Steve Carlton

Steve Carlton, born on December 22, 1944, is a celebrated American former professional baseball player renowned for his exceptional skills as a left-handed pitcher. His illustrious career spanned from 1965 to 1988, during which he showcased his talents with six different teams, most notably the Philadelphia Phillies. Carlton's remarkable achievements include winning four Cy Young Awards and leading the Phillies to victory in the 1980 World Series.

Affectionately nicknamed 'Lefty', Carlton ranks among the elite in baseball history, holding the second-most lifetime strikeouts for a left-handed pitcher and the second-most lifetime wins in the same category. He made history as the first pitcher to secure four Cy Young Awards throughout his career, a testament to his dominance on the mound.

One of Carlton's most impressive feats occurred in 1972 when he accounted for nearly half of his team's wins, achieving twenty-seven victories for the last-place Phillies. This remarkable performance solidified his status as the last National League pitcher to win twenty-five or more games in a single season and the last pitcher overall to throw more than three hundred innings in a season.

In addition to his numerous accolades, Carlton holds the record for the most career balks by any pitcher, with ninety, a figure that is double that of the second-place holder, Bob Welch. His legacy in baseball was further cemented when he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994, marking a significant milestone in his storied career.