Munson and Nettles Refused to Play for a Reason Similar to Jorge Posada's

Jorge Posada refused to play against the Boston Red Sox when he learned that he was batting ninth. Originally claiming that he had a tight back, Posada eventually admitted that he had used the tight back as an excuse to not play. He apologized.

A New York Yankees catcher who was greater than Posada did virtually the same thing on Apr. 15, 1978

Sparky Lyle related in The Bronx Zoo that the Yankees fined him, Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles, Roy White and Mickey Rivers $500 each for missing a charity luncheon.

Munson and Nettles were so angry about the fine, which today seems minor, that according to Lyle, "They refused to play against the White Sox today."

Billy Martin’s lineup had Munson catching and Nettles playing third base according to the Newsday story of the 1978 game against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium.

Nettles claimed that he had the flu but the next day admitted that he was merely upset by the fine. Munson didn’t talk but reporters knew that his right knee was bothering him, a problem that usually didn’t prevent him from playing.

In May, 2011 Newsday spoke with Nettles, Lyle, Al Rosen, who was the Yankees president in 1978 and author Marty Appel, who wrote Munson’s biography. None disputed the basic facts.

Lyle told Newsday "Every day there was something. Whatever they did I guess was something they felt they had to do.

“I know it was in my book. I haven't read that book since '78 and I vaguely remember that. But I really couldn't tell you what the hell that was about now."

Nettles was a little more vague.

"If I did, that was a silly thing to do, to sit out a game for a reason like that, but I can honestly tell you I don't remember it. If I did, that was a stupid thing to do."

Appel began with a disclaimer but wouldn’t question Lyle’s account.

"It's hard to imagine they pulled essentially a one-day strike. They were really such gamers." He then added, "If that's what Sparky wrote, I have no reason to doubt Sparky."

In 1978 Newsday’s Bill Nack had laced into the players, writing that Munson and Nettles were malingerers and goldbrickers. He referred to Munson as baseball’s most miserable millionaire.

Rosen softened his position by saying that he didn’t believe that Munson and Nettles would sit out a game because of hard feelings toward the Yankees, but added,

"It was upsetting to management, obviously," Rosen said. "I think I'd be upset today if I was still active because it's one thing to be upset. It's another thing to not do what you're paid to do."

It has been speculated that the reason George Steinbrenner didn’t get involved was because Munson was one of his favorites.

Munson and Nettles both played the next day.