AUGUST 1, 1972 | ATLANTA, GEORGIA – Eight-year old Nathan Colbert was in awe when he saw his favorite player, Stan Musial, hit five home runs in a double-header in 1954. Little did the St. Louis native and Cardinal fan know he would inspire the same awe eighteen years later. Today in baseball (1972) Nate Colbert of the San Diego Padres tied Musial’s record by hitting five home runs in a double-header sweep of the Atlanta Braves, 9-0 and 11-7. Colbert hit two home runs in the opener and three in the second game, driving in a total of 13 runs.
The best of Colbert’s ten years in the majors was 1976; 38 HRs, 111 RBI, and though his batting average was a modest .250, his slugging percentage was .508. His abilities diminished rather quickly. His HR/RBI stats fell to 22/80 in 1973, 14/54 in 1974, 8/29 in 1975 and he was out of baseball by 1977. He remains in the record books, however, alongside is childhood hero Stan Musial.
CONTRIBUTING SOURCES
Associated Press, August 3, 1972