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NATE SNELL BASEBALL CARDS

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Nate Snell had a short but impactful major league baseball career from 1963 to 1967. While his time in the big leagues was brief, Snell made his mark and is still fondly remembered today by collectors of his coveted baseball cards.

Born in 1941 in Los Angeles, California, Nate Snell began playing baseball as a young boy and showed tremendous promise from a very young age. He stood out for his control on the mound despite his smaller stature. Snell grew to only 5’10” but had a cannon for an arm and fantastic command of his pitches. After graduating high school, he was drafted by the New York Mets in the 4th round of the 1960 MLB draft.

Snell spent the next few years working his way through the Mets farm system, posting impressive stats at each minor league stop. By 1963, he had proven himself ready for the major leagues. On April 13, 1963, Snell made his MLB debut for the Mets at just 21 years old. He threw 6 solid innings, allowing 2 runs in a no-decision against the Cincinnati Reds. Snell would appear in 23 games his rookie year, making 15 starts, and post a respectable 4.22 ERA.

One of the most iconic and valuable Nate Snell baseball cards comes from his rookie season with the Mets in 1963. The 1963 Topps Nate Snell rookie card is one of the key rookie cards from the early 1960s that collectors covet. Features include a nicely centered photo of Snell in a Mets uniform with stats from his 1963 season on the back. The 1963 Topps set had 598 total cards and is one of the most iconic designs in the history of the hobby. Snell’s rookie card in particular is highly sought after by vintage collectors. High grade versions regularly fetch thousands of dollars at auction.

In 1964, Snell became a full time starter in the Mets rotation at just 23 years old. He responded with the best season of his career, going 15-9 with a 2.95 ERA over 34 games started. He tossed 4 complete games and 2 shutouts that year and firmly established himself as one of the bright young pitching talents in the National League. Nate Snell cards from 1964 perfectly capture his rise and breakout season. Both Topps and Fleer issued cards of Snell that year that showcase his improving stats and talent level.

The 1964 Topps Nate Snell is another of his flagship cards. Similar photo to the rookie but with stats updated from his excellent 1964 season. The 1964 Fleer Nate Snell is also a key issue, notable for being one of the early Fleer baseball offerings following their entrance into the card market in 1958. Not as many Fleer cards were printed in 1964 versus Topps, making high grade versions even more scarce for collectors. Snell’s success and rising star power made his 1964 cards hot commodities.

In 1965, Snell kicked off the season in impressive form for the Mets. Through May he was 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA in 9 starts. But on May 26th against the Phillies, disaster struck. While batting in the top of the 3rd inning, Snell was struck flush on the right wrist by a pitch from Phillies starter Ray Culp. The ball shattered Snell’s wrist on impact, requiring multiple pins and plates to repair in surgery. He would miss the rest of the 1965 season to recover.

While rehabbing his injury, the 1965 Topps and Fleer sets captured Snell’s image and season stats up until his harrowing beaning. These cards took on greater significance as they documented the last stats Snell accumulated before his potentially career-ending wrist injury. It was unsure if he would even be able to return to the mound the same when healthy. As such, his 1965 issues remain popular with collectors who appreciate them as a reminder of Snell’s potential derailed.

After a long road back, Snell was finally ready to return in 1966. He struggled to regain his pre-injury form over 22 appearances that year with a 5.01 ERA. He saw more time in Triple-A trying to round back into form. The 1967 Topps Nate Snell card shows glimmers of a comeback attempt, but he posted a 5.40 ERA in only 12 games and was released by the Mets that summer at age 26, essentially ending his MLB tenure.

While his career was cut short, Nate Snell left an indelible mark on the vintage baseball card collecting scene. His rookies and stellar 1964 issues remain a vital part of completing 1960s Mets and National League sets. Collectors to this day appreciate Snell as one of the game’s “what-if” stories – how good could he have been if not for the beaning that cost him nearly two seasons? At his best in 1964, Snell was proving to have true top of the rotation talent and potential ace material. His cards from the 1960s reflect this promise that went sadly unfulfilled. But they also ensure Snell is not forgotten for his contributions early in his Mets career before injury cut it tragically short. Nate Snell baseball cards continue to captivate collectors with one of the game’s great “what ifs.”

NATE COLBERT BASEBALL CARDS

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Nathaniel Jerome “Nate” Colbert is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played his entire career for the San Diego Padres from 1963 to 1974. Colbert put together a solid 12-year MLB career and had some impressive power hitting seasons that make his baseball cards quite collectible today, especially for Padres fans and those interested in the early years of the franchise.

Colbert was born in 1944 in San Diego, California and attended San Diego City College after high school. He was drafted by the Padres in the 20th round of the 1963 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut with the expansion Padres later that season at just 19 years old. Colbert quickly showed promise by hitting 5 home runs in his rookie season despite just playing in 38 games. His 1963 Topps rookie card is one of the key early Colbert baseball cards for collectors.

The main action on Colbert’s 1963 Topps rookie card shows him batting left-handed with a follow through swing. He is depicted wearing the classic Padres sand colored and navy blue uniform of the time featuring the original Padres “SD” logo on his cap. The photo and design of this early Topps issue card has held up well over the decades. Because it was his true rookie card issued during his debut season, examples in good condition still command solid value for Padres and rookie card collectors.

In 1964, Colbert broke out with 27 home runs in his first full MLB season at just 20 years old. His impressive power hitting as a left-handed slugger made him a franchise cornerstone for the Padres in those early years. Colbert’s 1964 Topps card shows him crouched in a batter’s box stance from a three quarter side angle view. It was around this time that he began earning the nickname “Nate the Great” from Padres fans for his big home run totals so early in his career.

Colbert followed up his 27 home run campaign in 1964 with seasons of 32 home runs in 1965 and an MLB career-high 39 home runs in 1968. His power numbers during this mid-1960s stretch made his baseball cards highly sought after. Highlights include his 1965 Topps card which features a great action shot of him swinging with follow through and 1968 Topps that captures him swinging in a memorable legs kick batting stance. Both portray him in the classic Padres uniforms and are key Colbert issues for any 1960s Padres team set.

In addition to his power numbers, Colbert was also an above average fielder at first base and had decent career batting averages around .250. He made the National League All-Star team in 1968, the year he hit his 39 home runs. Colbert’s performance truly helped keep the Padres competitive during their early years in San Diego as one of the franchise’s first true star players.

Injuries began slowing Colbert down a bit in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He suffered a leg injury after being hit by a pitch in 1970 that cost him much of that season. Colbert still managed to hit 23 home runs in 1971 but his production declined over the next few seasons. Still, he remained a durable player who suited up for the Padres in over 100 games each year from 1963 to 1972.

One of the more interesting Colbert baseball cards comes from 1972 Topps. On this issue, he is shown swinging left-handed but the photo is flipped so he appears to be a righty batter. While an unusual mistake, it makes this one of the more unique variations in the Colbert collecting universe. His final season was 1974 at age 30 where he hit 13 home runs in 106 games and still provided veteran leadership in the Padres lineup before retiring.

In total, Colbert smashed 238 career home runs over his 12 MLB seasons, all with the San Diego Padres. He appeared on over a dozen different annual baseball cards from 1963 through 1974 Topps issues memorabilizing his playing career for collectors today. Some later highlights after his playing days include minor roles in the movies “The Bad News Bears Go to Japan” in 1978 and “The Benchwarmers” in 2006 that featured some baseball cameos.

Perhaps most notable is how Colbert’s career home run totals still rank him third on the all-time Padres home run list behind only Adrian Gonzalez and Ken Caminiti as of the 2022 season. As one of the early faces and stars of the Padres franchise, Colbert holds a special place in the team’s history that is remembered through his baseball cards. Examples from his rookie season in 1963 through his career best seasons in the mid-1960s tend to be the most highly valued and collected Colbert issues today.

For serious Padres collectors, finding high quality specimens of Nate Colbert’s main 1960s action and portrait cards in graded gem mint condition can take patience. But adding these classics to a set helps tell the story of one of the stars who helped establish San Diego’s MLB team in its formative years. Even for casual collectors, Colbert cards make for affordable pickups that commemorate an underrated power hitter who was “Nate the Great” for the Padres during the analog baseball card era.