Nate Colbert debuted with the Houston Astros in April 1966, blasted 28 home runs at Double-A Amarillo the following year and had received only 63 plate appearances across parts of two seasons in the majors when the San Diego Padres, Montreal Expos, Seattle Pilots and the Kansas City Royals prepared for the 1968 expansion draft.
A 22-year-old Colbert knew exactly where he wanted to end up.
“In Triple-A we played in San Diego and I loved that city,” Colbert said this week from his home in Las Vegas. “ … Seattle was too cold for me and being from St.