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 drawn from the Los Angeles Dodgers account. Dated November 13, 1958 their first year since moving from Brooklyn the check is made out to Drysdale and signed by longtime team executive Fresco Thompson.

Drysdale led the National League by hitting 14 batters in ’58, the first of four consecutive seasons atop the leaderboard for the category. The 1962 Cy Young Award winner, Drysdale ended his 14-year career with 209 wins.

Upon retirement, Drysdale became an announcer for the Expos, Rangers, and Angels before making his way back to the Dodgers.

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 World Series rings. Individually, he made six All Star appearances in those seven years and earned the Cy Young Award in ’62. It was this run that catapulted Drysdale to the Hall of Fame.

Shown here is Drysdale’s signature found as an endorsement on the back of the check issued by the Dodgers on November 13, 1958.

When Don Drysdale made his fourth consecutive Opening Day start in 1961, he tied the franchise record. Nap Rucker, Van Lingle Mungo, and Carl Erskine had shared the previous mark. Drysdale then opened the 1963 season to claim the record alone. He added starts in 1965 and 1969 to push the total to seven.

Across those seven Opening Day assignments Drysdale went 5-2 with a 3.38 ERA. He worked 50 2/3 innings, struck out 48 batters, and completed three games.

Shown here is a letter from Erskine, one of three who held the Opening Day record before Drysdale. Dated January 11, 1954, the note discusses Erskine’s World Series record 14-strikeout game. Erskine writes to 1929 batting champion Lew Fonseca, then MLB’s Director of Promotion.

The letter reads in part,

 “I received the 1953 World Series film and have all ready (sic) enjoyed seeing it several times. I always get he feeling early in the film that this is the year were (sic) going to do it but it always comes out the same.”

Letters signed by Erskine from the 1950s remain scarce, and this content makes the piece highly desirable.

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 stealing 104 bases.

Big D racked up the victories as his team battled the Giants for the pennant. Through the start of August the Dodgers had beaten up on San Francisco, winning seven of ten including a three-game sweep at the end of July.

By the time the two teams met in San Francisco for a weekend series on August 10, the Dodgers opened up a 5 1/2 game lead in the standings. A sweep would give Los Angeles an 8 1/2 game with six weeks to play.

Giants manager Al Dark was desperate to slow Wills and the Dodgers. He directed the Candlestick Park groundskeepers to water down the area between first and second base. With the real estate soggy, base runners couldn’t get a solid footing.

Dark’s strategy frustrated the Dodgers as they got trounced 11-2 in the first game. They protested the playing conditions to the umpires throughout the series.

Drysdale was riding an 11-game win streak when got the start in the second game. Los Angeles jumped out to the lead in the first inning behind a Tommy Davis three-run homer.

Wills led off the third inning. Perhaps allowing the frustration to boil over, he got into a heated argument with umpire Al Forman, leading to his ejection.

The Giants scored five runs in the middle innings, holding off Los Angeles 5-4.  On Sunday, San Francisco completed the sweep.

By season’s end, the two teams were tied with 101 wins each. A three-game playoff would determine the pennant. San Francisco won two of three to earn the flag.

If the Dodgers had won just one of the three games in San Francisco with the watered-down base paths, they would’ve been NL champs.

Did the groundskeepers help the Giants cheat their way to the World Series?

In the collection is this letter from Hall of Fame executive and National League President Warren Giles.

Giles writes in part, “…I regret very much that the Giants acted as they did in what appeared to be excessive watering the field for the Dodger series. I believe that manager Dark now realizes he made a mistake.”

The NL boss then writes about Wills’ Saturday third-inning ejection. “No self-respecting person should be required to stand for the names Wills called Umpire Forman without being put out of the game.”

Giles closes, “…I have advised the Giants that their action was in violation of the spirit of the rules, while there is no specific rule violation. I can assure you there will be no recurrence in any of our parks…”

The Hall of Famer Giles then pens his signature at the bottom of the National League stationary. To read more about the episode, click here.

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 was one for the ages. Koufax led the league in wins (27), ERA (2.04), strikeouts (382), innings (335 2/3), complete games (27), and WHIP (career best 0.855).

Los Angeles won 97 games to earn a trip to the Fall Classic. The AL champion Twins bested Koufax and Drysdale in the first two games of the Series.

After Claude Osteen shut out Minnesota in Game 3, Drysdale pulled the Dodgers even with a five-hit complete game. Koufax responded with a 10-strikeout four-hit shutout to put Los Angeles within one win of a Series triumph.

The Twins evened things up with a 5-1 win in Game 6. Dodger skipper Walter Alston gave Koufax the ball for the Series decider. Pitching on just two days rest, Koufax dominated the game. The lefty again struck out ten, this time allowing just three hits. For his efforts he was named the Series MVP.

Shown here is a 9×11 sheet commemorating the 1965 World Champion Dodgers. It is autographed by the Dodger dynamic duo.

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 record of 45 1/3 frames and Walter Johnson‘s MLB record of 56 innings.

Drysdale would hold the mark for two decades before it was broken by fellow Dodger Orel Hershiser in 1988.

In the collection is this 9×11 sheet commemorating Drysdale’s record-setting performance. Big D has signed the sheet boldly.

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), and shutouts (11). His 15.1 WAR is the highest single-season mark since the 1800s.

That season he also threw 55 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings to establish a record he held for the rest of his life.

More than a half-century later Don Drysdale broke his mark by tossing 58 2/3 straight frames without allowing a run.

Shown here is a letter to Hall of Fame executive Ford Frick written by Johnson. In the 1936 correspondence the Big Train thanks Frick for his lifetime pass.

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 a game against the Phillies. The deciding at bat game after 58 2/3 scoreless innings when Philadelphia’s Howie Bedell hit a sac fly to score Tony Taylor.

Shown here is a questionnaire filled out and signed by Drysdale’s streak-breaker Bedell. The Phillies pinch hitter takes the time to outline some of his most memorable moments in baseball. Bedell also pens his signature on his 1961 and 1962 Topps cards.

In 1988 Orel Hershiser broke Drysdale’s record but kept it in the Dodger family. Big D was on hand at the game in his role as Dodger announcer.

Power and durability defined Don Drysdale throughout a career built on intimidation and innings. He finished with 209 wins, a 2.95 ERA, and 2,486 strikeouts for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Drysdale attacked hitters with relentless aggression and exceptional command. He led the National League in strikeouts in 1959, 1960, and 1962. His strikeout total ranked eighth all time at retirement, a mark that reflected both peak dominance and long-term production. He paired that swing-and-miss ability with deep outings and physical toughness.

Workhorse value separated him from most contemporaries. Drysdale led the league in games started in 1959, 1960, 1962, and 1965. His 465 career starts put him 32nd all-time when he left the game. Managers trusted him to take the ball every fourth day and finish games under pressure. That reliability anchored Dodgers rotations across multiple pennant races.

His shutout total reinforced his ability to completely silence opposing lineups. Drysdale finished with 49 career shutouts, which ranked 12th all time at retirement. Few pitchers combined that level of dominance with such consistent workload.

Peak performance arrived in 1962 when he won 25 games and captured the Cy Young Award. Monthly excellence followed with Pitcher of the Month honors in May 1960, July 1962, and June 1968. Each stretch highlighted his control, endurance, and competitive edge.

Drysdale’s career blended volume, velocity, and results. His numbers still stand as a blueprint for power pitching in a demanding era.

Shown here is an autographed 8×10 photo of Drysdale taken at Dodger Stadium.

In 1963 Don Drysdale set the Dodger record by earning his fifth Opening Day start. He extended the mark to seven by tipping off the season in 1965 and 1969.

Drysdale held the record by himself until Don Sutton tied him with his seventh consecutive Opening Day assignment in 1978. Sutton went 4-2 with a 2.60 ERA across those openers. He worked 52 innings and allowed just 15 earned runs. Opponents managed 38 hits against him. He walked 14 and struck out 37.

It was only fitting that the record be shared. Before Drysdale made it his own, three Dodgers held the mark at four Opening Day starts. Those pitchers were Nap Rucker, Van Lingle Mungo, and Carl Erskine.

Shown here is a 1974 Topps card signed by Sutton, the man who shared the Dodger record for Opening Day starts.

On June 22, 1968 Don Drysdale made Cleon Jones his 2,397th strikeout victim. That made the Dodger hurler the all-time strikeout king in Dodger franchise history.

Drysdale held the mark until August 5, 1979 when Don Sutton made the mark his own. Sutton held the top stop until the day he died.

The year after Sutton’s passing Clayton Kershaw snatched the record in 2022. The southpaw continues to hold the franchise record for career strikeouts today.

In this handwritten letter on Dodger letterhead, Sutton opines about the choice of the cap in his Hall of Fame plaque. The 324-game winner writes, “Jim, Although I played for a few teams, I’m very proud that it’s a Dodger cap in Cooperstown. Don Sutton 8-14-99”.

For Sutton fans August 14th is a highlight. One year to the day before he signed this, Sutton’s #20 was retired in a ceremony at Dodgers Stadium.

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 the Sports Illustrated issue in which Wulf’s article appeared. It features Hershiser on the cover as the magazine’s Sportsman of the Year. Hershiser has added his signature across the top of his jersey.

The 1984 Hall of Fame induction featured five players – three writers’ selections and two Veteran Committee picks. Luis Aparicio, Don Drysdale, and Harmon Killebrew, got the BBWAA nod while Rick Ferrell and Pee Wee Reese came in via the Vets.

Slugger Killebrew was selected on his fourth year on the ballot. The doors opened for Aparcio in his sixth year and Drysdale in his tenth.

Shown here is a letter from Drysdale’s Cooperstown classmate Killebrew. The Twins great writes to Jack Lang, the secretary-treasurer of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) from 1966-1988. The role entrusted Lang with counting Hall of Fame votes and notifying those who made it.

The correspondence is dated January 16, 1984, just one week after Killebrew received the good news.

He writes in part, “What a thrill to hear these words from you last week…It is the greatest thrill of my life and we look forward to being with you and the rest of my friends along with Don Drysdale and Luis Aparicio on August 12.”

The slugger signs his name at the bottom of the letter.

Don Drysdale and Don Sutton long shared the Dodgers record for Opening Day starts. Drysdale claimed the mark with his fifth assignment in 1963. He extended it to six in 1965. His seventh came in 1969.

Sutton matched that total with seven straight from 1972 through 1978. The two Hall of Famers stood alone atop the franchise list for decades.

In 2017 Clayton Kershaw matched them by starting his seventh opener. One year later his eighth consecutive assignment made the mark his own. Though injuries halted the streak, Kershaw returned for a ninth and final opener in 2021.

His finest Opening Day performance came on April 1, 2013. Manager Don Mattingly tabbed him against the defending champion San Francisco Giants. The 53,136 fans watched Kershaw toss a complete-game shutout. He also hit his only career home run. The blast broke a scoreless tie in the eighth.

Shown above is Mattingly’s lineup card from the afternoon Kershaw made his most memorable Opening Day performance. The pitcher signed the card boldly to mark his unforgettable day.