The Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night will continue their series of collectors’ pins giveaways honoring their record eight Cy Young Award winners, with the first 40,000 fans receiving a pin of Don Drysdale, the 1962 winner of the pitching award.
Drysdale’s daughter, Drew, will perform the National Anthem before the game against the World Series champion San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.
Drysdale’s widow Ann Meyers Drysdale, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, and their children Drew, DJ and Darren will also participate in the ceremonial first pitch ceremony.
A ceremonial first pitch will also be thrown by hip-hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar.
Derrel Thomas, an infielder-outfielder on the Dodgers 1981 World Series championship team, will sign autographs in the left field plaza from 5-7 p.m.
U.S. Army Cpl. Anthony Guitron of West Covina will be honored as the Military Hero of the Game.
Auto gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and stadium gates at 5 p.m. for the 7:10 p.m. game. Pregame ceremonies will begin at 6:55 p.m.
Drysdale was 25-9 in 1962, leading the National League in victories and strikeouts with 232. The Dodgers ended the regular season tied for first in the National League with the Giants, then lost a best-of-three playoff, two games to one.
Drysdale had a reputation as a fierce competitor who wasn’t afraid to hit a batter who crowded the plate.
“He liked to pitch inside,” said Maury Wills, a teammate of Drysdale’s from 1959-66 and 1969. “He didn’t care whether he hit you or not if you didn’t get out of the way.”
Drysdale’s proclivity for inside pitching kept “hitters on their heels,” Wills told City News Service this week.
“You can’t hit when you’re on your heels,” Wills said. “You have to be on the balls of your feet.”
Wills described Drysdale as his “protector,” hitting opponents who physically abused Wills when he was attempting to steal a base or pitchers who threw at Wills’ legs.
Drysdale was born on July 23, 1936, in Van Nuys and attended Van Nuys High School. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodger organization in 1954 and assigned to their Class C California League affiliate in Bakersfield. Drysdale made his major league debut in 1956.
Drysdale set baseball’s consecutive scoreless inning record of 58 in 1968. He retired following a game on Aug. 5, 1969 because of arm trouble. Drysdale was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.
Drysdale became an announcer after his playing career, rejoining the Dodgers in that capacity in 1988. He died in 1993 at the age of 56.
—City News Service