Sometimes gold gets tarnished.
Over his 25-year career, Jim Kaat won 16 Gold Gloves from 1962 to 1977.
However, maybe winning helps on the day when you make three errors.
It was 50 years ago when that sceniaro happened to Kaat on July 17 in Minnesota.
After giving up a run to the Chicago White Sox in the first inning, the Twins scored six times to take command of the game as they would eventually win 8-3.
Things started to go downhill for Kaat in the second inning.
On a bunt by Walt Williams, Kaat was charged with an error as a run scored. Williams was credited with a single, but he went at second on Kaat’s miscue.
The next batter, Luis Aparicio bunted and Kaat made his second error. Kaat retired the next two hitters to end the threat.
Bobby Knoop reached on Kaat’s last error leading off the sixth inning.
Kaat would leave the mound a few batters later, but he got the win to go to 10-6 on the season. Jerry Crider finished the game to earn his only save of the year.
With Kaat posting a 14-13 mark, the Twins would go on the win the American League West title for the second year in a row and they would fall to the Baltimore Orioles in the playoffs.
For Kaat, the three errors that day would be part of a career-high eight that season.
Started with Washington
The lefty began his career with the Washington Senators in 1959 and went with the team to Minnesota and stayed with the Twins until 1973 season when he was picked up on waivers by the White Sox in August.
After 1975, the White Sox traded Kaat to Philadelphia. Kaat was sold to the New York Yankees and spent the 1979 and part of 1980 with the team.
Kaat went to St. Louis early in the 1980 season and he would go on to finish his career with the Cardinals in the 1983.
In addition to the Gold Gloves, Kaat was an all-time three times in 1962, 1966 and 1975. He was part of the Cardinals 1982 world championship team and also pitched in the post-season with the Twins in 1965 and 1970 along with the Phillies in 1976.
He was 283-237 in his career with his best season in 1966 when he led the AL in wins with a record of 25-13. He also won 20 games two other times with the White Sox in 1974 (21-13) and 1975 (20-14).