Steve Carlton
| Birthdate | 12/22/1944 |
| Death Date | |
| Debut Year | 1965 |
| Year of Induction | 1994 |
| Teams | Phillies |
| Position | Pitcher |
Steve Carlton’s 1972 season was one for the ages; his 27 wins for the last-place Philadelphia Phillies accounted for 46% of their 59 wins that season.
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March 17, 1965 contract to appear on Fleer baseball cards
March 17, 1965 contract to appear on Fleer baseball cards
Steve Carlton signed this contract to appear on Fleer baseball cards for the 1965 season. The cards were never produced. At the time the contract was executed, the 20-year old Carlton had yet to throw his first Major League pitch. During his career he became the first pitcher to win four Cy Young awards. He finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts.
Signature page of the 1965 Fleer contract
Signature page of the 1965 Fleer contract
The second page of the contract stipulates that Carlton receive $25 for signing his name to the document. Apparently the players were compensated even though the set was never produced. Carlton would not be in the big leagues to stay until 1967.
Up close look at Steve Carlton's pre-MLB debut signature
Up close look at Steve Carlton's pre-MLB debut signature
Carlton signed the bottom of the contract four months after his 19th birthday. The autograph presents a rare example of the signature of the Hall of Fame pitcher before his big league debut. A notoriously difficult signature to obtain during his playing days, Carlton now signs for a fee at private events.
Carlton set the NL mark for career strikeouts in 1981, a record he still holds
Carlton set the NL mark for career strikeouts in 1981, a record he still holds
When Steve Carlton fanned his 3,128th batter on September 21, 1981, he surpassed Bob Gibson as the National League’s all time leader in strikeouts. Topps printed a baseball card commemorating the feat. Carlton extended his record to an even 4,000 whiffs. Here he signs the Topps card from the 1982 set.
