Nate Colbert Blasts Five Home Runs and Drives in 13 in a Single Doubleheader

On August 1, 1972, San Diego Padres first baseman Nate Colbert put together one of the greatest individual performances in baseball history, hammering five home runs and driving in 13 runs across a doubleheader sweep of the Atlanta Braves at Atlanta Stadium. The Padres won the first game 9-0 and the second 11-7, with Colbert providing the engine for both victories.

In Game 1, Colbert went 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs. He topped that in Game 2 with three more home runs and eight RBIs in a 3-for-4 afternoon. His five home runs tied Stan Musial's record for the most in a doubleheader, and his 13 RBIs set a new mark, surpassing the previous record of 11 shared by Earl Averill, Jim Tabor, and Boog Powell. His 22 total bases also broke Musial's doubleheader record of 21.

The performance nearly did not happen. Colbert woke up that morning with severe back pain and told manager Don Zimmer he could barely move. He dragged himself to batting practice, took ten swings, and hit all ten into the seats. Zimmer told him he was playing.

Colbert had a personal connection to the record he tied. As an eight-year-old in St. Louis, he had attended the 1954 doubleheader in which Musial hit five home runs against the Giants. Nearly two decades later, he matched his childhood hero on the same calendar date.

The 1972 Padres finished 58-95, mired near the bottom of the National League West. Colbert's 38 home runs that season accounted for a massive share of the team's offensive production. His August 1 explosion remains the single greatest offensive day by any player in a doubleheader in major league history, a record that has stood for more than fifty years.