Writer Recalls the Day Billy Bawled Him Out

Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post, on the late Billy Martin:

“The first time I encountered Billy, he was managing the Detroit Tigers. I’d been sent to cover a meaningless July game against the Yankees. In it there was a rare play: A runner scored all the way from second base on a wild pitch.

“After the game about 25 reporters gathered in Billy’s office. I waited for one of the more veteran scribes to ask about the wild pitch. When none did, I offered, ‘Pretty unusual play, huh?’

“Billy glared at me: ‘Where’d you learn your baseball, Woolworth’s?’

“I was new on the block, unsure of how to respond. I grinned, thinking he was joking. ‘I mean you don’t see a play like that often,’ I said meekly.

“Out of nowhere Billy exploded. ‘That’s the dumbest . . . question I ever heard. Who let you in here? Any you other . . . want to ask something that . . . stupid?’ Seething, Billy flapped his arms to clear the room. Gesturing at me, he announced, ‘I’m not talking until that . . . leaves.’

“Later I asked another writer why Billy did that.

“ ‘That’s Billy,’ I was told. ‘Who knows what sets him off?’ ”

Trivia time: When the Clippers’ Don Casey coached at Temple, who was the coach at Big Five rival Pennsylvania?

Iron lady: Who is the greatest all-round female athlete in the world? Here’s a vote for triathlete Paula Newby-Fraser of Zimbabwe.

The Amateur Athletic Foundation newsletter notes that Newby-Fraser won the female division of this year’s Ironman Triathlon in 9 hours 1 minute 1 second, breaking the women’s record by 34 minutes and placing her 11th overall. The event consists of 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling and 26.2 miles of running. The nine-hour barrier wasn’t broken by a man until 1984.

Beaten by the best: David Huffman, an offensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings, lost his starting job to Gary Zimmerman four years ago. Last season he was beaten out of his offensive guard job by Randall McDaniel. After Zimmerman and McDaniel were voted into the Pro Bowl, Huffman said: “It takes a Pro Bowl player to move me out. Unfortunately, they keep finding them.”

Head games: Dick Versace, coach of the Indiana Pacers, says he can tell what kind of attitude his players have by the reading material they select.

Of improved second-year center Rik Smits, Versace said: “Last year, Rik spent most of the time reading car magazines. This year, every time I see him, he’s reading something about the NBA.”

Francophobes on ice: The Hartford Courant asked 19 Hartford Whaler hockey players: “If you were traded, what is the one city that you wouldn’t want to go to?”

Fourteen said Quebec City, four said Winnipeg and one said St. Louis.

Trivia answer: Chuck Daly, now coach of the Detroit Pistons.

Quotebook: Frank Layden, on retiring a year ago as coach of the Utah Jazz: “You quit while you’re ahead, and people think you know a lot. It’s great.”