1976 Profile: Graig Nettles

"Called 'Puff' because he can disappear in a cloud of smoke, Graig finally found the consistency he had been lacking and the result was his best year. He had some big days, but kept cool.
'Baseball is mostly mental,' he says. 'It's a long season, a long career. No sense getting excited about one day. If you pop off when you're going good, sooner of later you're going to have to eat your words.' Born in San Diego, home runs don't turn him on, 'but a good play in the field that saves a game,' does.
His brother Jim played in Japan after a brief spin with the Tigers.
Graig has a dry sense of humor - his license plate number is 'E5.' "

Phil Pepe, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1976 Edition

"Was 1975 an off year for Graig Nettles? After hitting 22 home runs in both 1973 and 1974, he fell to 21 last season.
Actually, that sounds more like Nettles' type of humor. In reality, he had his best major league season, at last earning due respect from players and fans, who voted him the starting third baseman on both the mid-season and postseason All-Star teams.
Graig holds the all-time Yankee third baseman's record home run record with 22, holds major league records for both assists and double plays by a third baseman, and has led the American League in assists in four of the last five years. Consistency is the name of the game for Graig, and as long as it continues to be such a high brand of consistency, that's all right with the Yankees."

-The New York Yankees Official 1976 Yearbook

"A quality ballplayer year after year, Graig finally earned the plaudits of fans and players last season when he was voted to the starting lineup in the All-Star Game and to the third base slot on the Sporting News All-Stars. He hit a career high .267 and reached a career high of 91 runs batted in, while missing only three games all season. His 21 home runs were just one short of his Yankee third base record, reached in each of his previous two seasons in New York. Graig led the Yankees in home runs in 1973 (tied) and 1974. He has now played in 150 or more games for six consecutive years. Graig led the league in assists last year for the fourth time in five years, and he also led in putouts once.
Nettles shares the major league home run record for the month of April with Willie Stargell, having hit eleven in 1974. He drove in 23 runs that month, including a streak of 10 straight RBI games, one behind the Babe Ruth-Mel Ott record. Graig was named Player of the Month in the American League for his efforts.
He holds the major league for assists by a third baseman in one season with 412 in 1971 (he had 410 in 1973). He also holds the third base record of 54 double plays, also in 1971. Graig was named Man of the Year in Cleveland that season.
Graig played baseball and basketball at San Diego State before Minnesota signed him in 1966. He reached the majors in 1968 and hit five home runs in his first four days. A brother, Jim, played for the Twins and Tigers.
Graig teamed with football star Bob Tucker to win the American Airlines Golf Classic in January."

-1976 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide