Don Sutton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Don Sutton |
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Sutton with the Los Angeles Dodgers c. 1971
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: April 2, 1945 Clio, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Died: January 19, 2021 (aged 75) Rancho Mirage, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 14, 1966, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 9, 1988, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 324–256 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.26 | ||
| Strikeouts | 3,574 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1998 | ||
| Vote | 81.61% (fifth ballot) | ||
Donald Howard Sutton (April 2, 1945 – January 19, 2021) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 23 seasons. Don Sutton was known for his amazing pitching skills. He played for teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros.
Sutton won 324 games in his career. He also pitched 58 shutouts, which means he didn't let the other team score any runs. He is seventh on the all-time strikeout list with 3,574 strikeouts.
Don Sutton was born in Clio, Alabama. He went to high school and college in Florida. After playing in the minor leagues for one year, he joined the Dodgers. He was a starting pitcher for the team from 1966. He played 16 of his 23 MLB seasons with the Dodgers.
After he stopped playing, Sutton became a television sports broadcaster. He worked for several teams, especially the Atlanta Braves. Don Sutton was honored by being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
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Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Don Sutton was born in Clio, Alabama, on April 2, 1945. His parents were very young. His father, Howard, taught him a strong work ethic. His family moved to Molino, Florida, looking for work. They were Evangelical Christians.
Sutton went to J. M. Tate High School. He played baseball, basketball, and football there. He led his baseball team to the state finals twice. He won the state championship in 1962. He was named all-county, all-conference, and all-state.
After high school, he attended Gulf Coast Community College. He also went to Whittier College. After playing well in a summer league, the Dodgers signed him to play professional baseball.
Playing Career in Major League Baseball
Starting with the Dodgers
Don Sutton joined the major leagues when he was 21 years old. His first game was with the Dodgers on April 14, 1966. He was the fourth starting pitcher for the Dodgers. The team had famous pitchers like Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.
Sutton said that playing with them was the "best thing" for him. He struck out 209 batters in his first season. This was a high number for a rookie pitcher. The Dodgers played in the 1966 World Series but lost.
All-Star Seasons
Sutton was chosen for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game four times in the 1970s. In 1974, the Dodgers made it to the postseason. They won 102 games that year. Sutton helped them win two games in the playoffs. They lost the 1974 World Series, but Sutton got their only win.
In 1976, Sutton had his best season. He won 21 games and lost 10. He was the starting pitcher and MVP of the 1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He pitched a complete game win in the 1977 playoffs. The team lost the World Series that year.
In 1978, Sutton had a disagreement with his teammate Steve Garvey. They even had a fight before a game. The team still made it to the postseason. Sutton had a good regular season. However, he struggled in the postseason. The Dodgers lost the World Series again.
Moving to Other Teams
After the 1980 season, Sutton became a free agent. This meant he could sign with any team. He had set a team record for career wins with the Dodgers. He chose to play for the Houston Astros. He liked that the Astrodome stadium was good for pitchers.
In 1981, a player strike stopped the season. When it started again, Sutton won seven games. He got injured in October, ending his season.
Before the 1982 season, Sutton wanted to play in Southern California. The Astros traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers in August. A teammate, Ray Knight, was surprised by the trade. He said Sutton was a pitcher who would win 15–20 games every year. Sutton helped the Brewers in the playoffs. He also started two games in the 1982 World Series.
In 1985, Sutton was traded to the Oakland Athletics. He wanted to play in Southern California to be with his family. But he reported to Oakland. He was only 20 wins away from 300 career wins. After starting the season well, he was traded to the California Angels in September.
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| Don Sutton's number 20 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998. |
In 1986, Sutton had 295 career wins. He got his 300th career win on June 18. He pitched a complete game against the Texas Rangers. He allowed only three hits and one run. He played in two playoff games that year.
Sutton finished his career with the Dodgers in 1988. He had played for five different teams in his last eight seasons. The Dodgers released him in August 1988. They said they needed pitchers who could pitch longer in games.
Don Sutton holds some special records:
- Most at-bats without hitting a home run (1,354).
- Seven times he pitched nine scoreless innings but got a no-decision.
- Most consecutive losses to one team (13 to the Chicago Cubs).
- Dodgers franchise record for wins (233).
- Dodgers strikeout record (2,696) for 42 years until 2022.
As a hitter, Sutton was about average for a pitcher. He had a .144 batting average. He was good at fielding, with a .968 fielding percentage.
Life After Playing: Broadcasting
Sutton started his broadcasting career in 1989. He worked for both the Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves. The next year, he became a full-time commentator for the Braves.
In 2002, Sutton was diagnosed with kidney cancer. He had surgery to remove his left kidney. He continued broadcasting while getting treatment. He left TBS after the 2006 season.
Sutton worked for the Washington Nationals in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, he returned to the Atlanta Braves radio team. He missed the 2019 season because he broke his leg.
Honors and Legacy
In 1997, Don Sutton was almost elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was very close, missing by only nine votes. The next year, in 1998, he was the only player chosen for induction. The Dodgers retired his number 20 that year. This means no other Dodger player will wear that number.
Sutton was also inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2015. This was for his great work as a broadcaster. He joined other famous Braves broadcasters.
A part of U.S. Highway 29 in Alabama is named "Don Sutton Highway." A youth baseball complex in Molino, near his childhood home, is also named after him.
Personal Life
Don Sutton loved to play golf and enjoyed wine. He often talked about these hobbies while broadcasting. He also broadcast golf games. He was a fan of the game show Match Game and appeared on it sometimes. His son, Daron, is also a baseball broadcaster.
Don Sutton passed away from cancer on January 19, 2021. He was 75 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Don Sutton para niños
- 300-win club
- 3,000 strikeout club
- List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders
