slang term for testicles or male gonads. Others include nuts, bollocks, doodads, dangly bits, equipment.

Testicles; hence, a symbol for manliness; courage; nerve. "It takes balls to heel (assault) a screw (guard) in that stir (prison)."

- american underworld lingo - 1950
Title of a nonfiction book, released in 1984, written by third baseman Graig Nettles with Peter Golenbock.

Chapters alternate between detailing Nettles' whole career and focusing on the 1983 New York Yankees team of which Nettles was a member.

"Balls" provides an inside look at the chaos of Yankees teams under owner George Steinbrenner and as such, was controversial at the time.

"Balls" might be the only book to get a player traded. Steinbrenner didn't take kindly to the nature of the book and traded Nettles in 1984 to the San Diego Padres.

The book's a good read and provides insights similar to other books by Golenbock and others about the Yankees.

As for the title of the book, as explained in the introduction, "Someone once said that you have to have balls to play in New York and excel. He might have added, if you play for the Yankees, they better be big and brassy".

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