[Nettles bat "exploded" in '74 at Shea - the Yankees home for 74-75 - in the second game of a double header ... he hit a homer in the first game, which the Yankees lost anyway].

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Wow. That early?
For some reason I vividly recall watching Walt Williams, Jim Mason and someone I can't recall (maybe Bill Sudaikis) playing catch before batting practice along the first baseline that year at Shea. There was no one else on the field. I was wondering where in hell all the REAL Yankeees were. Then No Neck lightly tossed a ball into the stands over our heads there along the fence. And then another. Kid chaos of course ensued. He and Mason laughed and walked back to the dugout.

Walt looked just like this. Hell, maybe it was the same day.