LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - One of the most fun eras in Oakland history was the “Billy Ball” team managed by combative Berkeley-born Billy Martin, who is the subject of an excellent new documentary.
Martin, best known as a barroom brawler who managed the Yankees five times, found a brief measure of calm in Oakland in the early 80s, as detailed by his son, Billy Martin Jr., A’s employees Mickey Morabito and Steve Vucinich, and Oakland great Rickey Henderson in the MLB Network production “Billy,” which screened at the winter meetings and is scheduled to air at 5 p.