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A 17th-round pick of the Dodgers in 1979, Orel Hershiser enjoyed a 22-year professional baseball career. The right-hander made his big league debut as a September call up in 1983. He pitched in eight games that season.

The following year Hershiser was in the majors to stay. The 6’3″ hurler won 11 games for Los Angeles and shared the NL lead in shutouts with four. He posted a sparkling 2.66 ERA and finished third in Rookie of the Year balloting.

In 1985 Hershiser went 19-3 with a 2.03 ERA, establishing himself as one of the best pitchers in the game. His finest season came three years later when he earned the Cy Young Award. That year he broke Don Drysdale‘s MLB record for consecutive scoreless innings and led the Dodgers to the World Series title.

He capped off the dream season by earning the MVP of both the NLCS and the World Series.

Also the 1995 ALCS MVP for the Indians, Hershiser’s trophy case is full – three All Star rings, a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger. He was a six-time Pitcher of the Month, four-time Player of the Week.

Hershiser retired in 2000 with a career mark of 204-150 with 2,014 strikeouts and a 56.0 WAR. The right hander has appeared on the Veterans Committee ballot for Cooperstown.

In the collection is this 1985 Topps rookie card of Hershiser. The Dodger legend has affixed his signature boldly across the bottom third of the card.

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The Dodgers remain one of the few big league teams to have a live organist at every game. The longest-running Dodger organist was Nancy Bea Hefley who tickled the ivories for the Dodgers from 1988 through 2015.

A statuesque classy figure, Hefley searched for songs to fit the on-field action. In early 1988 she heard Master of the House while watching Les Miserables at the Shubert Theater. She took the tune to Chavez Ravine.

The song’s Dodger Stadium debut came as Hershiser was warming up for his fifth start of the ’88 season. The Dodger ace entered the game 4-0 with a 1.56 earned run average. Los Angeles announcer Vin Scully was familiar with the tune and tabbed it Hershiser’s personal song.

From that day forward, Hefley played it before every game Hershiser started for the Dodgers.

The lanky right-hander’s 1988 campaign was one of the most memorable ever by a Dodger pitcher. On the way to 23 wins, Hershiser broke Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale’s longstanding big league mark for consecutive scoreless innings.

A 209-game winner during his 14-year Dodger career, Drysdale was on hand when Hershiser broke the record in San Diego on September 28th.

That special moment was just the beginning.

Hershiser continued his dominance in the postseason. In the National League Championship Series the Dodgers faced the heavily-favored Mets.

New York had beaten the Dodgers in ten of 11 regular-season contests, outscoring them 49-18. The NLCS was a different story.

In Game 1, Hershiser held the Mets to two earned runs in 8 1/3 innings. Four days later in he held New York to one earned run in a seven-inning outing.

The Dodgers entered Game four down two games to one. The two teams battled to a 4-4 tie as the game went into extra innings. Los Angeles pushed across a run in the 12th to go ahead.

Los Angeles skipper Tommy Lasorda called on Hershiser to record the final out. Though he had pitched seven innings the night before, the ace coaxed Kevin McReynolds into hitting a fly ball to short center to end the game. The Series was tied.

The two teams split the next two games, forcing a deciding Game 7. Hershiser got the start and twirled a masterful 5-hit shutout to push the Dodgers to the World Series. In 24 2/3 innings he posted a sterling 1.09 ERA and was named the NLCS MVP.

In the Fall Classic Los Angeles squared off against the Oakland A’s with the Bash Brothers, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire. Hershiser threw a shutout in Game 2 and a complete-game 4-hitter in the deciding Game 5 contest to earn the World Series Most Valuable Player Award.

For the 1988 season Hershiser was indeed the Master of the House.

In the collection is this letter from Dodger organist Nancy Bea detailing the backstory of how Master of the House became the soundtrack for Hershiser’s miraculous 1988 season.

For those who followed the Dodgers in ’88, Hefley’s letter is reminder of a summer of goosebump moments provided by the Bulldog, Orel Hershiser.

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In the collection is this letter written by Dodger Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda on his 75th birthday. The Dodger skipper writes of Hershiser’s greatness.

“When we won the World Series in 1988, it was a great year. Nobody believed we could do it, but we did. Orel Hershiser won 23 games in the regular season, had a complete game in the NLCS against the Mets and topped it off with two complete games in the Series. Bulldog won the Cy Young Award, and was voted the World Series MVP.

“Kirk Gibson provided the fire, led us all the way and ended up with the National League Most Valuable Player Award. What a team!”

That season solidified a permanent place for Hershiser in Dodger lore.

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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 Drysdale’s mark. Big D was on hand in San Diego when Hershiser made his final start of the season. Needing 10 scoreless frames to top Drysdale, Hershiser was scattered four hits through the first nine innings.

The teams were locked in a scoreless tie, giving Hershiser the chance to head to the mound in the 10th for a chance to break the record. Our of respect for Drysdale, Hershiser asked to be removed from the game.

Dodger pitching coach Ron Perranoski and skipper Tom Lasorda pushed the Bulldog to return to the mound. Hershiser struck out the first batter of the inning Marvell Wynne on a pitch in the dirt. Dodger catcher did his best to block the ball but it got past him and Wynne reached.

Wynne was bunted to second then reached third on a ground out. After an intentional walk, Hershiser faced pinch hitter Keith Moreland with two out. After working the count to 1-and-2, Hershiser induced a fly ball to right field that was caught by Jose Gonzalez for the final out of the inning.

With the catch Hershiser’s scoreless streak reached 59 innings to pass Drysdale’s mark. By that time, Hall of Famer Drysdale had made his way to the field to congratulate the man who broke his record.

Later when told that Hershiser had asked out of the game, Drysdale told Sports Illustrated’s Steve Wulf, ““I would have gone out there and kicked him in the rear.”

Shown here is a sheet commemorating Drysdale’s six straight shutouts. The Hall of Fame hurler has added his autograph neatly.

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Shown here is the 1988 Sports Illustrated “Sportsman of the Year” issue. Hershiser graces on the cover and has neatly signed his name on the white portion of the cover.

The Dodgers and the pitcher had a storybook season. The righty led the way on the hill, capturing the Cy Young Award as his team won the NL West.

He ended the campaign with a record 59 straight scoreless innings to break Don Drysdale’s MLB mark.

In the post-season the Dodgers vanquished the heavily-favored Mets in the NLCS and the seemingly invincible Oakland A’s in the Fall Classic. In October Hershiser went 3-0 with one save and a 1.05 ERA. He was named the Most Valuable Player of both post-season series.

Nicknamed “Bulldog” by his skipper Tommy Lasorda, Hershiser finished his career with quite a resume for Cooperstown.

Many know about his Cy Young Award in ’88 as well as his World Series MVP Award. He has also earned the MVP of both the NLCS and ALCS with the Indians in 1995.

In addition to the 1988 Babe Ruth Award for the finest performance in the postseason, he was also named the 1988 Major League Player of the Year. The Sporting News tabbed him as their Pitcher of the Year.

The Gold Glove fielder also earned the Silver Slugger Award in 1993 when he hit .356. He was the National League Pitcher of the Month five times in four different seasons and also captured the AL award in June of ’96.

The multi-talented Hershiser compiled a lifetime batting average over .200. Simply put, the 204-game winner excelled in all facets of the game.