ALTOONA, Pa. -- He is the greatest player in Altoona Curve history, and greatest slugger in the history of Class AA baseball -- yes, I've got the numbers to back it up.
Brad Eldred is a legend in Altoona, where he had a truly unbelievable 50 RBIs in a single month and belted 30 homers in only 60 games. "Big Country" finished his career with more than 400 home runs, including 251 in the minor leagues and 133 in Japan. But he only hit 15 of those home runs with the Pirates and was never able to make a big impact in the major leagues.
When I talk about my 25 years covering the Curve, the No. 1 story I always tell is about Eldred and his 50 RBIs in August of 2004. What he did here was beyond amazing, and will never EVER be matched by any Class AA player. Guaranteed!
Eldred was back in Altoona for the Curve's season opener, and I sat down with him for a fantastic conversation about his career, his incredible time with the Curve, why things didn't work out with the Pirates and his great success in Japan.
Since most of my adult life has been spent covering the Curve, and since Eldred's story is so amazing here locally, this is one of my five favorite interviews ever in my 30 years in this business.
Enjoy!
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