As diehard Milwaukee baseball fans know, the Milwaukee Brewers are not the first Major League Baseball team that the city has called its own. The Milwaukee Braves played in the city from 1953-1965, won the World Series in 1957, and appeared in another one in 1958.
The Braves’ time in Milwaukee saw several legendary players make their mark on the city and baseball history. Of course, Hank Aaron is the best-known of these players, a man who many still consider to be the all-time home run king due to the steroid allegations against Barry Bonds.
The Braves’ time in Milwaukee a chapter of baseball and city history that, far too often, goes unremembered. There are very few players left who played for the Braves in baseball’s smallest market and, unfortunately, that number got smaller on Saturday.
Milwaukee Baseball Legend Rico Carty Passed Away
This morning, Newsweek reported that legendary Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves left fielder Rico Carty passed away at the age of 85. Carty was one of the first Dominican-born stars in all of MLB.
In 1959, Carty played for the Dominican National Team during the Pan America Games, which were hosted in Chicago that year. The Braves were impressed with the 20-year-old’s play and signed him to a minor league contract.
Carty’s rookie season came in Milwaukee in 1964. That year, he hit .330/.388/.942 with 22 home runs and 88 RBI. He finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting, losing to Dick Allen of the Philadelphia Phillies.
In 1965, Carty hit .310/.355/.494 with 10 home runs and 35 RBI, but only played in 83 games due to injury.
The next year, of course, the Braves moved to Atlanta.
Carty battled injuries for a great deal of his career, and even missed the entire 1968 season due to a bout with tuberculosis. But when he played, he hit with the best of them.
In 1970, Carty made his first and only NL All-Star team and won the batting title, slashing .366/.454/.584 with 25 home runs and 101 RBI.
Carty was traded following the 1972 season and spent time with the Texas Rangers, Oakland A’s, and Chicago Cubs in 1973.
He was signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1974 and spent four seasons there, hitting .303/.372/.455 during that span.
Carty finished his career with the Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays.
When it was all said and done, Carty had a career slash line of .299/.369/.464 with 1,677 hits, 204 home runs, and 890 RBI.
The Braves inducted him into their team Hall of Fame last year. His .317 career batting average with the Braves remains the sixth highest in franchise history.
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