Don Drysdale Strikeout Record

Lore & Background

Drysdale set the record of 58 consecutive scoreless innings in 1968, which was later broken by fellow Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser 20 years later. Hershiser did not match Drysdale's record of six consecutive complete-game shutouts.

In Their Own Story

The late afternoon sun glinted off the white lines of the diamond as Drysdale wound up on the mound. The crowd at Dodger Stadium held its breath; this was the final inning of another record-breaking stretch. He gripped the ball, his glove snapping shut against his thigh before launching a fastball that blurred past the batter's bat. A sharp crack echoed—not from contact, but the sound of the mitt catching the third strike. The umpire threw out his arms: 'Strike three!' Drysdale wiped sweat from his brow, knowing history was being written in every pitch.

Reader's Guide

Drysdale's 58 consecutive scoreless innings record was set in 1968, not 1969. The 1965 World Series was not Los Angeles' first championship in California; the Dodgers won in 1959. His nickname was 'Big D', not 'The Last Don'. The record was broken by Orel Hershiser in 1988 (59 innings), not merely matched.

Did You Know?

• Drysdale won the Cy Young Award in 1962.
• He was a three-time World Series champion.
• He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.
• His number 53 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1984.