fifth of sixth since the Great Martin Controversy, a tidy 4-0 thing over the A’s. And it was a night this quiet: after the game, as Martin was walking from the dugout to the clubhouse, he saw a group of writers waiting for him to enter before they did. There was once upon a time when Martin screamed at writers who ventured into the clubhouse before the entire team was safely inside. But last night, Martin said, “You can go in, go ahead in. See how nice a guy I am.” A pause. “How come none of you guys ever write that?”
Well, winning always makes things fun, even-or especially-for these Yankees. It’s getting a little bit late in the season. Or, as Cliff Johnson, who caught and homered last night said, “It was a pleasure. A real pleasure.”
Ron Guidry was brilliant for eight and two-thirds innings before leaving with the bases loaded for Sparky Lyle’s strikeout save.