The next card in my "Nicknames of the '70s" sub-set is a 1973 specimen of "Lefty" Steve Carlton.
Check it out:
I used the 1973 format because, although already an effective
pitcher before he landed in Philadelphia in 1972, Carlton exploded onto
the baseball superstar scene when he posted a 27-10 record with 310
strikeouts and a 1.97 earned run average, winning
the pitching Triple Crown, all for a last place team!
From then on he just pitched himself straight to the Hall of Fame,
winning 329 lifetime games, with 55 shutouts, a 3.22 E.R.A. and 4146
strikeouts.
He was also named to 10 all-star teams and was the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards: 1972, 1977, 1980 and 1982.
Throw in six 20-win seasons, eight sub-2.00 E.R.A. seasons, and
eight 200+ strikeout seasons, and you see why he was named on 436 of 456
ballots when Cooperstown came calling.
"Lefty", a perfect addition to "Lefty" Grove and "Lefty" Gomez.
