Steve Carlton, Baseball Player
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It was a milestone that very few pitchers achieved and at that time assured you of election to the Hall of Fame.
I never think about who I'm facing; all I think about is winning.
Steve Carlton
Carlton was not your normal guy. Communicating with him was not always easy. On the mound, he would tune out all distractions. Off the mound, he did the same. If he considered you the distraction, he'd direct at you an icy stare. Teammates considered him to be a recluse. He hated to sign autographs. He refused to talk to reporters for long stretches at a time. He was devoted to the martial arts. He studied Far East religions. He was a wine connoisseur. He pissed people off with his stand-offishness and arrogance. Carlton was also the finest left handed pitcher of his generation. In a career that would last twenty-four years, he would win 329 games, ninth all-time, with an ERA of 3.22. His 4,136 strikeouts were second all-time only to Nolan Ryan. Unfortunately, most of his career was not spent in St. Louis but rather in Philadelphia.
Peter Golenbock, The Spirit of St. Louis
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"Lefty was a craftsman, an artist. He was a perfectionist. He painted a ballgame. Stroke, stroke, stroke, and when he got through (pitching a game) it was a masterpiece." - Richie Ashburn
Still lean and looking a young 60, Lefty remains one of a kind. Now living in Durango, Colo., Carlton spends a lot of his time keeping his body and mind in tiptop shape, especially his mind. "I read books," Carlton said. "You've gotta find a way to get out of your own way, so you can progress in life."
A ten-time All-Star, Carlton led the league in many pitching categories. He struck out 4,136 batters in his career, then a record for a lefthanded pitcher (since surpassed by Randy Johnson), and holds many other records for lefthanded pitchers and Phillies pitchers. His 329 career wins are the ninth most in baseball history, and rank second to Warren Spahn's 363 among both lefthanders and pitchers of the live-ball era.
A four-time Cy Young winner, Carlton anchored the Phillies staff for 14 seasons, winning twenty games five times. He briefly held the all-time strikeout record as he and Nolan Ryan sparred in the early 1980's. A private man who never talked to the press, Carlton pioneered the use of physical fitness in pitching performance.
Steve Carlton was an extremely focused competitor with complete dedication to excellence. He thrived on the mound by physically and mentally challenging himself off the field. His out-pitch, a hard, biting slider complemented a great fastball. He won 329 games, second only to Warren Spahn among lefties, and his 4,136 strikeouts are exceeded only by Nolan Ryan. "Lefty" once notched 19 strikeouts in a game, compiled six 20-win seasons, and was the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards.
National Baseball Hall of Fame
He finished his career with 329 victories, second among lefties only to the great Warren Spahn. He finished with 4,136 strikeouts, while no other lefty ever reached 3,000. He started more games than any lefthander, pitched more innings than any but Spahn, and had a record six one-hit games. He never got the no-hitter that seemed his birthright.
Some Dads and coaches have asked me for training tips for younger players. I think they should focus on building arm strength. I'd like to see a lot of long toss. I didn't start playing organized baseball until I was twelve and the reason I could throw hard was that I was always throwing rocks at things. Building arm strength and throwing a lot will help kids develop velocity and the mechanics to avoid injury later.
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