$35,564 IRS Tax Lien Hits Billy Martin : Outstanding Balance Cited on His Report on Income in 1987

Federal tax agents are throwing a brushback pitch at Billy Martin, the baseball legend living a quiet farming life in Upstate New York.

A $35,564.62 tax lien has been filed against Martin by agents working out of the Internal Revenue Service’s Buffalo district office, the Buffalo News reported.

The lien against Martin--former New York Yankees manager known for his brawling style and battles with team owner George Steinbrenner--was filed Tuesday in the Broome County clerk’s office in Binghamton. Martin is identified in legal papers as Alfred M. Martin of Port Crane.

Broome is one of 32 counties in western and central New York under the jurisdiction of the Buffalo IRS office.

The lien resulted from “an outstanding balance from Mr. Martin’s 1987 personal income taxes,” said office spokesman Terry Dunford.

‘We Can Seize Assets’

“We make numerous efforts to contact the person. If that fails, the IRS files a tax lien. It’s a public notice of tax liability,” Dunford said. “After filing a lien, the government tries to work out a payment schedule with the individual. If that fails, we can seize assets, property or levy bank accounts.”

Citing IRS regulations on privacy, Dunford said he could not discuss any more details.

Since 1988, Martin, 60, has been living on a large farm in Port Crane, a hamlet of the Town of Fenton, eight miles north of Binghamton. His Port Crane telephone is unlisted, and efforts to reach him through the Yankees’ team offices in New York were unsuccessful.

In a brief interview published in Thursday’s USA Today, Martin said he is enjoying a quiet life that contrasted with his days in baseball’s spotlight.

“I have sheep, cattle, ducks, geese and a few horses,” he said. “I like it because we also have an 80-acre lake. I do everything. I raise pheasants and turn them loose.”