Don Sutton, the right-wing Los Angeles Dodgers who won more than 300 matches in his Hall of Fame career, died Monday night, his son Darwin Advertise on social media.
Copperstown, New York, Baseball’s Hall of Fame said Don Sutton died of cancer at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 75 years old.
Daron Sutton wrote on Twitter: “I was sad to share my father’s death in his sleep last night.” “He worked as hard as anyone I had known before and treated those he met with great respect … and took me to work a lot. For all these things, I am very grateful. Rest in peace.”
Sad to share that my father passed away in his sleep last night. He worked as hard as anyone I had known and treated those he encountered with great respect … and took me to work a lot. For all of these things, I am very grateful. Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/cvlDRRdVXa
Daron Sutton (lifeisgreatsut) January 19, 2021
Sutton’s career began and ended with the Dodgers, with whom he spent 16 of his 23 seasons – spanning from 1966 to 1980 including a final tour in 1988. He was a four-time All-Star superstar with a career of 324-256 and a 3.26 epoch. . His 324 wins are at number 14 in major league history.
“Today we lost a great footballer, a great broadcaster, and most importantly, a great person,” Stan Kasten, president and CEO of the Dodgers Corporation, said in a statement. “Don left an indelible mark on the Dodger franchise during its 16 seasons in Los Angeles and many of his records remain to this day. I have had the privilege of working with Don in both Atlanta and Washington, and I will always cherish the time I spent together.”
He has also participated in the Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletic and Los Angeles Angels.
Sutton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
“Don Sutton has been one of the most winning shooters in our game throughout his decorated 23-year career,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement, describing Sutton as “a model of toughness on the hill.”
“Throughout his career, Donn played us in a fantastic class, and many will remember his enthusiasm during his trips to Copperstown,” Manfred continued. “On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to the Don family, his friends, and the many fans he has earned a memorable life in our national hobby.”
The solid Sutton did not miss a role in the rotation in the 756th major league start. Only Cy Young and Nolan Ryan made more starts than Sutton, who didn’t fall off the hit list. A master in changing paces and positioning of the field, Sutton scored one season of 20 wins, but gained 10 or more wins each season except for 1983 and 1988. Of his wins, 58 were punches, five were hitters and 10 were – the hitters. The right-handed person is seventh on the job strike list with a score of 3,574.
He was ranked third at all times in matches that began and seventh in innings (5282.1). He worked no fewer than 200 rounds in 20 of his first 21 seasons, with only the 1981 season interrupting his streak.
The Los Angeles Dodgers mourn the death of Don Sutton, a Hall of Famer and Dodger player. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/RArUeoiBB1
Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) January 19, 2021
Donald Howard Sutton was born April 2, 1945, in Cleo, Alabama, the son of a farmer. The family moved to North Florida, where Sutton was the star of three sports in high school and showed an affinity for baseball as a youngster. He played the sport in college prep before the Dodgers signed him as a free agent in September 1964, months before his first MLB project.
After going 23-7 during one season at The Palace, Sutton won a place in the Dodgers’ rotation in 1966. He made his Grand League debut with the defending champions on April 14, 1966, and claimed his first victory four days later.
Sutton immediately found himself in rotation with Sandy Kovacs, Don Dresdale and Claude Austin as a fourth starter. Sutton scored 209 strikes that season, the highest total for beginners since 1911.
He helped the Dodgers team win National League pennants in 1974, 1977, and 1978. He left the team as a free agent in 1980 and signed with Houston.
A trade in 1982 sent Sutton to the Brewers, where he pitched Milwaukee to his first Major League Soccer motto. He worked with his sixth post-season team in 1986 with champion AL West and then returned to the Dodgers in 1988, retiring before the end of the season which saw them win the World Series.
After his playing career, Sutton worked as an analyst for the Atlanta Braves for 28 seasons, inviting games on both television and radio.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of our dear friend Don Sutton,” the brave man said in a statement. “A generation of Braves fans recognized his voice … Don was scared on the hill as he was liked in the cabin. A winner of 300 matches and was a four-time All-Star superstar, Don brought unparalleled knowledge of the game and his sharp intelligence to his invitations. But despite all … Successes, he did not lose without his generous personality or humble personality. “
He joined Braves in 1989 when they were one of baseball’s worst teams, but developed a national following through the TBS superstation and its three broadcasters: Skip Caray, Pete Van Wieren, and Ernie Johnson Sr.
Sutton was part of the soundtrack to Atlanta’s worst-to-first season in 1991, its dominant season with 14 titles in a row, and the 1995 World Championship. He called Braves Games on television and radio for 28 of the 30 seasons, interrupted only by his move to Washington Nationals in 2007. He returned to Braves in 2009 and would broadcast matches until the 2018 season.
“Don Sutton’s brilliance on the field, and his enduring commitment to the game he loved, extended to his time as a member of the Hall of Fame,” Jane Forbes Clark, president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, said in a statement. “I know how much he appreciated his moments in Copperstown, just as we cherished our special moments with him. We share our deepest condolences with his wife Mary and his family.”
Sutton’s death comes on the heels of the deaths in 2020 of seven Hall of Famers who are the most seated Cooperstown member to die in a calendar year. They are Le Brook, Watford, Bob Gibson, Al Calen, Joe Morgan, Phil Necro, and Tom Seaver.
Sutton offered Dodgers Hall of Fame director Tommy Lasorda, who passed away on January 7.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.