Article:Player's from the Past: Nate Colbert

Born: April 9, 1946, St. Louis MO.



Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent in 1964. After two seasons in the Cardinals minor league system, Colbert was claimed by the Houston Astros in the Rule V draft. He made his major league debut a week after his 20th birthday, appearing as a pinch-runner in Houston's 4-2 victory over Don Sutton and the Los Angeles Dodgers in LA. Colbert appeared in an additional 18 games in 1966, going a cumulative 0-7. He spent the entire 1967 season playing for the Amarillo Sonics of the Texas League, where he led the league in homers and was named league MVP. Following another brief Major League stint (20 games) in 1968, Colbert was claimed by the new San Diego Padres in the National Leagueexpansion draft on October 14th, 1968.

Finally getting a chance to play as a regular, the now 23 year old led the hapless Padres (52-110) in homers with 24, and RBI's with 66. The following season, Colbert had the first of his three consecutive top ten finishes in homer, cracking 38 and driving in an additional 86. Over the next three seasons, (1971-1973), Colbert averaged 33 homers and 91 RBI's and making three All-Star appearances.

Back trouble began to take away Colbert's powerful righthanded swing in 1974, he hit just .207/14/54 in 119 games. Following the season, on November 18th, Colbert was involved in a three team trade, between the Padres, Detroit Tigers and the St.Louis Cardinals. He ended up in Detroit, where he hit .231/4/18 in 45 games. Sold to the Montreal Expos on June 15th, he went .230/4/11 in 38 games, and ended the season a disappointing .231/8/29 in 83 games.

With his back rendering his swing virtually non-existent, Colbert played just 16 games with the Expos in 1976 before being released on June 2. Signed by the Oakland Athletics, he played in just two games before going on the disabled list, where he remained for the rest of the season. As a 10 year veteran, Colbert was granted full free agency on November first, but was unable to pass a physical and sign with another team.

The 1972 season was undoubtedly Colbert's finest. He finished second in homers with 38, fourth in RBI's with 111, ninth in walks, tenth in runs, fifth in total bases and eighth in MVP voting. His 111 RBIs also set a Major Leaguerecord that still stands, driving in the highest percentage of his team's runs, (111 of 488, 22.7%). As was the case throughout his career with the Padres, he often was the only bright spot in an otherwise brutal lineup.

Colbert was the team's first real star, and while known primarily for his bat, was a solid defensive first baseman, leading the National League in assists in 1972 and 1973. Almost a mythical figure in the Padres inept lineup, Colbert  used a short, powerful swing to crush 163 homers in his six seasons in a what could be considered a true pitcher's park. Jack Murphy Stadium was built to house the National Football League's San Diego Chargers, and was built accordingly; raised walls above the playing field so to allow fans a full view of the action. In recent time, one could watch Padre's games on TV and notice an inside fence built in front of the wall surrounding the stands. A ball hit over the fence but not over the wall was a homerun, such was not the case in Colbert's era, a ball had to clear the high wall and leave the park, making his homer total significantly more impressive.

On May 2, 1954, an eight year old Nate Colbert attended the St. Louis Cardinals v. New York Giants doubleheader at Sportsman's Park. That day, young Nate and his dad witnessed the great Stan Musial as he hit five homers on the day. Upon leaving the park, Nate turned to his dad and said, "someday, I will do that, too." On August 1, 1972, in a doubleheader v. the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta, Nate Colbert did just that. In Game One, Colbert homered twice, a three run, first inning homer off Ron Schueler, and a seventh inning solo shot off Mike McQueen. Colbert also drove in a run with a third inning single, and finished the first half of his day 4-5, with three runs scored and five ribbies. But the best part of his day was yet to come. In Game Two], Colbert ripped a second inning grand slam off Cecil Upshaw, a two run homer off Jim Hardin in the seventh, and another two run homer in the ninth, this one off Pat Jarvis. His game two numbers were 3-4, four runs scored, three hits, all homers, and eight RBI's. For the day, he scored seven runs, had seven hits, was on base nine times, (two walks) and drove in a total of 13 runs. The five homers tied the immortal Musial, with the 13 RBI's a still standing record for one day. He victimized five different pitchers as the Padres swept the twin-bill, 9-0 and 11-7.

Following his career, Colbert returned to San Diego, where he reportedly became a minister. His name surfaced in an unfortunate story on September 17th, 2002. In an interview with former ABC sportscaster Jim Lampley, which appeared on the show, "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel," it was revealed Colbert had approached campers at a Padres Fantasy Camp about investing in a series of hitting videos he was putting together. Unfortunately, the videos were never made, with Colbert reportedly owing in excess of $140,000 in back taxes and from the money obtained from his investors. When questioned by Lampley, Colbert responded, "they'll all be paid back, when I get it." Colbert subsequently attempted to file bankruptcy, which the court denied. Colbert did make clear he was a victim as well, defrauded by the people who approached him to make the video, along with a companion hitting book and a series of personal appearances to promote the set.

Colbert was inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame in 1999, and was named to the 35th anniversary team in 2004, sharing first base honors with Steve Garvey. Colbert played his last game in a Padres uniform on October 2, 1974, and despite the 34 year span to today, he remains the Padres franchise homer leader with 163.

Padres Career Homerun Leaders

1) Nate Colbert, 163 2) Phil Nevin, 156 3) Dave Winfield, 154 4) Tony Gwynn, 135 5) Ryan Klesko, 133

Colbert's .469 slugging percentage is also the highest in Padres history, and he ranks in the top ten in doubles, hits, runs, at bats, games, RBI's, total bases, walks and strikeouts. For his career, Colbert averaged a homerun every 19.8 at bats, a total lower than Jim Rice, Miguel Tejada, and Hall of Famers Dave Winfield, and, yes, Stan Musial. With a long, healthy career of some of the other well known hitters of the era, he could have easily found himself with a total approaching 400, and with the Padres eventually moving the fences in at The Murf, possibly closer to the magic 500 mark. But, one can only speculate, things are what they are. But to remain at or near the top on many offensive lists, 34 years after playing your last game, shows proof that, if nothing else, Nate Colbert is well deserving of his status as an all-time San Diego Padres legend.

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