There is nothing quite like a great baseball feud. We’re not talking brawls, which are, in their own right, supremely entertaining. Nope. We’re talking feuds. Feuds may lead to a brawl, but they always begin as a simple glance, or the wrong word, a poorly timed publication or some “He said, he said…what!?” They stew, agitate, irritate, grind and ultimately break down the relationship between two parties, be it teammates, or a player and a manager. Here are seven great feuds from the modern baseball era.
7. Reggie Jackson vs. Billy Martin
When you mix two prideful, strong-willed individuals into a scenario where they don’t see eye to eye, you have great potential for a feud. Once upon a time, Billy Martin felt Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, was loafing in the outfield and played a ball slowly, allowing Jim Rice to stretch a single into a double. It didn’t help that the Yankees were playing the Red Sox. At the end of the half inning, Reggie was met at the dugout steps by an irate Billy Martin, and the two strong personalities went at it. Billy benched Reggie, went after him three times in the dugout, and Reggie eventually challenged his manager to a good old-fashioned “why don’t we take this outside” fight. The bad blood continued to boil, as these two could never see eye to eye. A definitive example of the New York Yankees’ Bronx Zoo Era.
http://www.realclearsports.com/lists/coach_killers/reggie_jackson_billy_martin.html Source: Realclearsports.com
