Don Sutton made his major league debut on April 14, 1966, just 12 days after his 21st birthday. That season he pitched alongside Dodger greats Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.

The four-man rotation of ’66 was rounded out by Claude Osteen, a two-time all star and 196-game winner. The quartet started 154 of the Dodgers’ 162 games. Joe Moeller started the other eight.

Sutton won 12 games in his rookie season to begin a run of a dozen straight years with double-digit win totals. The model of consistency, the durable right-hander averaged 33 started per season in his 23-year career that went from 1966-1988.

Though he reached the 20-win mark only once, Sutton tallied 15 or more wins in 12 seasons. He threw 58 shutouts, five one-hitters, and ten two-hitters. Sutton pitched 16 years for the Dodgers, three each for the Angles and Brewers, two for the Astros, and one for the A’s. For his work, Sutton was elected to the Hall in 1998.

Shown here is the signature of starting staff mates from Sutton’s rookie year, Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.

Don Sutton earned his first taste of postseason play during the 1974 campaign. That year he helped push the Los Angeles Dodgers to an MLB-best 102 regular season wins. Sutton posted a 19–9 record across a league-leading 40 starts. He authored 10 complete games and five shutouts.

When the boys in blue reached the postseason, Manager Walter Alston chose Sutton to start Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. Sutton dominated from the opening pitch. He fired a complete-game shutout, allowing four hits while issuing one walk and striking out six Pittsburgh hitters.

Four days later, Sutton returned for Game 4 with his club holding a two-games-to-one lead in the best of five series. Don again carved up the Pirates lineup. Sutton worked eight innings and faced two batters over the minimum. He struck out seven and secured the series-clinching victory.

This ticket is to that Game 4 win. Sutton signed it alongside Steve Garvey and Jimmy Wynn. Garvey and Wynn powered the offense throughout the game.

Wynn reached base four times and scored three runs. He also drove in another. Garvey delivered two home runs during the contest. He recorded four runs batted in and scored four times. Their production complemented Sutton’s dominance on the mound.

On May 20, 1979, Don Sutton beat Tom Seaver and the Cincinnati Reds for his 210th career win. The victory broke his tie with Don Drysdale for the top spot in career victories for the Dodger franchise.

Sutton tacked on another 23 wins in Los Angeles to push the Dodger mark to 233. He still holds the record.

After leaving Los Angeles, Sutton pitched for the Astros, Brewers, A’s and Angeles before retiring at age 43. Overall he tallied 324 career victories for his five teams.

In the collection is this 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.

To see Drysdale’s endorsement on the back of the check, click here to redirect to Drysdale’s page.

Don Sutton remains one of the greatest pitchers in Dodgers history. He broke in during the 1966 season and played in Los Angeles until 1980.

On August 5, 1979 he struck out 2,487th batter to break Don Drysdale’s franchise mark. Sutton eventually extended the record to 2,696. Sutton held the franchise’s top spot in whiffs for the rest of his life.

On April 20, 2022, one year after Sutton’s passing Clayton Kershaw broke his strikeout record.

In the collection is the official document from Major League Baseball that Kershaw signed to collect the first of his 8 All Star rings. The 2011 season was a magical one for the Dodger who earned pitching’s Triple Crown with 21 wins, 2.28 ERA, and 248 strikeouts. By season’s end he earned the first of his three Cy Young Awards.

After 16 seasons in Los Angeles, Don Sutton left the Dodgers as a free agent after the 1980 season. From 1981-1987 he pitched for the Astros, Brewers, A’s and Angels.

Sutton’s final campaign in 1988 was a homecoming back to Los Angeles. Pitching for the eventual World Series champions, Sutton went 3-6 before pitching his final big league game on August 9.

Shown here is a 1983 Topps Super Veteran baseball card signed by 23-year MLB veteran Sutton.

Baseball loves its milestone. Magic numbers of 300 wins or 3,000 strikeouts virtually guarantees a pitcher’s Hall of Fame induction. Ten big league pitchers have reached both plateaus.

Don Sutton finished his 23-year stay in the majors with 324 victories and 3,574 Ks to join the exclusive two-milestone club. Chronologically, Walter Johnson, Gaylord Perry, Phil Niekro, Tom Seaver, and Steve Carlton  preceded Sutton into the circle. Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, and Randy Johnson joined the group after the Dodger right-hander.

Shown above is a handwritten letter from the Big Train, the charter member of the 300-win/3,000-strikeout club.

Eight years after Johnson’s playing career ended, he was awarded a lifetime pass to all MLB games. The passes were the brainchild of National League president Ford Frick.

Johnson’s letter is to Hall of Fame executive Ford Frick thanking him for the pass.

In 1998, the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted five men. Baseball writers elected Don Sutton. The Veterans Committee selected Joe Rogan, George Davis, Lee MacPhail, and Larry Doby.

Sutton built most of his Cooperstown resume in Los Angeles. He played 16 seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He set franchise records with 233 wins and 2,696 strikeouts. After leaving LA in 1982 he suited up for the Astros, Brewers, A’s, and Angels. By the time his career was over, Sutton boasted 324 wins and 3,574 strikeouts.

Bullet Joe Rogan starred as a two-way player. He led Negro League pitchers in WAR three times and ERA once. The right-hander also topped his league wins and strikeouts twice each. As a hitter, the 1924 Negro League World Series champion posted a .338/.413/.521 slash line. He added a 152 OPS+.

Davis showed rare versatility across the field. He played 1,372 games at shortstop and 530 at third base. Davis also played 114 at second base and 243 in center field. He debuted in 1890 for the Cleveland Spiders and later played for the New York Giants and Chicago White Sox. Davis finished a 20-year career with 2,665 hits, 1,545 runs and 1,440 RBI.

MacPhail followed his father Larry MacPhail into baseball leadership. With the New York Yankees from 1949-1958, the younger MacPhail helped build teams that won seven World Series titles. He later built a strong foundation for great Baltimore squards as Orioles GM from 1959 to 1965.

Doby broke the American League color barrier on July 5, 1947. He joined Jackie Robinson as the only Black players in the game. The Cleveland Indians center fielder earned an All-Star selection two years later, and made seven straight All-Star teams.

Shown here is schedule of events for induction weekend. Sutton, Doby, and MacPhail signed it as the three living inductees.

On July 26, 1998 Don Sutton stood on stage at Cooperstown and delivered his Hall of Fame induction speech. On his plaque is a Los Angeles cap, despicting him with the Dodgers, the team for which he played 16 of his 23 big league seasons.

That same season while traveling with the Braves as an announcer on August 14, Sutton took part in his jersey retirement ceremony. Former teammates and other Dodgers whose numbers are retired attended the festivities. It was an emotional day for Sutton and the 43,560 in attendance at Dodger Stadium.

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”.

The letter is dated one year to the day after Sutton’s jersey was retired.