View source for Nate Colbert

{{Short description|American baseball player (1946–2023)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name = Nate Colbert
| image = Nate Colbert Padres.jpg
| caption = Colbert as a coach with the [[San Diego Padres]] in 1983
| position = [[First baseman]]
| bats = Right
| throws = Right
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1946|04|09}}
| birth_place = [[St. Louis]], Missouri, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|01|05|1946|04|09}}
| death_place = [[Las Vegas]], Nevada<!-- DO NOT LINK, see [[MOS:GEOLINK]] for further guidance -->, U.S.
| debutleague = MLB
| debutdate = April 14
| debutyear = 1966
| debutteam = Houston Astros
| finalleague = MLB
| finaldate = October 1
| finalyear = 1976
| finalteam = Oakland Athletics
| statleague = MLB
| stat1label = [[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
| stat1value = .243
| stat2label = [[Home run]]s
| stat2value = 173
| stat3label = [[Runs batted in]]
| stat3value = 520
| teams =
* [[Houston Astros]] ({{mlby|1966}}, {{mlby|1968}})
* [[San Diego Padres]] ({{mlby|1969}}–{{mlby|1974}})
* [[Detroit Tigers]] ({{mlby|1975}})
* [[Montreal Expos]] ({{mlby|1975}}–{{mlby|1976}})
* [[Oakland Athletics]] ({{mlby|1976}})
| highlights =
* 3× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1971 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1971]]–[[1973 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1973]])
* [[San Diego Padres Hall of Fame]]
}}

'''Nathan Colbert Jr.''' (April 9, 1946 – January 5, 2023) was an American professional [[baseball]] player. He played in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) as a [[first baseman]] from 1966 to 1976, most prominently as a member of the newly formed [[San Diego Padres]], who joined the league as an [[1969 Major League Baseball expansion|expansion team in 1969]]. He was among the inaugural inductees into the [[San Diego Padres Hall of Fame|Padres Hall of Fame]].

Colbert played six seasons with San Diego from 1969 to 1974, earning all three of his [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] selections and becoming the first star player for the young franchise. He held the Padres' career record for [[home run]]s (163) until 2024, and ranks among the Padres' top 10 in numerous other offensive categories.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SDP/leaders_bat.shtml |title=San Diego Padres Top 10 Career Batting Leaders |publisher=baseball-reference.com |access-date=August 15, 2021}}</ref> Colbert also played for the [[Houston Astros]], [[Detroit Tigers]], [[Montreal Expos]], and the [[Oakland Athletics]]. After a back injury prematurely ended his playing career after just 10 seasons,<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project">{{cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/nate-colbert/|title=The Baseball Biography Project: Nate Colbert|last=Wolf|first=Gregory|publisher=Society for American Baseball Research|access-date=August 15, 2021}}</ref> he became a [[Coach (baseball)|coach]] and [[Manager (baseball)|manager]] in the [[Minor league baseball|minor leagues]].

== Early life ==
Colbert was born on April 9, 1946, in [[St. Louis, Missouri]].<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/> His father, Nate Sr., played [[semi-professional sports|semi-professional]] baseball as a [[catcher]] and occasional [[pitcher]] in the [[Negro leagues]];<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/> he caught for [[Satchel Paige]].<ref name=cardcorner/> When he was eight, Colbert attended a [[doubleheader (baseball)|doubleheader]] at [[Sportsman's Park|Busch Stadium]] (formerly Sportsman's Park) on May 2, 1954, in which [[Stan Musial]] of the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] set [[MLB]] single-day records with five [[home run]]s, starting with three homers in Game 1, and 21 [[total bases]].<ref name=norcross_06251993>{{cite web|first=Don|last=Norcross|title=A 5-HR day eased pain for Colbert|date=June 25, 1993|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|page=PAGE-5|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/news/116C417427120630?search_terms|url-access=subscription|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref><ref name=gould_01062023/> Colbert graduated from [[Sumner High School (St. Louis)|Sumner High School]], which was about a five-minute drive from Busch Stadium.<ref name=gould_01062023/>

== Professional career ==
Colbert was signed by his hometown Cardinals as an amateur [[free agent]] in 1964. There was no [[MLB draft]] until 1965, allowing him to sign with the team of his choosing. He declined 16 major league bonus offers and 30 [[athletic scholarship|college scholarships]] to sign with St. Louis.<ref name=wolf_06211989/> He had always wanted to play for the same team as his boyhood hero, Musial.<ref name=cardcorner>{{cite web|first=Bruce|last=Markusen|title=#CARDCORNER: 1969 TOPPS NATE COLBERT|publisher=National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|url=https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/card-corner/nate-colbert|access-date=January 7, 2023}}</ref> The [[Houston Astros]] selected Colbert in the [[Rule 5 draft]] in 1965, and he made his MLB debut with the Astros in [[1966 Houston Astros season|1966]]. He also played for the Astros in [[1968 Houston Astros season|1968]] before being selected by the [[San Diego Padres]] in the [[1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft|1968 expansion draft]].<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/>

Throughout his career with the Padres from 1969 to 1974, he was a standout player and their biggest star as they finished in last place in the six-team [[National League West|National League (NL) West]] in each of their first six seasons, averaging 101 losses per season and concluding each year from {{frac|28|1|2}} to 42 [[games behind]] the division leader.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Thorn|first1=John|last2=Palmer|first2=Pete|last3=Gershman|first3=Michael|title=Total Baseball|  page=56|year=1995|publisher=Viking|url=https://archive.org/details/totalbaseball0000unse_j5d7/page/56/mode/1up?view=theater|isbn=0670860999|via=[[Internet Archive]]|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref><ref name=sanders_04242020>{{cite web|first=Jeff|last=Sanders|title=Padres history (April 24): Nate Colbert starts slugging away|date=April 24, 2020|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2020-04-24/padres-history-april-24-nate-colbert-first-career-home-run|access-date=January 7, 2023}}</ref> In [[1969 San Diego Padres season|1969]], the Padres' inaugural season and Colbert's first full season in the big leagues, San Diego began the season with [[Bill Davis (baseball)|Bill Davis]] at [[first base]], and Colbert [[Starting lineup|started]] only four of the first 15 games.<ref name=sanders_04242020/> However, Davis was traded midseason,<ref name=sanders_04242020/> and Colbert ended the season with a team-leading 24 [[home run]]s with 66 [[runs batted in]] (RBIs) and a .255 [[batting average]].<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Nate Colbert|work=Baseball Reference|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colbena01.shtml|access-date=January 7, 2023}}</ref> His home runs led all MLB rookies that season. He hit 38 home runs in [[1970 San Diego Padres season|1970]], tying him for fifth with [[Hank Aaron]] in the NL. [[1971 San Diego Padres season|The next year]], Colbert was named to his first [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]].<ref name=posnanski_03292021/> He led the Padres in home runs (27) and RBIs (84),<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/> and improved his batting average for the third straight season, hitting .264 after batting .259 in 1970.<ref>{{cite web|title=24 Padres signed; Ivie's bat speaks|date=February 17, 1972|work=Evening Tribune|page=C-2|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:136E6CB81C5E443C@NGPA-CASD-185918B1CE5ADEB5@2441365-185753FD96CB7195@37-185753FD96CB7195@?search_terms|url-access=subscription|access-date=January 7, 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Nate Colbert 1972.jpeg|thumb|upright|Colbert tied his career high with 38 [[home run]]s in 1972.]]
Colbert's best day in the majors was August 1, 1972, when he hit five home runs—matching Musial's record from 1954—and drove in 13 runs in a doubleheader, breaking the record of 11 RBIs,<ref name=center_07101999>{{cite news|first=Bill|last=Center|title=Padres Hall of Fame – Jones was club's first box-office draw|date=July 10, 1999|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|page=D-8|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/news/116D2FBCD7B54F18?search_terms|url-access=subscription|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref>{{efn|[[Mark Whiten]] of St. Louis tied Colbert with 13 RBIs in a doubleheader against the [[Cincinnati Reds]] in 1993.<ref>{{cite web|title=Whiten (as in Hittin')|date=September 8, 1993|work=Los Angeles Times|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-09-08-sp-32936-story.html|access-date=January 7, 2023}}</ref>}} set previously by [[Earl Averill]] (1930), [[Jim Tabor]] (1939), and [[Boog Powell]] (1966).<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/> Colbert's 22 total bases also broke another doubleheader record by Musial.<ref name=norcross_06251993/><ref name=gould_01062023/> This helped the Padres sweep the [[Atlanta Braves]], 9–0 and 11–7.<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/> Colbert hit 38 homers in [[1972 San Diego Padres season|1972]], matching his total from 1970,<ref name=norcross_06251993/> and batted .250 with a .508 [[slugging percentage]] and 111 RBIs, helping him finish eighth in voting for the [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|NL Most Valuable Player Award]].<ref name=posnanski_03292021>{{cite web|first=Joe |last=Posnanski|title=Letters From Spring: With Fernando Tatis Jr., the Padres are dreaming the biggest dreams|date=March 29, 2021|work=The Athletic|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2482298/2021/03/29/letters-from-spring-san-diego-padres-fernando-tatis-jr/|url-access=subscription|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Kevin|last=Acee|title=Padres by the numbers (17–24): Gwynn, Caminiti and what happened with No. 20|date=May 26, 2020|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2020-05-26/padres-by-numbers-tony-gwynn-adrian-gonzalez-phil-nevin-greg-vaughn|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref> He finished second only to the [[Cincinnati Reds]]' [[Johnny Bench]] (40) in home runs that year.<ref name=sdut_08022012>{{cite web|title=Colbert set history 40 years ago|date=August 2, 2012|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/sdut-colbert-set-history-40-years-ago-2012aug02-story.html|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref> Colbert's RBIs also set a major-league record for driving in the highest percentage of his team's runs (22.75%). None of his teammates had as many as 50 that year, as the team scored a league-worst 3.19 runs per game.<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/><ref name=cardcorner/> He was selected to the [[1972 MLB All-Star Game]], and scored the winning run in the tenth inning. In [[1973 San Diego Padres season|1973]], he had career-highs in batting average (.270) and [[on-base percentage]] (.343), while dropping to 22 home runs and 80 RBIs.<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/><ref name=cardcorner/> It was his final productive season.<ref name=cardcorner/> In the five seasons from 1969 to 1973, he averaged 30 home runs and 85 RBIs.<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/>

After three All-Star seasons at first base from 1971 to 1973, San Diego moved Colbert to [[left field]] after acquiring [[Willie McCovey]] in [[1974 San Diego Padres season|1974]].<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/> Colbert had agreed to the acquisition, and was also willing to move in the [[batting order (baseball)|batting order]] from the [[cleanup position]] to fifth to accommodate McCovey. Colbert struggled that season, shuffling between left field and first base while dealing with nagging injuries.<ref>{{cite web|first=Gary|last=Belleville|title=August 2, 1975: Expos stun Phillies on Nate Colbert's pinch-hit, walk-off homer|publisher=Society for American Baseball Research|url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/august-2-1975-expos-stun-phillies-on-nate-colberts-pinch-hit-walk-off-homer/|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref> He began having problems with his back, suffering from a [[congenital condition]] caused by degeneration of his [[vertebrae]].<ref name=cardcorner/> After his batting average fell to .207, the Padres traded Colbert to the [[Detroit Tigers]] for [[Ed Brinkman]], [[Bob Strampe]], and [[Dick Sharon]] in a three-team deal on November 18, 1974, that involved Brinkman also being sent to the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] for [[Sonny Siebert]], [[Alan Foster (baseball)|Alan Foster]], and [[Rich Folkers]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1974/11/19/archives/colbert-traded-in-3team-deal.html "Colbert Traded In 3‐Team Deal," ''United Press International'' (UPI), Monday, November 18, 1974.] Retrieved October 21, 2020</ref> [[Danny Breeden]] went from the Padres to the Cardinals to subsequently complete the transactions. After batting .147 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 45 games, the Tigers sold Colbert's contract to the [[Montreal Expos]] on June 15, 1975.<ref>{{cite web | title=A's Obtain Bahnsen on Deadline | website=The New York Times | date=1975-06-17 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/06/17/archives/as-obtain-bahnsen-on-deadline.html | access-date=2025-05-03}}</ref> He spent much of 1976 in the minor leagues before resurfacing very briefly with the [[Oakland Athletics]] at the end of the season. He attended [[spring training]] with the expansion [[Toronto Blue Jays]] in 1977, but back problems forced his retirement at 30.<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/><ref name=wolf_06211989>{{cite web|first=Bob|last=Wolf|title=Aug. 1, 1972, Was Nate's Great Day : Padres' Colbert Made History With Five Homers in Doubleheader|date=June 21, 1989|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-06-21-sp-2508-story.html|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref>

Colbert was the first star for the Padres and remained the franchise's career home run leader (163) until 2024,<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/><ref name=cardcorner/> when it was broken by [[Manny Machado]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Machado breaks Padres HR record that lasted half a century|url=https://www.mlb.com/padres/news/manny-machado-breaks-padres-career-home-run-record|access-date=September 11, 2024|website=mlb.com|date=September 10, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Colbert also ranks among the top-10 in club history in RBIs (481), slugging percentage (.469), games played (866), [[Run (baseball)|runs]] scored (442) and [[base on balls]] (350). He was inducted as part of the inaugural class of the [[San Diego Padres Hall of Fame]] in 1999.<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/><ref name=center_07101999/><ref name=sanders_01052023/><ref name="San Diego Padres Hall of Fame">{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/padres/history/padres-hall-of-fame |title=San Diego Padres Hall of Fame |work=mlb.com |access-date=15 August 2021}}</ref>

In 10 seasons covering 1,004 games, Colbert compiled a .243 average, 173 home runs, and 520 RBIs.<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/> He played on nine consecutive last-place teams from 1968 to 1976.<ref>{{cite web|first=Patrick|last=Dubuque|title=The Ironic Jersey Omnibus Lives|date=June 22, 2015|work=the Hardball Times|url=https://tht.fangraphs.com/the-ironic-jersey-omnibus-lives/|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Michael J.|last=Clark|title=The Padres First Power Hitter, Nate Colbert|date=October 12, 2016|work=East Village Times|url=https://www.eastvillagetimes.com/padres-first-power-hitter-nate-colbert/|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref>

== Later life ==
After his playing career, Colbert spent several years as a [[hitting instructor]] for the Padres during [[spring training]]. He later coached for them in the [[Minor league baseball|minor leagues]], serving as a hitting coach with the [[Wichita Pilots]] ([[Double-A (baseball)|AA]]) and a [[first base coach]] for the [[Riverside Red Wave]] ([[Class A (baseball)|A]]) from 1987 to 1990.<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/><ref name=wolf_06211989/><ref>{{cite web|first=Wayne|last=Lockwood|title=Wayne Lockwood|date=June 11, 1988|work=The San Diego Union|page=C-1|url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/doc/news/11790056CD2D7C63?search_terms|url-access=subscription|access-date=January 7, 2023|quote='In spring training, it was kind of scary because we didn't know how good we were going to be,' said Colbert, now a hitting coach in the San Diego organization at Wichita.}}</ref> He also became an ordained minister after graduating from St. Louis Baptist College (now [[Missouri Baptist University]]), and worked with disadvantaged youths.<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/><ref name=wolf_06211989/> In 1991, Colbert pled guilty to committing fraud on bank loan documents,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1991/09/18/former-padres-star-colbert-sentenced-for-lying-to-banks/|title=Former Padres star Colbert sentenced for lying to banks|work=Tampa Bay Times|date=September 18, 1991|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref> and he served a six-month sentence at [[United States Penitentiary, Lompoc|a medium-security penitentiary]] in [[Lompoc, California]].<ref name="Nate Colbert at The Baseball Biography Project"/><ref name=norcross_06251993/><ref>{{cite web|first=Paul|last=McLeod|title=Basketball Shooting Star Sets Her Sights at the Court's Outer Limits|date=January 30, 1992|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-30-hl-1410-story.html|access-date=January 7, 2023}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Colbert met his wife, Kasey, while playing with Oakland. They had nine children together.<ref name=cardcorner/> He died on January 5, 2023, in [[Las Vegas]], Nevada<!-- DO NOT LINK, see [[MOS:GEOLINK]] for further guidance -->, at the age of 76.<ref name=gould_01062023>{{cite web|access-date=January 6, 2023|date=January 6, 2023|first=Derrick|last=Gould|title=St. Louis native Nate Colbert, Padres slugger who matched Musial's feat, dies at 76|url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/st-louis-native-nate-colbert-padres-slugger-who-matched-musials-feat-dies-at-76/article_7daeb4ca-11ff-51e4-9215-e3a39062e540.html|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch}}</ref><ref name=sanders_01052023>{{cite web|first=Jeff|last=Sanders|title=Padres franchise home run leader Nate Colbert dies at 76|date=January 5, 2023|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2023-01-05/padres-franchise-home-run-leader-nate-colbert-dead-at-76|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=AJ |last1=Cassavell |title=Nate Colbert, Padres' all-time HR leader, dies at 76 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/nate-colbert-dies |access-date=January 6, 2023 |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=January 5, 2023}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of San Diego Padres team records]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
{{Baseballstats|mlb=112458|espn=20270|br=c/colbena01|fangraphs=1002407|brm=colber001nat|retro=C/Pcolbn101}}

{{Texas League Player of the Year}}
{{San Diego Padres Hall of Fame}}

{{Portal bar|Biography|Baseball}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colbert, Nate}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:Amarillo Sonics players]]
[[Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada]]
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[[Category:Florida Instructional League Cardinals players]]
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[[Category:American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball first basemen]]
[[Category:Montreal Expos players]]
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[[Category:San Diego Padres players]]
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[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
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