The 1969 MLB season was a melancholy one for Los Angeles Dodgers’ great Don Drysdale. Hindered by a torn rotator cuff halfway through the season, Drysdale – who owned a 5-4 record with 24 K’s up until then – decided to call it quits on his 14-year career, every season wearing Dodger Blue. The 6’ 5” right-handed flame thrower retired with 209 career wins. Incredibly, in the days prior to middle relievers coming of age, Drysdale had pitched 167 career complete games including 40 shutouts.
Featured here is Drysdale’s 1969 Los Angeles Dodgers game-worn home uniform from his final season in the bigs. The size 46 white home jersey is lettered in blue script with "Dodgers" across the front and features the number "53" on the left breast in red and on the reverse larger in blue. All letters and the reverse number are appliquéd in felt. The left front tail sports the proper “W.A. Goodman & Sons” manufacturer’s tag, sitting directly above a separate sewn-on flannel tag with blue chain-stitching that reads: “Drysdale 46L/4 Set A 69.” The jersey includes the MLB “100th Anniversary” patch on the left shoulder, donned by teams league-wide exclusively during the 1969 season. The jersey is all original, with no alterations, and displays moderate wear throughout.
The matching Dodgers flannel pants are tagged "W.A. Goodman & Sons" at the rear interior waistband. To the right of the manufacturer’s tag is “Drysdale 38/33 Set A 69” chain-stitched in blue script on a separate sewn-on nameplate indicating his waist size (38), inseam (33), set number (A) and season (69). The original white button sewn into the fly area and working zipper remain intact, as do the single buttons sewn into both back pockets. Both the pants and jersey show light to moderate use.
Drysdale, who would go on to a successful sports broadcasting career over the next 24 years, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. He died unexpectedly on July 3, 1993, at the age of 56. He was in Montreal covering a three-game series between the Dodgers and the Expos.
Includes LOA from the Drysdale Family.