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Today In Brewer History: Happy Birthday, Jim Colborn

They just don't make 'em like they used to.

On this day in 1946, Jim Colborn was born in Santa Paula, California. He made his major league debut with the Cubs in 1969 and spent parts of three seasons in Chicago before being sent to Milwaukee as part of a four player trade. 

Colborn spent five seasons as a Brewer, but the second one was easily his most notable. In 1973 he set a Brewer record that will likely never be broken by pitching 314.1 innings. He started 36 games and completed 22 of them, and also made seven appearances in relief. Amazingly enough, 314.1 innings was only the sixth highest total in the AL in 1973. No Brewer has done more than approach 300 innings since:

Rank Pitcher Season IP
1 Jim Colborn 1973 314.1
2 Mike Caldwell 1978 293.1
3 Jim Slaton 1976 292.2
4 Lary Sorensen 1978 280.2
5 Jim Slaton 1973 276.1

In the Miller Park era no Brewer has pitched more than 237 innings. Ben Sheets did that in 2004, posting the 17th highest total in franchise history.

Colborn turns 65 today. With help from the B-Ref Play Index, we'd also like to wish a happy birthday to:

  • 2008 Brewer Julian Tavarez, who turns 38.
  • 1980-85 Brewer Mark Brouhard, who turns 55.
  • Milwaukee native and Hall of Famer Al Simmons, who would have turned 99. Simmons played 20 major league seasons between 1924-44 as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics and six other teams.