Good
day all! On the blog today, a fun card to add to the WTHBALLS
checklist, a "not so missing" 1968 card for all-star third baseman Graig
Nettles, who made his Major League debut in 1967 with the Minnesota
Twins:
Nettles appeared in only three games for the Twins that year, going 1-for-3 at the plate, that hit being a double.
He'd
appear in 22 games the following season, hitting .224 with 17 hits over
76 at-bats, including the first five home runs of his career along with
eight RBIs.
It wasn’t until he got some full-time action with the Cleveland
Indians in 1970 that he put up some nice numbers, becoming a productive
third baseman for three years before finding himself in the Bronx after a
six-player trade that left the Indians organization scratching their
heads.
All Nettles would do is go on to slug 20+ homers seven straight years, leading the American League with 32 in 1976, and then topping that with 37 the following season while being an integral part of the “Bronx Zoo” championship teams of 1977 and 1978.
His incredible defensive work during the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers put him in exclusive company as a Fall Classic icon alongside the likes of Brooks Robinson and HIS defensive work in the 1970 classic against the Cincinnati Reds.
By the time Nettles was done after 22-years in the big leagues, he finished with 390 home runs, 2225 hits and 1314 runs batted in, with six all-star game nods and two Gold Gloves.
All Nettles would do is go on to slug 20+ homers seven straight years, leading the American League with 32 in 1976, and then topping that with 37 the following season while being an integral part of the “Bronx Zoo” championship teams of 1977 and 1978.
His incredible defensive work during the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers put him in exclusive company as a Fall Classic icon alongside the likes of Brooks Robinson and HIS defensive work in the 1970 classic against the Cincinnati Reds.
By the time Nettles was done after 22-years in the big leagues, he finished with 390 home runs, 2225 hits and 1314 runs batted in, with six all-star game nods and two Gold Gloves.
