Don Drysdale

Don Drysdale
Birthdate 7/23/1936
Death Date 7/3/1993
Debut Year 1956
Year of Induction 1984
Teams Dodgers
Position Pitcher

In 1965 Don Drysdale tied his own NL record with 7 homers. He was also the Dodgers’ only .300 hitter and won 23 games for the World Champs.

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Drysdale started with the Dodgers in Brooklyn and had his best years in Los Angeles

Drysdale started with the Dodgers in Brooklyn and had his best years in Los Angeles

The first two seasons of Don Drysdale’s big league career were spent in Brooklyn before the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. It was at Chavez Ravine that Big D found his greatest success posting double-digit win totals in his first 11 seasons in Los Angeles. In the collection is this ornate check
Drysdale pitched on three Dodger World Series championship teams

Drysdale pitched on three Dodger World Series championship teams

Though he started his career in Brooklyn, Don Drysdale’s finest moments came once the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. A 17-game winner for the Brooklyn team in ’57, Big D represented Los Angeles in all 8 of his All Star appearances. From 1959-1965, Drysdale helped the Dodgers earn three Wo
Did the Dodgers get robbed of the pennant in Don Drysdale's Cy Young season?

Did the Dodgers get robbed of the pennant in Don Drysdale's Cy Young season?

Don Drysdale’s finest season came in 1962. The workhorse led the National League in wins, strikeouts, starts and innings pitched and earned the Cy Young Award. He was complimented on offense by ’62 MVP Maury Wills. The Dodger speedster was unstoppable, setting a Major League record by st
Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax led the Dodgers to the 1965 World Series title

Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax led the Dodgers to the 1965 World Series title

Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale led the way for the Dodgers during the 1965 season. Drysdale went 23-12 with a 2.77 ERA, 208 strikeouts and 20 complete games. As good as he was, Koufax was even better. The Left Arm of God earned his second Cy Young Award in three years by unanimous election. His year
In 1968 Drysdale set the MLB record for consecutive scoreless innings

In 1968 Drysdale set the MLB record for consecutive scoreless innings

In 1968 Don Drysdale had one of the greatest six-game runs in the history of baseball. The big right-hander reeled off six straight shutouts on his way to setting a new record for consecutive scoreless innings. Along the way, Drysdale passed two scoreless innings streaks, Carl Hubbell‘s NL rec
Drysdale broke Walter Johnson's consecutive scoreless innings mark in 1968

Drysdale broke Walter Johnson's consecutive scoreless innings mark in 1968

Walter Johnson is one of the greatest pitchers of all time. His 110 shutouts are the most in big league history while his 417 victories rank second only to Cy Young’s 511. His finest season came in 1913 when he led the AL in many categories including wins (36), ERA (1.14), strikeouts (243), an
Journeyman Howie Bedell drove in the run that snapped Drysdale's streak

Journeyman Howie Bedell drove in the run that snapped Drysdale's streak

In his sixth start of 1968 Don Drysdale allowed one run in ten innings. His next outing he again allowed just one run. The Dodger righty then reeled off six straight complete-game shutouts to establish a new record for consecutive scoreless innings. Drysdale’s streak ended at Dodger Stadium in
Hershiser topped Drysdale's consecutive scoreless innings record

Hershiser topped Drysdale's consecutive scoreless innings record

Don Drysdale retired as a player the year after breaking Walter Johnson’s record for consecutive scoreless innings. He immediately went into the broadcast booth, working for four teams before returning to the Dodgers in 1988. In his first season as their color man, Orel Hershiser topped Drysda

Stories about Don Drysdale

Orel Hershiser needed persuading to break Don Drysdale’s consecutive scoreless inning streak in 1988

June 8th, 2022 Leave a comment

Orel Hershiser

Records are meant to be broken. Or are they? In 1988 Orel Hershiser wasn’t so sure. Given the chance to break Major League Baseball’s record for consecutive scoreless innings, he almost opted out. One Cooperstown man betters another A hurler’s job is to keep his opponents from scoring. Moundsmen take great pride in putting up zeroes. One of baseball’s greatest run-preventers, Walter Johnson set the big league record by not allowing a man to cross the plate in 55 2/3 consecutive innings in 1913. The 417-game winner held the mark for the rest of his life. More than a half-century later, along came the Dodgers’ Don Drysdale. An intimidating presence on the hill, the 6’5″ right hander believed that pitchers owned the inside half of the plate. Big D finished first or second in batters hit in 12 of his 14 seasons. In 1968 he surpassed the Big Train, extending the consecutive scoreless innings record by three frames. Twenty years later Drysdale entered his first year as the Dodger color man. That season he witnessed Hershiser’s epic run. Hershiser faces a difficult decision Nicknamed “Bulldog” by skipper Tommy Lasorda, Hershiser had great respect for Drysdale, the franchise’s pitching-rich history, and […]

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Drysdale’s scoreless streak in ’68 ended in an unlikely way

April 25th, 2022 Leave a comment

Don Drysdale

Baseball shines the light on the fringe player like no other sport Every sport celebrates its stars. More than any other pastime, baseball provides opportunities for fringe players to become part of the game’s fabric. Howie Bedell is one such man. In his 67-game big league playing career, Bedell had three runs batted in, the last of which links him to one of the most memorable streaks in the history of the game. The story begins with the 1913 performance of perhaps the greatest pitcher of all time, Walter Johnson. One of five in Cooperstown’s inaugural class, Johnson threw 55 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings that year. The majestic run set a record that Johnson held for the rest of his life. Fifty-five years later another Hall of Fame hurler began a streak of his own. On May 14th, 1968 Dodger hurler Don Drysdale beat Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins with a 2-hit blanking of the Chicago Cubs. Four days later he twirled a 5-hit shutout against the Astros. The Dodgers then headed to St. Louis where Drysdale bested Cooperstown’s Bob Gibson 2-0 on May 22nd. His next start came at the Astrodome against the Houston team he shut out eight […]

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San Francisco grounds crew helped the Giants win the pennant in ’62

May 29th, 2020 Leave a comment

Maury Wills

They tried and tried again. No matter what National League clubs did, they just couldn’t slow down Maury Wills in 1962. Wills’ Dodgers were in their fifth year in Los Angeles and thirsty for another World Series appearance. Winners of the 1959 Fall Classic, the team finished a disappointing fourth in 1960. They climbed to second place in ’61 and seemed poised for a post-season return in ’62. Wills did his part. The Dodger shortstop was historically great on the bases, swiping 104 bags. To put that into perspective, the last time a National Leaguer stole even half that many was in 1920. No big league team matched Wills’ total in ’62. The Dodger squad had one .300 hitter in batting champ Tommy Davis whose 153 runs batted in led the league. Davis got help from Frank Howard, the only other Dodger to tally 100 RBI. Together they counted on Wills to get aboard and make his way into scoring position. Dodgers and Giants vie for NL supremacy While Wills was on his way to the stolen base record, the Dodgers fought the Giants for the top spot in the NL. Behind Wills, Davis, and the pitching of Cy Young […]

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2 responses to “Don Drysdale”

  1. Richie LaMothe says:

    Good afternoon. I am starting a Facebook page titled: Take Me Out to the Game. It will be about attending sporting events and will begin with my first visit to Shea Stadium. That afternoon, Don Drysdale was on the mound for the Dodgers. I would like to use the above photo with my initial post. Will I need permission to use this image? New to this game and just don’t want to cause any trouble getting out of the gate. Thank you and be well.

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