Don Drysdale
Don Drysdale | |
---|---|
Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 17, 1956, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
August 5, 1969, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 209–166 |
Earned run average | 2.95 |
Strikeouts | 2,486 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Member of the National | |
Baseball Hall of Fame | |
Induction | 1984 |
Vote | 78.4% (tenth ballot) |
Donald Scott Drysdale (July 23, 1936 – July 3, 1993), nicknamed "Big D", was an American professional
Born in
Drysdale was inducted into the
Early life
Drysdale was born in
Drysdale attended Van Nuys High School where one of his classmates was actor Robert Redford.[2] While he had played baseball since childhood, primarily as a second baseman, Drysdale only began to pitch during his senior year in high school; he posted a 10-1 record. He was signed out of high school by the Brooklyn Dodgers for a minimum salary and a signing bonus of $4,000.[1]
Playing career
Minor league career
Drysdale began his professional career in 1954, playing for the Class-C Bakersfield Indians of the California League where he posted a 8-5 win-loss record with a 3.46 earned run average and 73 strikeouts in Bakersfield.[3]
The next season, Drysdale was promoted to the Triple-A Montreal Royals of the International League. In 1955, he posted an 11-11 record with a 3.33 earned run average and 80 strikeouts for Montreal. The following year, he was promoted to the Brooklyn Dodgers.[3]
Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
Drysdale made his major league debut on April 17, 1956, pitching a scoreless 9th inning in an 8–6 loss against the
Drysdale, along with Dodgers teammate
Those six months were good for me. When you wake up at three-thirty every morning, and you realize that some of your buddies are just getting in back home, it gives you a lot of discipline. The service should be mandatory for every kid in America. You thought you were hot stuff being a major league pitcher, and then you went to Fort Dix and found out that it doesn't matter who you were. There were no exceptions.[5]
In 1962, Drysdale won 25 games and led the Majors in strikeouts with 232. He won the Cy Young Award and was named The Sporting News Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year. In 1963, he struck out 251 batters and won Game 3 of the World Series at Los Angeles's Dodger Stadium over the Yankees, 1–0. In 1965, he was the Dodgers' only .300 hitter and tied his own National League record for pitchers with seven home runs. That year, he also won 23 games and helped the Dodgers to their third pennant in Los Angeles.[3]
In 1965, Koufax declined to pitch the first game of the World Series as it fell on
Drysdale and Koufax took part in a famous joint holdout in the spring of 1966. They had set an NL record the year before for strikeouts by teammates, with a combined total of 592. Both wanted to be paid $500,000 over three seasons, but Dodgers' GM Buzzie Bavasi preferred to give them one-year contracts according to team policy. They both finally signed one-year contracts just before the season opened. Drysdale's contract was for $110,000, and Koufax's contract was for $125,000. Those contracts made them the first pitchers to earn more than $100,000 a year.[7]
In 1968, the "
Recurring shoulder injuries had slowed Drysdale down in his final years. After suffering a torn rotator cuff, Drysdale retired from Major League Baseball during the 1969 season, having made only 12 starts. At the time of his retirement, he was the last active player on the Dodgers who had played for them in Brooklyn.[9]
Career overall and honors
In his 14-year career, Drysdale compiled a record of 209-166 with an
Additionally, Drysdale won three
He was also a good hitting pitcher. In 14 seasons, he had 218 hits in 1,169 at-bats for a .186
Drysdale was inducted into the
Category | W | L | ERA | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | HR | BB | SO | HBP | WHIP | FIP | ERA+ | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 209 | 166 | 2.95 | 465 | 167 | 49 | 6 | 3,432 | 3,084 | 280 | 855 | 2,486 | 154 | 1.148 | 3.02 | 121 | [3] |
Pitching style
Standing at 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), Drysdale was known to use brushback pitches and a sidearm fastball to intimidate batters. He gained a reputation for intimidation similar to his fellow Hall of Famer and contemporary Bob Gibson.[1] Sal Maglie, also known for brushback pitches, taught him how to pitch aggressively when both were Dodger teammates in the 1950s.[15] Drysdale led the NL in hit batsmen for four straight seasons from 1958 to 1961, and again in 1965. His 154 career hit batsmen is a modern National League record.[16] Drysdale was also the pitcher who Hank Aaron hit the most home runs off of; he allowed 17 of Aaron's then-record 755 home runs during his career. [17]
Fellow Hall of Famer Frank Robinson said of him, "He was mean enough to do it, and he did it continuously. You could count on him doing it. And when he did it, he just stood there on the mound and glared at you to let you know he meant it."[15] Of his former teammate, Maglie said: "I don't think Don has ever tried intentionally to send someone to the hospital. A pitcher needs to pitch inside. And if one of your teammates goes down, you do what you have to do to even the score, plain and simple."[18]
Broadcasting career
In 1970, Drysdale started a career in
While at
In 1984, Drysdale called play-by-play with analysts
Deep right field, way back. Cotto going back to the wall... It's gone! Home run Garvey! And there will be tomorrow![20]
In his last ABC assignment, Drysdale interviewed the winners in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse following Game 7 of the 1986 American League Championship Series against the California Angels.[21]
In 1985, for the Chicago White Sox, Drysdale broadcast Tom Seaver's 300th victory, against the host New York Yankees in 1985. His post-game interview with Seaver was carried live by both the Sox' network and the Yankees' longtime flagship television station WPIX.[22]
On September 28, 1988, fellow Dodger Orel Hershiser surpassed Drysdale when Hershiser finished the season with a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings pitched. In his final start of the year, Hershiser needed to pitch 10 shutout innings to set the mark – meaning not only that he would have to prevent the San Diego Padres from scoring, but that his own team would also need to fail to score in order to ensure extra innings; against all odds, Hershiser pitched 10 innings of a scoreless tie, with the Padres eventually prevailing 2–1 in 16 innings, breaking Drysdale's record. Afterwards, Drysdale came onto the field to congratulate him, remarking, "Oh, I'll tell ya, congratulations... And at least you kept it in the family."[23]
Drysdale also called
Gibson a deep sigh, re-gripping the bat, shoulders just shrugged, now goes to the top of the helmet as he always does, steps in with that left foot. Eckersley working out of a stretch, now here's the 3-2 pitch...and a drive into right field (losing voice) WAY BACK! THIS BALL IS GONE! – *two minutes of crowd cheering* – This crowd will not stop! They can't believe the ending! And this time, Mighty Casey did NOT strike out!![24]
Radio show
In 1987, Drysdale hosted a nationally syndicated radio show called Radio Baseball Cards. 162 episodes were produced with stories and anecdotes told by current and former Major League Baseball players. The highlight of the series were numerous episodes dedicated to the memory and impact of Jackie Robinson as told by teammates, opponents and admirers. Radio Baseball Cards aired on 38 stations, including WNBC New York, KSFO San Francisco and WEEI Boston, as a pre-game show. A collector's edition of the program was re-released in 2007 as a podcast.[25]
Personal life
In 1958, Drysdale married Eula "Ginger" Dubberly, a native of Covington, Georgia, and a former Adrian fashion model.[26] The couple had a daughter named Kelly Jean (b. 1959), but divorced in 1982.[1]
On November 1, 1986, he married basketball player
Death
On July 2, 1993, Drysdale worked the television broadcast for the game between the Dodgers and the
The Dodgers noted the death of their former star pitcher during the broadcast of the game later on that day. Drysdale's broadcasting colleague Vin Scully, who was instructed not to say anything on the air until Drysdale's family was notified, announced the news of his death by saying, "Never have I been asked to make an announcement that hurts me as much as this one. And I say it to you as best I can with a broken heart." He later described it "the toughest broadcast" of his career.[30][31]
While this was going on, word reached Drysdale's former White Sox colleague Ken Harrelson as he was calling that evening's game against the Baltimore Orioles at Comiskey Park for WGN television. Harrelson relayed the information to his audience, barely able to keep his composure while doing so. Dick Enberg, his broadcast partner with the Angels, said, "Every day was a good day when you were with Don Drysdale."[19] Sandy Koufax, his former teammate, said of Drysdale's sudden death: "Don is one of those people you didn't think anything could ever happen to. This is a very hard thing to deal with."[32]
Among the personal belongings found in Drysdale's hotel room was a cassette tape of
Drysdale's funeral was held in Hall of the Crucifixion-Resurrection in Glendale, California. The ceremony was conducted by John Werhas, Drysdale's former teammate who had become a pastor. Vin Scully, Tommy Lasorda, Bob Uecker, and Orel Hershiser gave eulogies.[34] Drysdale's body was cremated and his ashes were placed in the Utility Columbarium in the Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. They were returned to his family in February 2002 and scattered the next year.[35]
Television appearances
Drysdale was a popular guest star in several television programs:
- In 1959, with his first wife, Ginger, he appeared on You Bet Your Life with host Groucho Marx.[36]
- In 1959, Drysdale appeared as a mystery challenger on the TV panel show To Tell the Truth.[37]
- In 1960, Drysdale appeared in an episode of Lawman.[38]
- The Rifleman episode "Skull", which was first broadcast on January 1, 1962.[38]
- Leave It to Beaver episode "Long Distance Call", which was first broadcast on June 16, 1962.[39]
- The Donna Reed Show episodes "The Man in the Mask", first broadcast in 1962; "All Those Dreams", first broadcast in 1963; and "Play Ball" and "My Son the Catcher", both first broadcast in 1964. In all four episodes Drysdale plays himself, and in "All Those Dreams" he appeared with first wife, Ginger, and daughter Kelly.[38]
- On the April 10, 1963, episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, "The Clampetts & The Dodgers", Drysdale and Leo Durocher play golf with Jed and Jethro, and Durocher finds out that Jed and Jethro are good baseball prospects.[38]
- Our Man Higgins episode "Who's on First?" (May 8, 1963).
- On the March 21, 1964, episode of I Left My Heart In San Francisco".[40]
- The Flying Nun episode "The Big Game" as the baseball game umpire, 1st episode of the 3rd season, aired September 17, 1969.[41]
- The Brady Bunch episode "The Dropout", which was first broadcast on September 25, 1970.[38]
- The Greatest American Hero episode "The Two Hundred Mile an Hour Fastball", which was first broadcast on November 4, 1981, as a broadcaster for the California Stars.[42]
See also
- Major League Baseball titles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers
- List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball individual streaks
- List of Major League Baseball single-inning strikeout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
References
- ^ a b c d "Don Drysdale (SABR BioProject)". Society for American Baseball Research.
- ^ Henson, Steve (July 12, 1993). "He Never Left Van Nuys High". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Don Drysdale Career Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Don Drysdale 1956 Pitching Game Log". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ISBN 978-0312039028.
- ^ Stewart, Larry (November 4, 2003). "Drysdale Didn't Quite Have It This Day". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Shaikin, Bill (March 29, 2016). "50 years ago, Koufax and Drysdale's holdout changed baseball forever". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Wexler, Sarah (September 28, 2022). "Orel Hershiser's record 59-inning scoreless streak". MLB.com.
- ^ Becker, Bill (August 12, 1969). "Drysdale, Plagued by Shoulder Injury, Retires". The New York Times.
- ^ "MLB Major League Baseball Players of the Month". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Drysdale, Don". National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
- ^ "Dodgers Retired Numbers". MLB.com.
- ^ "All-time and Single-Game All-Star Game Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Don Drysdale All-Star Stats". Baseball Almanac.
- ^ a b Russo, p. 156
- ^ "Don Drysdale Stats". Baseball Almanac.
Don Drysdale finished his career plunking 154 batters, all in the National League (NL). The only senior circuit pitchers with more HBP; Vic Willis (156), Chick Fraser (187), Pink Hawley (201), all began their career in the nineteenth century, making Big D the modern day NL HBP king.
- ^ https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/event_hr.fcgi?id=aaronha01&t=b
- ^ Russo, pp. 156-57
- ^ a b Russo, p. 157
- ^ Mills, Kevin. "Steve Garvey and the Most Iconic Moment in San Diego Sports History". Society for American Baseball Research.
The next pitch to Garvey was a high fastball over the plate. Drysdale had the live call on ABC: 'Deep right field, way back. Cotto going back to the wall. It's gone! Home Run Garvey! And there will be tomorrow!'
- ^ "History of #1 analyst demotions". Classic TV Sports. February 18, 2013.
- ^ Nuich, Jeff (September 9, 2020). "NBC Sports Chicago to replay Tom Seaver's 300th MLB win". NBC Sports.
- ^ Plaschke, Bill (September 29, 1988). "Drysdale Takes Hershiser's Best Pitch and Keeps Smiling". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Foster, Jason (October 16, 2018). "Don Drysdale call of Kirk Gibson historic walk-off homer is an underrated classic". The Sporting News.
- ^ "Radio Baseball Cards". podcasts.apple.com. Smarter Podcasts. 22 October 2021.
- ^ "Dodgers' Drysdale Married to Model". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. Associated Press. September 29, 1958.
- ^ Francis, Bill. "Ann Meyers Drysdale remembers her Hall of Fame husband". National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
- ^ Lyons, Richard D. (July 4, 1993). "Don Drysdale Is Dead at Age 56; Hall of Fame Pitcher for Dodgers". The New York Times.
- ^ Springer, Steve (August 8, 1997). "There's Room for Memories of Drysdale in Montreal". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Ex-Dodger Drysdale is dead". The Washington Post. July 3, 1993.
- ^ "Drysdale's death stuns Dodgers". The Washington Post. July 4, 1993.
- ^ Johnson, Kevin (July 5, 1993). "Koufax Says He'll Remember Drysdale's Humor and Warmth". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Platt, Ben (January 11, 2007). "Dodgers treated to screening of 'Bobby'". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011.
- ^ Hudson, Maryann (July 13, 1993). "Hundreds Mourn Drysdale: Tributes Are Paid at Funeral of Dodger Hall of Fame Pitcher". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Russo, p. 157-58
- ^ "Don & Ginger Drysdale on "You Bet Your Life"". Youtube. February 26, 1959.
- ^ "Don Drysdale on "To Tell the Truth"". Youtube. November 26, 1959.
- ^ a b c d e Cole, Howard (September 4, 2013). "Koufax on Mister Ed, Big D with Greg Brady, and Hollywood's love affair with the Dodgers". LA Weekly.
- ^ "Long Distance Call". TV.com. Leave It to Beaver. Archived from the original on 2010-04-01. Retrieved 2007-04-12.
- ^ "Joey and the L.A. Dodgers - The Joey Bishop Show". YouTube. March 21, 1964.
- ^ "The Big Game". TV.com. The Flying Nun. Archived from the original on 2014-08-19. Retrieved 2014-08-18.
- ^ "The Two-Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Fastball". TV.com. The Greatest American Hero. Archived from the original on 2013-02-04. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
Further reading
Articles
- Horn, Huston (August 20, 1962). "Ex-Bad Boy's Big Year". Sports Illustrated.
- Mann, Jack (April 4, 1966). "The $1,000,000 Holdout". Sports Illustrated.
Books
- Drysdale, Don; Verdi, Bob (1990). Once a Bum, Always a Dodger: My Life in Baseball from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-3120-3902-8.
- Russo, Frank (2014). The Cooperstown Chronicles: Baseball's Colorful Characters, Unusual Lives, and Strange Demises. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4422-3639-4.
- Florio, John; Shapiro, Ousie (2017). "Chapter 11: Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale & the 1966 Million-Dollar Contract Holdout". One Nation Under Baseball: How the 1960s Collided with the National Pastime. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 978-1-4962-1406-5.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Don Drysdale at the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Don Drysdale at the SABR Baseball Biography Project
- Don Drysdale at IMDb