This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/10/2010
Having reached the end of an illustrious career, Warren Spahn retired from baseball after the 1965 season, finishing with 363 career victories and earning a reputation as arguably the greatest left-handed pitcher ever to play the game. With Spahn’s departure, the torch was passed to Dodgers ace Sandy Koufax. Leading the National League in ERA for five consecutive seasons, and winning at least 25 games in three of his last four campaigns, it appeared that Koufax would be the next left-handed pitching legend, maybe even greater than Spahn. But severe arthritis would send Koufax into premature retirement at the prime of his career, seemingly without another pitcher to fill the void. However, as Koufax was saying his farewell to baseball in Los Angeles, a new southpaw was on the rise in St. Louis, a 20-year old kid named Steve Carlton. Carlton wasn’t an overpowering pitcher, but mixed a solid fastball in with his deadliest weapon; the slider. More often than not, hitters would end up swinging at pitches that ended up closer to their ankles than the strike zone, and Carlton piled up strikeout totals, leading the NL five times in the category. Carlton so dominated the mound, he became known simply as “Lefty”. In 1972, as a member of the Phillies, Carlton won 27 games, accounting for almost half of the team’s total wins, while leading the league in ERA (1.97), and strikeouts (310), and won the Cy Young Award by unanimous vote. Over his 24-year career, Carlton had six 20-win seasons and was the first pitcher ever to win four Cy Young Awards. He ranks #11 all-time in wins (323) and #4 in career strikeouts (4,136).
Presented is a game-used jersey from the National League Champion 1968 St. Louis Cardinals team, purported to have been worn by Steve Carlton on his rise to stardom. On the front is the appropriate Rawlings size 46 label, accompanied by a washing instructions label and “Set 1 1968” flag. While excellent game use is evident, no nameplate appears on the reverse, and the number “32” on the front and back have been re-sewn in a blue single stitch. LOA from Mile High Card Co.