Thursday was a sad day in the San Diego Padres community, as one of the greatest players to ever wear the uniform, Nate Colbert, passed away at the age of 76.
Born in St. Louis in 1946, Colbert made his Major League debut in 1966 with the Houston Astros.
The first baseman and outfielder did not appear in a Major League game in 1967 and appeared in just 20 games for Houston in 1968.
A year later, the Padres were officially founded, and Colbert was one of the original members of the team.
The slugger exceeded rookie limits in 1969 and played in San Diego until 1974.
On Twitter, the Padres released a statement regarding Colbert’s passing and offered their condolences to his family.
The San Diego Padres statement on Nate Colbert pic.twitter.com/5o6p56WZdd
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 6, 2023
Colbert’s best season with the Padres came in 1972.
That year, the Padres legend hit 38 home runs and drove in a career-high 111 runs.
After his time with the Padres, Colbert joined the Detroit Tigers.
The slugger was traded to the Montreal Expos midway through the season and stayed with the team until being traded to the Oakland Athletics the following season.
Colbert batted and threw right-handed.
Over his 10-year career, Colbert posted a 14.4 WAR, amassed a total of 833 hits, hit 173 home runs, and hit for a lifetime .243 average.
The Padres legend earned three All-Star selections over the course of his career.
Colbert will certainly be missed in San Diego.
As one of the original members of the team, he was quick to endear himself to the fans in San Diego, and will be remembered fondly.
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