Steve Carlton

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Lore & Background

Carlton's most remarkable achievement occurred in 1972, his first season with Philadelphia. Despite the Phillies finishing with a dismal 59–97 record, Carlton led the league in wins (27), complete games (30), strikeouts (310), and ERA (1.97). He became the first pitcher on a last-place team to win the Cy Young Award, accounting for 46% of his team's total victories that year. His performance included a 15-game winning streak where he allowed only 27 earned runs in 135 innings. Carlton attributed this dominance to a grueling training regimen involving Eastern martial arts techniques, specifically twisting his fist at the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket of rice. He finished with a 27–10 record, proving that individual excellence could transcend team failure.

In Their Own Story

The relationship between Carlton and the Philadelphia media turned acrimonious after he slumped to a 13–20 record in 1973. Following his lawyer's advice, he severed all ties with the press in 1976, refusing to answer questions for the remainder of his career. The silence was so profound that during the early 1980s, a reporter noted, "The two best pitchers in the National League don't speak English: Fernando Valenzuela and Steve Carlton." On one occasion, while unknowingly on live air, he hurled a sponsor's watch at a commentator's head. Despite this frosty exterior, teammate Larry Bowa recalled that fans missed seeing the man inside the clubhouse, noting, "He put up a mask when the writers came in... He was very consistent with the writers. He didn't talk to any of them." Carlton later reflected that his silence allowed him to concentrate better and ironically led to better writing by the media.

Reader's Guide

Fans can trace Carlton's legacy through specific statistical milestones preserved in history. He is the last National League pitcher to win 25 or more games in a single season (1972) and the last of any team to pitch over 300 innings in one year (also 1972). His dominance extended to strikeouts; he held the lifetime record several times between 1982 and 1984 before Nolan Ryan passed him. On September 15, 1969, while with the St. Louis Cardinals, he struck out 19 New York Mets in a single game, setting a modern-day record at that time. While known for his slider, which commentators called "basically unhittable" during his 1972 streak, his longevity is evidenced by being the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards.

Did You Know?

• Carlton accounted for 46% of his team's total wins during the last-place 1972 Phillies season.
• He holds the all-time record for career balks with 90.
• During a 15-game winning streak in 1972, Carlton allowed only 27 earned runs in 135 innings.
• On September 15, 1969, he struck out 19 New York Mets, setting the modern-day record at that time for strikeouts in a nine-inning game.
• Carlton refused to speak with the media from 1974 through the end of his career, leading reporters to joke he and Fernando Valenzuela were the only top NL pitchers who didn't speak English.

The Rise of Lefty: Early Years and St. Louis Dominance

Carlton was born and raised in Miami, Florida, the only son of Joe and Anne Carlton. As a teenager, he studied Eastern philosophy under Paramahansa Yogananda. He attended North Miami High School, where he played both baseball and basketball before quitting the latter as a senior to focus on pitching. In 1963, while at Miami Dade College North, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals for a $5,000 bonus. After a strong minor league debut in 1964 (15–6, 2.22 ERA), he debuted in the majors in 1965. By 1967, he was a rotation regular, helping the Cardinals reach the World Series twice (1967 and 1968). In 1969, he posted a 17–11 record with a 2.17 ERA and struck out 19 Mets in one game. A salary dispute with owner Gussie Busch led to him holding out for spring training in 1970.

The Lopsided Trade: A Career-Defining Move

On February 26, 1972, the Cardinals traded Carlton to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitcher Rick Wise following a salary dispute where Carlton sought $50,000 against an offer of $31,000. At the time, Carlton had 77 career wins compared to Wise's 75. Catcher Tim McCarver described it as "a real good one for a real good one." However, while Wise won 188 career games over his remaining 11 years, Carlton went on to win 329. The trade is widely considered one of the worst in Cardinals history and one of the most lopsided in baseball history.

Unprecedented Dominance: Records and the 1972 Season

In 1972, Carlton led the league with 27 wins, 30 complete games, 310 strikeouts, and a 1.97 ERA, despite his team finishing last (59–97). He won the Hickok Belt as the top professional athlete of the year and became the first pitcher on a last-place squad to win the Cy Young Award. His winning percentage accounted for nearly half (46%) of the Phillies' victories, a modern record. He was also the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards in his career (1972, 1977, 1980, 1982). He held the lifetime strikeout record from 1982 to 1984 before Nolan Ryan surpassed him.

Legacy and Hall of Fame Induction

Carlton played for six teams between 1965 and 1988, most notably the Phillies, with whom he won the 1980 World Series. He holds the second-most lifetime wins (11th overall) and strikeouts (4th overall) among left-handed pitchers. He is the last pitcher to throw more than 300 innings in a season and the last National League pitcher to win 25+ games in a year. His career also includes a record 90 balks, double that of the second-place holder, Bob Welch. Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994 on his first ballot, he ended his career having refused to speak with the media since 1976.