On Thursday, the San Diego Padres announced that Nate Colbert — who holds the record for most home runs in franchise history — had passed away at 76. No cause of death was reported.

Colbert left an indelible mark in Padres history, with a whopping 163 home runs across his tenure from 1969-1974.

“Nate was devoted to his community off the field as well, dedicating his time to disadvantaged youth through his ministry,” Padres Chairman Peter Seidler stated. “He was a magnetic person who will be dearly missed.”

After a short stint with the Astros, the first baseman was picked up by the Padres during their expansion draft and quickly earned an All-Star spot from 1971 to 1973. His exceptional performance even earned him eighth place in voting for 1972’s NL MVP title.

Colbert made history in 1972 by becoming the second major league player to hit five home runs and rack up 13 RBI during a doubleheader against the Braves. This extraordinary performance has been remembered for decades, making him one of baseball’s greatest legends.

Unfortunately, back injuries hampered his 10-year career and he had to finish it by playing briefly for the Tigers, Expos & A’s before retiring in 1976.

In 1999, the Padres welcomed Missouri native Tony Gwynn into their inaugural Hall of Fame class. After more than 20 years away from his home city, Gwynn made an emotional return to San Diego in August 2021 for a game-opening ceremonial pitch at Petco Park.