"When the Yankees got off to a slow start, Billy Martin pulled his lineup out of a hat and Chambliss was number eight. Chris's bat came alive.
'I've got to say he's one of the best eighth place hitters of all time,' said Billy. George Steinbrenner calls Chris's two-run homer in the second to tie the sixth World Game 'perhaps the biggest hit of the year for us.'
Born in Dayton, Chambliss is the son of a Navy Chaplain. Chris will always be remembered for his sudden death home run against the Royals in the ninth inning of the fifth game of the '76 American League playoffs."
-Phil Pepe, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1978 Edition
"Steady Chris Chambliss goes almost unnoticed as the Yankee first baseman. And that's pretty high praise. You just know that first base is in good hands.
Chris is one of those players who just goes about his business, rarely has a slump, and always seems to drive in the key run. He has become an excellent clutch hitter. But more than that, Chris has worked hard on his fielding and is now recognized as one of the best in the league with the glove.
1971's Rookie of the Year came to the Yankees in 1974 in a trade that was met by skepticism, but his performance (along with Dick Tidrow's, included in the deal) has changed everybody's mind. Chris has become one of the fans' favorites and was honored as the most popular Jersey athlete by the Boys Club of Newark this past winter.
Chambliss will long be remembered for his dramatic ninth inning, game and pennant-winning home run which propelled the Yankees into the 1976 World Series. But Chris would rather be remembered as the steady, hard-working first baseman who was a key factor in getting the Yanks into two consecutive World Series, and who has become one of the best in the AL at his position."
-The New York Yankees Official 1978 Yearbook
"Chris had his third straight impressive year with the Yanks in 1977. He has had 72, 96, and 90 RBIs over the last three seasons. Generally hitting into the power alleys, Chris has also hit 102 doubles over in the last three years.
He has become one of the Yankees' best clutch hitters, with 12 game-winning RBIs in 1977, batting .326 with men on base. Few will forget his home run to beat the Royals in the ninth inning of the final game of the 1976 ALCS. The American League's Player of the Week for August 8-14 last year, Chris continued his home run heroics in 1977, winning four games with late-inning home runs, including a dramatic blast on August 16 to give the Yanks a ninth-inning 11-10 win over the White Sox, and a pinch-hit two-run homer on August 29 to give the Yanks a 5-3 win over the Royals. He batted safely in five of six World Series games last year and hit a two-run homer off Burt Hooten to open up the Yanks' scoring in the decisive sixth game. Chris was also credited with two steals of home last year.
Hitting streaks have become a part of Chris's career; starting in 1971, he's had yearly streaks of 15, 15, 19, 18, 13, 19 and 15 again last year. 1977 followed up a super 1976 for Chambliss, a year in which he finished fifth in the MVP voting and reached career highs in nearly every department. He was the American League's Rookie of the Year in 1971 after just one full season in the minors. When Chris was obtained by the Yankees in 1974, the deal was met with much skepticism - not so much now.
Chris batted .342 his first season in the minors at Wichita, making him the first rookie ever to win a triple-A batting title. This followed just one season at UCLA, where he set school records with 15 homers and 45 RBIs.
The son of a Navy Chaplain, Chris traveled for much of his youth. Arlene Henley, now Mrs. Elston Howard, was a babysitter for the Chambliss family in St. Louis. Chris played football, basketball and baseball at Oceanside High in California. He had a two-run single to beat the White Sox 2-1 in his first major league game.
A new resident of New Jersey, Chris was honored as the most popular Jersey athlete by the Boys Club of Newark this past winter."
-New York Yankees 1978 Media Guide
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