1978 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Having his finest year, with 37 homers (missing his second straight title by two) and his first time over 100 RBIs, Graig was finally acknowledged as the league's best third baseman with his first Gold Glove.
'A gamer,' says Billy Martin. 'He plays hurt and he doesn't let his defense suffer when he's not hitting.' Graig has missed only 22 games in five seasons with New York. He joined the 200 home run club and broke club records for home runs and RBIs by a third baseman.
'I get as much kick out of saving a game with a great play as winning one with a home run.' Born in San Diego, Nettles was named the all-time Yankee third baseman, but he's still underpublicized and underpaid.
'I guess I'm just not controversial enough.'"
-Phil Pepe, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1978 Edition
"Graig Nettles had his best season ever in 1976 when he led the American League in home runs with 32.
Best season ever, that is, until last year. Graig was simply spectacular. With the bat, Graig set personal highs in home runs (37), RBIs (107) and runs (99). Over the last four years, only four players in baseball have hit more home runs than Nettles, and he has played in 150 or more games for eight straight years.
In the field, Graig won the Gold Glove award, symbol of the best fielder at his position. He finished second in the league in fielding percentage, putouts and total chances. Graig has exceptional range, and most experts feel that he is the best fielding third baseman in the game.
In addition to his Gold Glove, Graig was named to two postseason All-Star teams, finished fifth in the MVP voting (but was the highest Yankee) and was named a panel of experts as the All-Time Yankee third baseman.
All in all, it was quite a season for the durable and popular Nettles."
-The New York Yankees Official 1978 Yearbook
1977 MOST VALUABLE YANKEE (5th in American League MVP voting)
"1977 was the year Graig Nettles' underrated talents were finally appreciated. He had his finest season as a major leaguer, driving 100 runs for the first time (107) while finishing second in the home run race with 37 - five more than he hit the year before while winning the title. In addition, his fielding was unsurpassed by any third baseman in the league."
-The New York Yankees Official 1978 Yearbook
JULY, 1977 YANKEE OF THE MONTH
"Graig Nettles finally got his due in 1977, and the slick-fielding, power-hitting third baseman didn't disappoint his backers during the month of July.
He began the month with 15 homers, finished it with 24 and was a potent force in the Yanks' determined drive to stay even with Baltimore and Boston. In addition to homers on July 4, 8, 21 and 28 which contributed to Yankee victories, Nettles also belted two in the Yanks' 4-3 loss to the Orioles on July 11. They were the 199th and 200th of his career."
-The New York Yankees Official 1978 Yearbook
"Graig had possibly his finest year in 1977 as he led the Yanks in home runs with 37, finishing second in the American League after winning the home run title in 1976 with 32. He exceeded 100 RBIs for the first time in his career (107), finishing seventh in the league, and he scored 99 runs, leading the club and finishing 10th in the league. Graig set personal highs in home runs, RBIs and runs, and also finished 10th in the league in total bases with 292.
Over the last four years, Graig has hit 112 home runs (22, 21, 32, 37) and only four players (Mike Schmidt, Reggie Jackson, Dave Kingman, Jeff Burroughs) have hit more in that time. He now holds the records for most home runs and RBIs by a Yankee third baseman in a single year and has played in 150 or games for eight consecutive years. Graig was voted to the starting lineup in the 1975 All-Star Game, and to the Sporting News All-Star team that year.
Named to the Sporting News and UPI All-Star teams at third base last year, Graig won a Gold Glove and finished fifth in the MVP voting, highest on the Yankees. Many now feel that Graig is the finest fielding third baseman in baseball. He finished second in the league in fielding percentage, putouts and total chances.
Graig was the American League's Player of the Month for August last year, a month in which he batted .340 with 10 home runs, 25 RBIs and 20 runs scored. He was also the league's Player of the Week, August 15-21, his hottest stretch being seven home runs in 12 days in August. Four times last year Graig was involved in back-to-back Yankee homers, and had nine game-winning RBIs.
Nettles was named the All-Time Yankee third baseman in a special poll of sportswriters last year. By winning the homer title in '76 Graig was the first Yankee to do that since Maris hit 61 back in '61. He has missed only 17 games in his five years as a New Yorker and has led the Yanks in home runs four times.
While with the Indians, Graig set records for assists by a third baseman in a season (412 in 1971) and for double plays by a third baseman in a season (54 in 1971). He was Cleveland's Man of the Year in 1971.
He was a baseball and basketball star at San Diego State before signing with the Twins in 1966. A member of the 1969 Western Division champs managed by Billy Martin, Graig is an accomplished golfer.
Nettles shares the major league home run record for the month of April with Willie Stargell, as he hit 11 in 1974. He also had a streak of 10 straight RBI games, one short of the record shared by Babe Ruth and Mel Ott."
-1978 New York Yankees Media Guide
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