ALASKA BASEBALL ALUMNI HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023
Day Five Inductee
ALASKA BASEBALL ALUMNI HALL OF FAME
2022 saw the first class of the AKGPA Hall of Fame inducted during the month of April. The inaugural group were drawn from players, executives, mascots, and personnel directly involved with baseball in Fairbanks, Alaska. Listed below is the first class in its entirety:
THE ’22 TWENTY: Dan Pastorini, Bill Lee, Dave Kingman, Morganna the Kissing Bandit, Tom Seaver, Dave Winfield, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi, Bowie Kuhn, Andy Messersmith, Alvin Davis, Bob Boone, Sean Timmons, Allan Simpson, Bruce Robinson, Rod Dedeaux, H.A. (Red) Boucher, Hap Dumont, and Don Dennis.
2023 will see the induction of a new member into our Ball Hall every day during the month of April until the class is complete on the 20th.
Join us during the month of April for our second countdown of the Alaska Baseball Alumni Hall of Fame.
’23 TWENTY HALL OF FAME, DAY FIVE INDUCTEE:
GRAIG NETTLES
Graig Nettles (born August 20, 1944), nicknamed “Puff”, is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins (1967–1969), Cleveland Indians (1970–1972), New York Yankees (1973–1983), San Diego Padres (1984–1986), Atlanta Braves (1987), and Montreal Expos (1988).
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
– 6× All-Star (1975, 1977–1980, 1985)
– 2× World Series champion (1977, 1978)
– ALCS MVP (1981)
– 2× Gold Glove Award (1977, 1978)
– AL home run leader (1976)
Nettles’s best sport in high school was basketball, and it was as a basketball player that he earned a scholarship to San Diego State.
His body grew bigger and stronger, and the balls he hit that used to be routine fly balls started sailing over the heads of the outfielders. This was why he went to Alaska – to keep getting stronger, to keep building up his game. (The Golden Game by Kevin Nelson)
NEWS CLIPPINGS:
– Baseball Reference Statistics Page (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nettlgr01.shtml)
– SABR: Graig Nettles Bio (https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/graig-nettles)
– Classic Twins Remembers Graig Nettles, The One That Got Away (http://classicminnesotatwins.blogspot.com/2011/09/classic-twins-remembers-graig-nettles.html)
– Wikipedia: Graig Nettles (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graig_Nettles)
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
On September 14, 1974, Nettles and his brother Jim homered in the same game, joining a select club that includes Aaron and Bret Boone (1988 Goldpanners).
Nettles famously characterized his career with the Yankees when he said that “[w]hen I was a little boy, I wanted to be a baseball player and join the circus. With the Yankees I have accomplished both.”
During a brawl in a game against the Boston Red Sox on May 20, 1976, Nettles, who was on second base at the onset of the brawl, tackled Boston pitcher Bill Lee from behind. When it appeared that the dust had settled and the brawl was over, Lee confronted Nettles for tackling him from behind. The fracas resumed when Nettles swung at Lee. More players joined in the fray and Nettles broke Lee’s collarbone when they went down in the pile. Despite the incident, Nettles was not suspended and went on to lead the American League with 32 home runs.
AND NOT TO FORGET JIMMY…
Jim Nettles and his brother Graig became only the fourth set of brothers to homer in the same game in the AL on September 14, 1974 when Graig was with the Yankees and Jim was with Detroit. They rank fifth all-time among brother combinations in HR with 406. Jim saw his most action in 1972 with the Twins, hitting .204 in 235 at-bats with four HR and 15 RBI. He played in Japan and Mexico after his ML days ended, and later became a minor league manager.
Former Goldpanner helping to find future stars
Nettles’ tryout camp gives up-and-coming baseball players a place to show their skills to scouts
By Lew Freedman, Anchorage Daily News
Jim Nettles teaches baseball. Some people teach math, some people teach science, some people teach the ABCs. Nettles is into smooth swings and precise bunting and patience at the plate.
Oh, and he’s also into Alaska.
Nettles, 52, is a one-time player for the Alaska Goldpanners, one of the 167 going into this season who made it to the majors. In six years, playing mostly outfield with the Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, and Oakland A’s, his lifetime average was .200.
Nettles played for the Goldpanners in 1966 and 1967, and ever since he’s had a soft spot for the state.
Now operating Pacific Sports Center in Puyallup, Wash., where he offers baseball instructions, Nettles was a freshman at San Diego State when he was invited to join up with what was then the only summer collegiate team in the north. Of course, the Goldpanners had already established a reputation as one of the finest summer programs around. Begun in 1960, they advanced to the National Baseball Congress championship game in 1962 when nobody thought there was baseball in Alaska.
By the mid-1960s, the Goldpanners, already runner-up twice at the NBC, were becoming pretty well known, partially because of the performance of Nettles’ older brother, Graig, who went on to a stellar major-league career. Being invited to become a Goldpanner was something special, said the younger Nettles.
“It was wonderful,” he said. “I was the last guy picked on the team. It was, ‘We’ll take a chance on this guy.'”
In those days, Red Boucher, the team founder, was still manager. This was before Boucher, who became mayor of Fairbanks and lieutenant governor of Alaska, had really made his mark in politics.
As a field boss, said Nettles, Boucher was stern. He made it clear that he brooked little nonsense. Boucher said of himself in those days that he thought his role was to motivate and discipline young players.
Nettles remembers one scenario in particular. Players on their way to Fairbanks experienced plane trouble in Seattle. They got stuck and didn’t land until 10a.m., a day later than expected.
“We were up all night,” said Nettles.
Boucher set the tone for the season. He said, “You missed a whole night’s sleep, but you can catch up in September.”
When the Goldpanners played in the Midnight Sun Game in 1967 against a Japanese team called Kumagai-Gumi, it was quite dim and even home players agitated to turn on the lights. Boucher, said Nettles, lectured them not to be wimps. “It’s never happened in 100 years.”
Nettles still can’t get over the amazing talent he was surrounded by.
“Our whole pitching staff made it to the big leagues,” he said.
Which sound like blowing smoke as much as throwing smoke, but it’s true. From those two Fairbanks teams came pitchers Mike Adamson, Greg Garrett, Tom House, Bill Lee, Mike Paul, Don Rose, Jim Barr, Rich Hand and Brent Strom. Whew.
Now, through his center, Nettles is overseeing what he’s calling “a two-day tryout camp for advanced players of high school age and older,” Aug. 20-21. A game will be played at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, home of the Pacific Coast League Tacoma Rainiers. (Registration is available until Aug. 10 at 253-770-7526)
The idea, Nettles said, is to expose players who might not otherwise get notices — and he considers Alaskans to be prominent on that list — to pro scouts.
He is hoping for 200 players from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska to pay $150 for the right to participate. He’s not sure exactly which major-league clubs will be watching but said he has had talks with scouts from Cincinnati, Kansas City, San Diego and Toronto. Nettles said this is the first time trying the tryout camp.
Nettles said he’s used to seeing Alaskans turn up at his center for workouts and looks at this role for the camp as playing matchmaker between young players and the teams.
“Some kids come down to our facility every week,” he said.
Meanwhile, he still basks in Goldpanners memories and not very long ago even had dinner with Fairbanks general manager Don Dennis.
“It seemed like a different country,” Nettles said, “the people were so friendly there.”
Check back tomorrow as we unveil the latest ’23 TWENTY inductee.