Graig Nettles

Position: Third Baseman
Bats: Left  •  Throws: Right
6-0, 180lb (183cm, 81kg)
Born: August 20, 1944  in San Diego, CA
High School: San Diego HS (San Diego, CA)
School: San Diego State University (San Diego, CA)
Debut: September 6, 1967 (12,634th in major league history)
vs. CLE 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: October 1, 1988
vs. PHI 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Full Name: Graig Nettles
Nicknames: Puff
Pronunciation: \Greg\
View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen
View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject
Relatives: Brother of Jim Nettles

Nine Players Who Debuted in 1967

Reggie Jackson
Graig Nettles
Rod Carew
Johnny Bench
Tom Seaver
Jerry Koosman
Amos Otis
Sparky Lyle
Aurelio Rodriguez

All-Time Teammate Team

Coming Soon

Notable Events and Chronology for Career

Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest)

September 6, 1968

Denny McLain notches win number 28‚ beating the Twins‚ 8 – 3

September 22, 1968

Cesar Tovar plays one inning at each position for the Minnesota Twins, becoming only the second major leaguer in history to do it. 

December 12, 1969

Cleveland trades pitchers Luis Tiant and Stan Williams to the Twins for 3B Graig Nettles and three others

April 10, 1970

Indians players Bob Miller, Ted Uhlaender, Graig Nettles, and Dean Chance in 1970

August 22, 1970

Defensive replacement Chuck Hinton drives in the Indians’ winning run in the 10th as the Tribe tops the A’s, 6 – 5. The Indians hit four homers – one by Vada Pinson in the 1st and three consecutive homers by Duke Sims, Graig Nettles, and Eddie Leon in the 6th.

June 11, 1972

Graig and Jim Nettles become the tenth different pair of brothers to homer in the same game when they both go deep in the Cleveland Stadium contest. Twins center fielder Jim’s solo shot in the top of the sixth inning is matched by his older brother’s blast in the bottom of the seventh in Minnesota’s 5-3 victory over the Indians.

November 27, 1972

The New York Yankees make one of their best trades ever, acquiring third baseman Graig Nettles from the Cleveland Indians for catcher John Ellis, infielder Jerry Kenney, and outfielders Charlie Spikes and Rusty Torres. Nettles will help the Yankees win the World Series in 1977 and 1978.

April 6, 1974

New York Yankees defeat the Cleveland Indians, 6 – 1, at Shea Stadium.

September 7, 1974

In a game with the Tigers, Graig Nettles loses a single when it is discovered he is using a corked bat. The Yankees win 1 – 0 on Nettles’s earlier home run.

September 7, 1974

Graig Nettles will be suspended for ten days after stuffing his bat with six super balls

September 14, 1974

Graig Nettles and brother Jim Nettles homer in the same game for a second time

May 30, 1976

A shoving match, after a home-plate collision between Lou Piniella and Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk, escalates into an ugly bench-clearing brawl. Yankee third baseman Graig Nettles and Boston’s Bill Lee fight so fiercely that the ‘Spaceman’ suffers a separation of his left shoulder, significantly affecting the remainder of his pitching career.

September 17, 1976

At Milwaukee’s County Stadium, 40,383 fans are on hand to celebrate “Hank Aaron Day.” Among those gathered are commissioner Bowie Kuhn and Jack Ford, representing his father Gerald. Hank goes hitless in five at-bats, and the first-place Yankees spoil the night by winning, 5 – 3, in 11 innings. Graig Nettles hits a solo homer in the 11th for the game winner, and an insurance run scores on a suicide bunt. Ed Figueroa tallies his 19th win, and the Yanks pad their lead to 11 games.

October 14, 1976

The Yankees dramatically win their 30th pennant on Chris Chambliss’ home run in the bottom of the ninth inning

May 24, 1977

Carlos May and Graig Nettles hit back-to-back homers in the 6th as the Yankees come from behind to defeat the Red Sox‚ 6 – 5.

June 22, 1977

It’s not easy but the Yankees stop their five-game losing streak with a 12 – 11 win over Detroit. The Yankees are led by Graig Nettles, with a three-run homer, and Reggie Jackson, who belts a two-run triple.

June 25, 1977

Mike Torrez outduels Luis Tiant to give the Yankees a 5 – 1 win over the Red Sox. Graig Nettles’ 3-run homer is the big blow. New York now trails the Sox by three games.

July 4, 1977

New York stays a game ahead of the Red Sox by edging Cleveland, 7 – 5. The Yankees get home runs from Chris Chambliss, Roy White, Lou Piniella and Graig Nettles.

July 8, 1977

The Yankees, led by home runs off the bats of Thurman Munson and Graig Nettles, beat the Orioles, 7 – 5. Don Gullett wins his 7th of the year.

July 28, 1977

In New York, a Thursday crowd of 40,918 cheer as New York unleashes a 15-hit attack to down the Orioles, 14 – 2. The Yankee barrage includes homers by Graig Nettles, Thurman Munson and Roy White.

July 31, 1977

Graig Nettles scores three runs to lead the Yankees to a 9 – 2 win over the A’s, the 8th win in nine games for New York. The Yankees are a half game out of first.

August 10, 1977

Billy Martin installs Reggie Jackson as the Yankees’ regular clean-up hitter

August 14, 1977

The Yankees collect 15 hits, including homers by Mickey Rivers and Graig Nettles, to swamp the Angels, 15 – 3. Dick Tidrow allows just two hits in six innings for the win.

August 21, 1977

Graig Nettles’ home run and double account for both Yankee runs in a 2 – 1 win over Texas. Ron Guidry picks up his 10th win of the year and the Yankees cut the Red Sox’s lead to one-half game.

August 26, 1977

1977 – New York wins its 12th in 13 games when Graig Nettles triples home two runs in the 9th inning to give the Bombers a 6 – 5 win over Texas. With the Red Sox losing, the Yankees move in front by two games.

August 28, 1977

On his 27th birthday, Ron Guidry of the Yankees fires his third shutout of the year, blanking the Texas Rangers, 1 – 0, at Yankee Stadium. Guidry faces just 28 batters, allowing two hits. Graig Nettles scores the winning run after belting as triple.

August 31, 1977

Yankee reliever Sparky Lyle records his third win in three games, all won on late-inning homers by New York. Graig Nettles’ second homer of the game gives New York a 5 – 4 win over Seattle.

June 27, 1978

New York’s Graig Nettles belts a two-run homer in the 14th to give the Yankees a 6 – 4 win over the Red Sox. Dick Drago serves up Nettles’ 13th homer of the year. Sparky Lyle (6-1) wins in relief. Ron Guidry (13-0) starts for New York and gives up eight hits in six innings.

September 15, 1978

The Yankees, now 1 1/2 games in front of Boston, open a 3-game series in the Bronx with the Red Sox. Ron Guidry again gives up two Boston hits and wins a 4 – 0 shutout. Chris Chambliss and Graig Nettles hit successive homers off Luis Tiant in the 4-run 4th inning.

October 13, 1978

1978 – New York Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles puts on a fielding clinic and prevents seven runs as the Yankees beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5 – 1, in Game 3 of the World Series. Nettles makes four spectacular stops and gives the Yankees their first victory of the series.

November 10, 1978

The Yankees trade southpaws Sparky Lyle, the 1977 Cy Young Award recipient in a 10 player deal

August 23, 1979

Commissioner Bowie Kuhn slaps Padres owner Ray Kroc with a $100,000 fine for tampering, following remarks Kroc made about potential free agents Joe Morgan and Graig Nettles.

September 8, 1979

Graig Nettles hits an 8th-inning home run to help the Yankees and Ron Guidry beat Detroit, 5 – 4. It is Guidry’s 10th straight win.

May 15, 1981

5/15/1981: Graig Nettles homered off Seattle’s Brian Allard in Yankee Stadium. It came in the first inning with two on and one out and was rained out in the third inning.

October 9, 1981

Paul Molitor leads Brewers past Yankees in game 4 ALDS

October 15, 1981

Dave Righetti, Ron Davis and Goose Gossage combine on a 4 – 0 shutout of the Oakland Athletics in Game 3 of the ALCS to give the New York Yankees their 33rd American League pennant

January 29, 1982

New York Yankees name Graig Nettles team captain

May 29, 1982

At Minnesota‚ the Yanks put runners on first base (Graig Nettles) and second base (Bobby Murcer) with no outs. When Roy Smalley strikes out on a wide 3-2 pitch from Terry Felton‚ Murcer attempts to steal third base. But Sal Butera’s throw beats him so badly he retreats to second, only to find Nettles there. Gary Gaetti tags Murcer who is standing safely alone on the base‚ and then throws to Kent Hrbek to catch Nettles heading back to first. Murcer then tries for third and Hrbek’s throw to Felton, covering the bag, completes the triple play. Alas‚ Felton‚ 0-8 coming into the game gets a no-decision‚ and will lose another 5 to finish his career with an 0-16 record.

July 4, 1982

7/4/1982 – The Yankees were playing in Cleveland. In the first inning, they had the bases loaded and one run in when Roy Smalley batted in Graig Nettles’ place. Smalley flew out to end the inning and nothing was said by the Indians. New York won the game, 3-2.

March 29, 1984

New York Yankees trade one of the key members of their recent World Championship teams when they dispatch Graig Nettles

March 29, 1984

The New York Yankees trade one of the key members of their last World Championship teams when they dispatch Graig Nettles to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Dennis Rasmussen and a player to be named. Nettles, who had angered Yankees owner George Steinbrenner by criticizing him in a book, will hit 20 home runs and help the Padres reach the 1984 World Series.

August 22, 1984

Dwight Gooden strikes out Garry Templeton in the eighth inning of the Mets’ 5-2 victory at Jack Murphy Stadium to become the 11th pitcher to strike out 200 batters in his rookie season. The 19 year-old freshman becomes only the third teenager to accomplish the feat, joining Bob Feller (1938 Indians) and Gary Nolan (1967 Reds).

May 2, 1987

Graig Nettles and Dion James each hit grand slams to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 12 – 4 rout of the Houston Astros. It is the first time since July 3, 1966 (when pitcher Tony Cloninger did it by himself), that the Braves have hit two grand slams in one game.

November 1, 1989

The Senior Professional Baseball Association begins its first season. The list of retired major leaguers playing in the 35-and-older league includes future Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers and Ferguson Jenkins, and former All-Stars like Paul Blair, Vida Blue, Bert Campaneris, Cheo Cruz, Dock Ellis, George Foster, Graig Nettles and Amos Otis.

June 3, 2003

Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter is named the 11th captain in club history. The 28 year-old joins Hal Chase (1912), Roger Peckinpaugh (1914-21), Babe Ruth (for six days in 1922), Everett Scott (1922), Lou Gehrig (1935-41), Thurman Munson (1976-79), Graig Nettles (1982-84), co-captains Willie Randolph and Ron Guidry (1986-89), and Don Mattingly (1991-95).

Biography

Graig Nettles Born on August 20, 1944.

Nettles’s moment in the sun came in Game Three of the 1978 World Series against the Dodgers when he made four dazzling stops, twice robbing Reggie Smith of hits. Nettles’s fielding enabled New York to win its first of four straight games, after losing the first two games in Los Angeles, to win the Series.

Nettles was a power-hitting third baseman in the mold of Eddie Mathews, and his 319 homers as an AL third baseman are the record. He played mainly the outfield for the Twins in his first three seasons (Harmon Killebrew was at third), but switched permanently to third base when he joined Cleveland in 1970 in a six-player deal in which he was the only non-pitcher. In 1971 he set AL records with 412 assists and 54 double plays, and he led the league in assists in 1972, as well as errors. After the 1972 season, he was swapped to New York, but had trouble adapting and suffered a poor year defensively in 1973, and hit just .234. He rebounded the following year, however. In April, he clubbed 11 homers, half his total for the year, including four in a doubleheader on April 14. On September 14, both he and his brother Jim, playing for the Tigers, homered in the same game.

Nettles led the league in homers in 1976 with 32, but had his best season in 1977. He won the Gold Glove, slammed 37 homers, drove in a career-high 107 runs, and scored 99 runs to lead the Yankees to the first of two World Championships, both over the Dodgers. His power production dropped off during the next two seasons. After committing seven errors in his first 20 games in 1980, he was diagnosed with hepatitis in July and was out for 67 games, but came back to play in the Yankees’ playoff loss to the Royals.

Nettles was traded to San Diego in 1984 and was a key figure with ex-teammate Goose Gossage and ex-Dodger Steve Garvey in the Padres’ first pennant. He was dealt to the Braves in 1987 and the Expos in 1988, for whom he mainly pinch hit. In 1989, he was involved in the new over-35 “senior” league of former major leaguers started in Florida.

Nicknamed “Puff,” Nettles was a 6X All-Star, won 2 Gold Glove Awards, was the MVP in the 1981 ALCS, led the AL in home runs in 1976, and was a key member of 2 World Series champions (1977-78 Yankees). In his 22-year career (1967-1988), Graig had 2,225 hits, 390 HR, 1,314 RBI, 1,088 BB, .248 BA, .329 OBP, .421 Slg., & .750 OPS.@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

Factoids, Quotes, Milestones and Odd Facts

Played For
Minnesota Twins (1967-1969)
Cleveland Indians (1970-1972)
New York Yankees (1973-1983)
San Diego Padres (1984-1986)
Atlanta Braves (1987)
Montreal Expos (1988)

Similar: Darrell Evans

Linked: Jim Nettles, Harmon Killebrew, Chris Chambliss, George Brett, Reggie Smith

Best Season, 1977
Career highs in homers (37) and RBI (107). Nettles hit .255 with a career high .496 slugging percentage. He also scored 99 runs and won his first Gold Glove.

Awards and Honors
1977 AL Gold Glove
1978 AL Gold Glove
1981 AL ALCS MVP

All-Star Selections

Post-Season Appearances
1969 American League Championship Series
1976 American League Championship Series
1976 World Series
1977 American League Championship Series
1977 World Series
1978 American League Championship Series
1978 World Series
1980 American League Championship Series
1981 American League Division Playoffs
1981 American League Championship Series
1981 World Series
1984 National League Championship Series
1984 World Series

Factoid
When he was named captain of the Yankees in 1980, Graig Nettles followed Lou Gehrig and Thurman Munson in that role.

Hitting Streaks
19 games (1971)

Transactions
Nettles tell-all book Balls did as much to hasten his exit from New York as anything. In the book he is critical of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner as well as former teammates and managers.

All-Star Selections
1975 AL
1977 AL
1978 AL
1979 AL
1980 AL
1985 NL

Best Strength as a Player
Playing third base and ability to pull the ball.

Largest Weakness as a Player
He was a streaky hitter who could go into some serious slumps at times.