Don Sutton

Don was born in Clio Alabama on April 2nd, 1945. This future baseball hall of fame pitcher had a bit of trouble getting signed straight out of high school, but he was eventually picked up by the Sioux Falls Packers where he spent several seasons as a minor leaguer. At the age of twenty-one, Don signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was 1966 and Don Sutton recorded an impressive 209 strikeouts to earn himself the title of Rookie Pitcher of the Year. Before long he had also earned a reputation for doctoring baseballs. One anecdote tells of his infamous first meeting with baseball’s famous greaseballer, Gaylord Perry. Supposedly, Perry handed Don Sutton a tube of Vaseline only to have Sutton return the favor with a hearty thank you and a sheet of sandpaper.

Over the course of his twenty-three year career spent with five major league teams, Don won a total of 324 games, putting him at 12th place in baseball history, a spot he shares with the legendary Nolan Ryan. He recorded 58 shutouts and five one-hitters and ranks in eighth place on baseball’s all-time strike out list.

Despite those numbers, Don Sutton was one of the most controversial pitchers ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. His critics point out that he never won the Cy Young award and only once did he win 20 games in one season. His fans point to the four time All-Star’s clutch performances and dependability.

In twenty-three years Don Sutton never spent a single day on the disabled list, working
constantly to keep his mind sharp and his body fit. And in today’s Southern Quote we celebrate the career of one of baseball’s greats who knew the value of giving it everything
he had.

Don Sutton once said, “Luck is the by-product of busting your fanny.”

~Shellie