Badboy Billy's Back In Town

CHICAGO--Yogi Berra was fired as manager of the New York Yankees yesterday and was replaced by Billy Martin, who will take over the team for the fourth time in his managing career.

"The action was taken by the Yankees and we felt it was in the best interests of the club." Yankees principal owner. George Steinbrenner said in a statement. The dismissal was announced after the Yankees lost 4-3 to the Chicago White Sox, the club's third straight loss and 10th in 16 games this season.

Yankees General Manager Clyde King read Steinbrenner's statement King added, on his own, that Steinbrenner "would rather fire 25 players than to fire Yogi, but we all know that would be impossible.

There had been talk last season that Berra would be fired as the Yankees felt for behind the eventual World Series champion Detroit Tigers.

But last Oct. 25, Steinbrenner ended that speculation when he announced Berra would return in 1985.