On the blog today, taking a closer look at my "missing" 1966 card for Hall of Fame lefty Steve Carlton, who was just about to embark on an incredible Big League career that would have him standing shoulder to shoulder with All-Time greats by the time he was done, from my "Whole Nine" card set released last year:
Carlton made
his major League debut during the 1965 season, appearing in 15 games,
with two of those starts, not factoring in a decision while pitching to a
2.52 earned run average as a 20-year-old.
In 1966 it would be
more of the same, as he'd appear in only nine games, going 3-3 with a
3.12 ERA in 52 innings of work, striking out 25 while walking 18, also
tossing the first shutout of his young Big League tenure.
1967
would see him begin his next level of play, as he'd go 14-9 with a 2.98
ERA over 30 appearances and 193 innings, with two shutouts and 168
strikeouts, helping the St. Louis Cardinals win it all, their second
championship in three years.
For Carlton, all he did the rest of the way was top 300 wins, 4000 strikeouts, 50 shutouts and 700 starts in his 24 year career!
The first guy to take home four Cy Young Awards, he led his league
in wins four times, strikeouts five times, E.R.A. once and was named to
ten all-star teams.
Needless to say, by the time he was eligible for the Hall of Fame,
he was in on his first try, getting named to 436 of 456 ballots.
Sure we already had "Lefty" Grove, and "Lefty" Gomez, but Carlton
was more than worthy of the same nickname for all of his
accomplishments.
