Former Dodgers pitchers and Hall of Famers Don Sutton, right, and Sandy Koufax chat before an Old-Timers game on June 8, 2013 at Dodger Stadium. "I might understand if it was a matter of money, but if it's just to get them out of storage, why not offer them to the family first?" AMD: Kenny Washington was the womens basketball coach at UCLA, and my brother David and Kenny were roommates, so it all just kind of fell into place. It's also available for football, basketball and hockey. And when he did it, he just stood there on the mound and glared at you to let you know he meant it. And she reinforced it when she signed with the Indiana Pacers in 1979, missing the cut but grabbing an opportunity to broadcast the Pacers games. Dick Enberg and Vin Scully spoke next, followed by Uecker, who was the one who introduced Meyers to Drysdale at a Women's Superstars competition that Uecker and Drysdale were broadcasting several years ago. Donald Drysdale Operations Manager at Disneyland Resort Jurupa Valley, CA Disneyland Resort California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, +1 more Don Drysdale Partner at Lee, Hong,. Hed get so mad at me. April 17, 1956 . Don Drysdale. Meyers, 30, is 1 of 11 children, the majority of whom get together every Christmas Eve at the house where Ann grew up, in La Habra. Absolutely not," Kelly Drysdale said through tears by phone from her home in Hawaii. She has been nominated to the Basketball Hall of Fame. "He was a modern-day hero to us. The Basketball Hall of Famer Ann Meyers -- Drysdale's widow, who carried in their 4-month-old daughter, Drew, and a 4-year-old son, Darren -- specifically asked Bob Uecker to deliver a speech. SUMMARY Career WAR 67.1 W 209 L 166 ERA 2.95 G 518 GS 465 SV 6 IP 3432.0 SO 2486 Year Team League; 1959: Los Angeles Dodgers: NL: 1959: Los Angeles Dodgers . 11,320th in major league history) "And Don," Lasorda said, "would point at me and tell the fans, 'Get his, too.' Donald Scott Drysdale (July 23, 1936 July 3, 1993) was an American professional baseball player and television sports commentator. AMD: I played all five positions. "Things aren't always rosy. My advice is to let the kids play, let them have fun. Girls also need that trait in order to compete in the business world.. 1 one month into the season? Hall of Fame: With March Madness upon us, do you have fond memories from your time at UCLA? HOF: Did you ever develop an appreciation for baseball? I was fortunate enough to be at Cooperstown when Don was inducted and it was a sight to behold, Meyers said. VIP Mortgage Inc, +7 more Grand Canyon University, +3 more Don Drysdale . - BL-9982-93 (Milo Stewart, Jr. / National Baseball Hall of Fame). See About archive blog posts. It has always been dominated by the male and you can see their energy in how they compete. HOF: Have you been to Cooperstown before? The fans were not happy with me at all. She paused, apologizing for the one moment when her composure wavered. After I was cut by the Pacers, people said I failed. She said she believes her experience as an athlete has added to her resilience. Largely forgotten was Drysdale the hitter: he hit seven home runs in 1958 in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Dodgers' first home when they moved to Los Angeles. This one comes to us via the genes of Don Drysdale and Ann Meyers. Somebodys watching over me, no question. He wouldnt tell anybody about it hed just do it. Many thanks to him. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. I was a freshman and my brother was a senior during the 1974-75 season. In fact, the service had been delayed until today, so the team could attend. 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! AMD: Right, David was a senior and most deservedly so. In 1990, Drysdale published his autobiography, Once a Bum, Always a Dodger. Drysdale, a right-hander, and Sandy Koufax, a lefty, were regarded as the finest pitching combination then in the game. She is frequently in touch with colleges, seeking information. (Laughs) I didnt really follow baseball. LOS ANGELES Darren Drysdale clutched his mother's ankles as if they were his favorite teddy bear. And Tommy Lasorda, he just basically took the kids in, and Peter OMalley (Dodgers owner at the time), I just cant say enough about the Dodger organization. Growing up in pickup games, size never really mattered to me. When Hall of Famer Don Drysdale Sr. died of a heart attack on July 3 at the age of 57, the 38-year-old Meyers did not go into hiding, she went knocking on his old office door: the Dodgers'. Don Jr., 6, got to have his mom put on a basketball clinic at school last weekend. [11][circular reference]. [6][7][8][9][10] In his book entitled Once a Bum, Always a Dodger, Drysdale wrote: Those six months were good for me. "He touched so many people.". That just happens to be working out, too. Lose enough games, fight through enough adversity and you can conquer anything. Scott had a brief career as a minor-league pitcher in 1935, the year before Don was born. That year, he also won 23 games and helped the Dodgers to their third World Championship in Los Angeles. A silent timeout is called in their office, located adjacent to Donnies room, where many special moments have been preserved in the squiggly writing on what seems like 100 baseballs: First win in Montreal, 4-27-55, 15-0 , 6 hits ; 7th home runs ties pitcher record for hits in 1 season, 1958 . They dont have a maid, a cook or even a once-a-week house cleaner. HOF: You and Don would eventually have three children together. "Everybody at the ballpark has been so supportive. And believe me, all of those men were great in their own right. What fascinated me as an athlete was just how well he understood the game. "It's great to not only hear stories from fans but his old teammates. Home run Garvey! "But you have to move them off the plate; you have to get them out of there. In fact, there are plenty of trophies and memorabilia, reminders of the athletic prowess of each, in their sprawling, 4-bedroom home on the Morningside Golf Course. His best season was 1962, when "Big D" had a won-lost record of 25-9 and received the Cy Young Award as the outstanding pitcher in the major leagues. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? The web site is SCPAuctions.com. Now 56, the same age as her father when he died, Kelly Drysdale particularly wanted his 1962 Cy Young Award, which has a minimum bid of $15,000. They were married in November, 1986, at Morningside Country Club. For the Sox, Drysdale broadcast Tom Seaver's 300th victory, against the host New York Yankees in 1985. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. He was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 1984. 1? Even Meyers grandfather played ball in the Chicago White Sox organization. But I didnt fail. "You can have all the awards in the world, all the money and all the recognition and experiences. He meant so much to baseball. Drew, 5 months, has a collection of tapes, mementoes and stories that will help her know her dad. Do you have a blog? He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, and had his number 53 retired at Dodger Stadium on July 1, 1984. But it was great to have somebody to have a conversation with and talk about things. I grew up playing against the guys so you had to learn how to post up, you had to learn to shoot outside, and you had to handle the ball. When Meyers met Drysdale 9 years ago, she thought he was Don Meredith. . He could tell a story about what happened when he played, but the story was never really about him. ", As a broadcaster, Drysdale was in his sixth season with the Dodgers and his 22d over all. Meyers was a UCLA All-American and Olympic basketball star, and is in the. . Most of Meyers family participated in sports, the best known of them Ann, brother Dave, a former UCLA basketball star who went on to the National Basketball Assn. "Some things set you back and they hurt you to the core," she said. His parents moved the family to Santa Barbara, California, four years later. Meyers Drysdale said sorting through boxes of memorabilia brought "a lot of laughs, memories and tears." It was a great choice, and not an easy song to sing. We call him Donnie, but he is a junior (Don Drysdale Jr.), said Drysdale in their Rancho Mirage home. Frick (broadcasters), BBWAA Career Excellence (writers) and O'Neil (lifetime achievement). Drysdales father pitched in the minor leagues until he suffered a back injury. And there will be tomorrow! "Who are these players really loyal to, the agent or their teams? "That was the one thing that was proudly and prominently displayed in every house in which I ever lived," she said. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. "There are a whole generation of fans alive today who followed him and saw him play," he said. Drysdale, 53, grew up in Van Nuys, an only child. Drew, also a high-jump star on the Huntington Beach track team, plans to attend UCLA in the fall. Reserve your tickets, map your route, and work out all the details for your arrival in Cooperstown. And when Meyers strolled in wearing a blue pantssuit and accompanied by her three children and also with Kelly Drysdale, Don's 34-year-old daughter from a previous marriage, the program commenced. Ed Johnson (at Morningside) opened the club for us a week early so we could have the wedding, Drysdale said. The items came into her control through the will of Don Drysdale, who died of a heart attack in July 1993 while on the road broadcasting for the Dodgers. And if one of your teammates goes down, you do what you have to do to even the score, plain and simple. When I was a freshman I was able to play for a guy named Kenny Washington, who was one of Coach Woodens players that won a couple of championships. See the article in its original context from. - BL-1361-68 (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library), Don Drysdale was one of the most intimidating pitchers of his era, winning 209 games in 14 seasons with the Dodgers while helping his team win five National League pennants and three World Series titles. . We obviously interacted with the Superstars broadcasters, all the athletes did, and I had my mom down there in the Bahamas. Fortunately, it was the right decision and the player that we traded for helped us win two WNBA championships. Drysdale, who led the National League in strikeouts three times, is the second Dodger Hall of Famer to die within a week. When youre in high school emotions are changing and youre physically changing so you care about what people say. HOF: You must have heard about Dons reputation as a pitcher who would pitch inside, right? The sons joined family members and . Drysdale, 53, grew up in Van Nuys, an only child. Don Drysdale Jr., 6, walked into his father's memorial service this morning and right away found a familiar face: Sandy Koufax. She misses how she could say, "Your turn," when one of the three children had absorbed her last drop of energy. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Contrast With Campanella Rites. "[citation needed]. So, Drysdale asked Uecker to be her mother's date. [1] After his playing career, he became a radio/television broadcaster. Not when she has Don's children, Don's parents and sister, Don's daughter from a previous marriage, her parents, nine brothers and sisters and lots of good friends for support. Drysdale and Meyers had three children together: Don Junior ("DJ") (son), Darren (son), and Drew (daughter). He was born on my birthday (July 23) by accident--Donnie wasnt an accident, just being born on my birthday was, the Lord did that--so it was kind of a built-in name. I was thinking, Not this too. Then the pro came down and gave her a few pointers and all of a sudden, here I had been struggling with the game all my life, and she picks up the club and shes halfway there., That little guy in there, Drysdale replied, pointing to Donnies room. Ann Meyers Drysdale has a knack for such balancing acts. Drysdale was a pitcher of the old school whose brushback pitches have been curbed by rules and are virtually unknown in today's game. I took the kids when Tommy Lasorda had gone in but they were way too young, so for them to back this past year they were all overwhelmed because now they could appreciate it and understood it a lot more. Currently, Don Drysdale is 86 years, 5 months and 20 days old. Don Jr., known as D.J., is 28 and works at an Internet company in Arizona; Darren is a 26-year-old college student; and daughter Drew is a 23-year-old UCLA history major interested in a music career. You go on because of Donnie, because of Don Drysdale and the man he was. I kind of knew how to play defense so when I got switched in against somebody that was 6-foot-2 or 6-foot-4, most of the women werent quite as athletic as I was so I could read their moves. Actor: The Greatest American Hero. LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 23: D.J. The scoreless-inning streak stood for 20 years until it was broken by another Dodger pitcher, Orel Hershiser. [19] The couple had a daughter, Kelly, but divorced in 1982. The accolades, Donnie was never about that. Im sure he was put in a very difficult position. Drysdale, of course, is the Dodgers Hall of Fame right-hander and former announcer who died of a heart attack in 1993. Find out more. Drysdale is survived by his wife, Ann Meyers Drysdale, a former all-America basketball player at the University of California at Los Angeles, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and a network broadcaster of basketball games; two sons, Don Jr. and Darren, and a daughter, Drew, from his marriage to Meyers, and a daughter, Kelly, from a previous marriage. NL All-Star. The list of baseball luminaries was long. On October 11, 1980, Keith Jackson called an OklahomaTexas college football game for ABC in the afternoon, then flew to Houston to call Game 4 of the NLCS between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies. On November 1, 1986, he married basketball player Ann Meyers, who took the name Ann Meyers-Drysdale. AMD: Absolutely, absolutely, without question. ', "You look at the positives. And then obviously being together when we were, the one thing that I always loved, because I was from a big family, was just how these other guys responded to Donnie. He didn't back down from anybody."4 A beanball war against the Dodgers in 1957 ended with Eddie pummeling pitcher Don Drysdale, and on August 1, 1954, . Radio Baseball Cards aired on 38 stations, including WNBC New York, KSFO San Francisco and WEEI Boston, as a pre-game show. They were 6 and under when their father died. In the course of the 75-minute ceremony, Drysdale was referred to as "Big D," "Big Guy" and "Felix Unger." Drysdale pitched for the Dodgers instead of Koufax, giving up seven runs in 2+23 innings. " Uecker said. Don Drysdale holds baseballs commemorating his record of 58 2/3rds scoreless innings streak in 1968. Day trip or a week-long adventure. Read more The Basics AMD: Gosh, Ive just been in the right place at the right time. Those multitalented types, the ones who seem to excel in several different areas while the rest of the masses struggle to be pretty good at one thing. Don Drysdale was one of the most intimidating pitchers of his era, winning 209 games in 14 seasons with the Dodgers while helping his team win five National League pennants and three World Series titles. Im not going to let them talk me out of it a second time. I thought it was an opportunity of a lifetime. Cotto going back to the wallit's gone! TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. "If my dad wanted to get rid of these things, he probably would have.". View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. But you realize it's the people in your life who make you rich.". [3], After suffering a torn rotator cuff in 1969, Drysdale had to retire. But we (she and the children) fight through things together. AMD: The first time I went was in 1984 when Donnie was inducted, then I came again in 1993 after he had passed, and then came again in 1997 when Tommy (Lasorda) went in. in Van Nuys, CA I had no idea what Don had accomplished in his baseball career and had not heard of him as a broadcaster.. In 1979, Drysdale covered the World Series Trophy presentation ceremonies for ABC. You don't see 15 guys going out for a beer anymore. In 1963, he struck out 251 batters and won Game 3 of the World Series at Los Angeles's Dodger Stadium over the Yankees, 10. Hey, Danny DeVito! [23] They were returned to his family in February 2002 and scattered the next year.[24][25]. . [12], Nicknamed "Big D" by fans, Drysdale used brushback pitches and a sidearm fastball to intimidate batters,[3] similar to his fierce fellow Hall of Famer Bob Gibson. In his first start, he beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-1, striking out 9. Don Drysdale was born on 23 July 1936 in Van Nuys, California, USA. SCP Auctions estimates the entire collection to bring in around $1 million, according to vice president Dan Imler. 597 Drysdale Dr , Orange Park, FL 32065-5637 is a single-family home listed for rent at /mo. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. Drysdale had apparently carried the tape with him wherever he went since Kennedy's murder. AMD: It was rewarding. Although they live a busy life, Meyers and Drysdale appear to do it simply. She said a portion of the proceeds would go to as yet-undecided charities and the rest "to help my kids down the road. Kelly Drysdale is the only child from her father's first marriage. She has juggled her broadcast career and family life for nearly seven years, mixing in the commitments of a Hall of Fame husband and more recently her own Hall of Fame celebrity status. Don Drysdale Baseball 1960 Season Sports Trading Cards & Accessories, As the team left for the stadium the next morning, Drysdale was not with them. They make the boys feel like they're part of the Dodgers because Don was such a part of the ballclub. HOF: Can you talk about your relationship with Don Drysdale? ", Informed of her stepdaughter's comments, Meyers said, "It's a family matter and I'll leave it at that.". View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen. "If one of my teammates got knocked down, then I knocked down two on the other team. Scott Drysdale was a repair supervisor for the Pacific Telephone Company, which provided a comfortable middle-class upbringing.
Andrew Pierce Obituary, Articles D