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Don Drysdale

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Donald Scott Drysdale (July 23, 1936 – July 3, 1993) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was born in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California.

Playing career

Donald Drysdale's number 53 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1984.

Pitching for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, he teamed with Sandy Koufax during the late 1950s and 1960s to form one of the most dominating pitching duos in history. The ferocious hurler (nicknamed "Big D" by fans) used brushback pitches and a sidearm fastball to intimidate batters, and his 154 hit batsmen remain a modern National League record.

In 1962, Drysdale won 25 games and the Cy Young Award. In 1968, he set major league records with 6 consecutive complete-game shutouts and 58 2/3 (sometimes rounded off to 58) consecutive scoreless innings; the record was ultimately broken by fellow Dodger Orel Hershiser 20 years later. He hurt his arm soon after and won only 12 more major league games, including 2 more shutouts. His last shutout was at San Diego by 19-0 (NL modern record-tying) on June 28, 1969. Last win was 3-2 in Chicago over Ferguson Jenkins on July 27, 1969. In 1963, he struck out 251 batters and won a World Series Game (Game 3 at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium). In 1965, the all-around athlete was the Dodgers' only .300 hitter and tied his own National League record for pitchers with seven home runs. which he had done in 1958. Don Newcombe and Mike Hampton share the NL record with Drysdale. That year he won 23 games and led the Dodgers to their third World Championship in Los Angeles, he ended his career by winning 209 games, striking out 2,486 batters, pitched in 167 complete games and had 49 shutouts. He was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, and had his number 53 officially retired at Dodger Stadium on July 1, 1984. (He was the last player on the Dodgers who had played for Brooklyn.)

Broadcasting career

Don Drysdale retired after the 1969 season and became a broadcaster for not just the Dodgers (from 1988 up until his death in 1993), but also the Montréal Expos (1970-1971), Texas Rangers (1972), California Angels (1973-1979), Chicago White Sox (1982-1987), and ABC (1978-1986).

While at ABC Sports, Drysdale not only did baseball telecasts, but also Superstars and Wide World of Sports. In 1979, Drysdale covered the World Series Trophy presentation ceremonies for ABC. In 1984, Drysdale did play-by-play (alongside fellow Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson and Earl Weaver) for the thrilling National League Championship Series between the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs.

On October 6, 1984 at San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium, Game 4 of the NLCS ended when Padres first baseman Steve Garvey hit a dramatic two run home run off of Lee Smith.

Deep right field, way back. Cotto going back to the wall...it's gone! Home run Garvey! And there will be tomorrow! - Drysdale on the call.

The Padres, who rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the best-of-five series against the Cubs won the decisive Game 5 the next day (thus, winning their first ever National League pennant).

See also: Major League Baseball on ABC

While broadcasting for the White Sox, Drysdale generated some mild controversy while covering a heated argument between an umpire and Sox manager Tony LaRussa. The animated LaRussa pulled up the third base bag and hurled it into the outfield, to the approval of the Comiskey Park crowed, and ensuring his ejection. Drysdale remarked, "Go get 'em, Dago!"

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, including many Hall of Famers. 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.[1]

1988

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. The Dodgers' anemic offense was obliging, however, and Hershiser pitched the first 10 innings of a scoreless tie, with the Padres eventually prevailing 2-1 in 16 innings. Hershiser almost did not pitch in the 10th inning, in deference to Drysdale, but was convinced by the Hall of Famer to take the mound and try to break the record. When Hershiser broke Drysdale's record, Drysdale went to hug him and said, "Oh, I'll tell ya, congratulations...And at least you kept it in the family."[citation needed]

Drysdale also called Kirk Gibson's memorable walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series for the Dodgers Radio Network.

Well the crowd on its feet and if there was ever a preface, to Casey at the Bat, it would have to be the ninth inning. Two out. The tying run aboard, the winning run at the plate, and Kirk Gibson, standing at the plate. Eckersley working out of the stretch, here's the three-two pitch...and a drive hit to right field (losing voice) WAY BACK! IT'S GONE! IT'S GONE! (After delay) This crowd will not stop! They can't believe the ending! And this time, Mighty Casey did NOT strike out!!!!

Personal

In 1986, divorced from his first wife Ginger, he married Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame player Ann Meyers, who took the name Ann Meyers-Drysdale. It was the first time that a married couple were members of their respective sports' Halls of Fame. Drysdale and Meyers had three children together: Don Junior ("DJ"), Darren, and Drew. In 1990, Drysdale published his autobiography, Once a Bum, Always a Dodger.

Death

Don Drysdale died of a heart attack in his hotel room in Montreal, Quebec, where he had been broadcasting a Dodgers game in 1993. Drysdale was found dead by radio station employees sent to look for him when he was late for his scheduled broadcast. After Drysdale missed the team bus, hadn't shown up about two hours before game time, and didn't answer his telephone, the hotel staff went in and found him face down, near his bed. The coroner estimated that he had been dead for 18 hours. Soon afterwards, 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.

Fellow broadcaster Ross Porter told his radio audience,

I just don't believe it, folks.

Drysdale was replaced by Rick Monday in the broadcast booth.

Drysdale's body was cremated at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Quotations

  • “Batting against him (Don Drysdale) is the same as making a date with the dentist.” - Dick Groat [2]
  • “Don Drysdale would consider an intentional walk a waste of three pitches. If he wants to put you on base, he can hit you with one pitch.” - Mike Shannon
  • “The trick against Drysdale is to hit him before he hits you.” - Orlando Cepeda
  • For every Dodger they [the Giants' pitchers] knock down, I'll knock down three Giants--and they won't be .220 hitters, either." --Drysdale, still on the subject of brushback pitches; quoted from the Los Angeles Times

Television

  • Drysdale and his first wife were guests on You Bet Your Life with host Groucho Marx at some point between the 1958 and 1959 baseball seasons. The episode was released on the 2006 DVD "Groucho Marx: You Bet Your Life - 14 Classic Episodes".

See also

References

  1. ^ http://smarterpodcasts.com
  2. ^ Baseball-Almanac: Quotes
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ TV.com
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