Baseball Legends: Steve Carlton (Cardinals 1965-71, Phillies 1972-86, Giants 1986, White Sox 1986, Indians 1987, Twins 1987-88)

“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

Steve Carlton broke into the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1965. He saw action in the World Series in both 1967 ad 1968. In 1968 Carlton received his first of 10 All-Star selections. It was in the off season following that year that Steve started experimenting with the slider. The pitch would elevate him to another level. That next year his ERA went down by 0.82 and his strikeouts increased by 48. The highlight of the 1969 season was his 19 strikeout performance against the Mets. He won 17 games in 1969, then lost 19 in 1970, but turned around and won 20 in 1971. The end of his career with the Cardinals was clouded by his disagreements with management.

Baseball Legends: Kirby Puckett (Twins 1984-1995)

Kirby Puckett was a larger than life player, who captured the hearts of not only the fans, but his teammates as well. He was always quick with a smile and was known as one of the most generous players during his playing days.

Kirby was drafted in the first round (third overall) of the 1982 amateur draft by the Minnesota Twins. From the moment that Kirby was promoted in 1984, he excelled in his day to day playing. He is only the ninth player in major league history to achieve four hits in his debut game. He became a sensation in center field in Minnesota. His popularity soared when John Fogerty’s single “Centerfield” was released as a single in 1985. Twins fans started to associate Puckett with the song because of his electric play in the outfield.