When it came to receiving recognition plaques for outstanding achievements on the field of play, few player collections would surpass that of the late Dodgers’ great, Don Drysdale. A 6’ 5” flame-thrower for the Blue Crew, Drysdale collected 209 wins for the Dodgers over a 14-year MLB career. This lot boasts five different recognition awards that “Big D” received from both the City of Los Angeles (three plaques), as well as the County of Los Angeles (two plaques).
The three city plaques all boast the “City of Los Angeles Founded 1781” raised seal and each was awarded to Drysdale for different moments during the course of life. The first plaque, which measures 12” wide by 17” tall, was awarded by then-L.A. City Mayor Sam Yorty to Drysdale on “Don Drysdale Day” at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 27, 1969. The second plaque, measuring 13” wide by 17” tall, came from Fourth District Councilman John Ferraro and was awarded to Drysdale on July 1, 1984, in recognition of Big D being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The final city plague, which measures 12” wide by 16” high, was awarded to Drysdale upon his induction into “The Sportswalk in San Pedro” by 15th District Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores. The plaque is dated Oct. 24, 1988.
The two county plagues both boasts ceramic tiles featuring the County of Los Angeles, California emblem. The first is an “Award of Honor” (10” wide by 10” high) that Drysdale received from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. It is dated September 27, 1969, which marked “Don Drysdale Day” at Dodger Stadium. The second county award is dated July 23, 1968, and came from Third District Supervisor Ernest E. Debs. It was received by Drysdale during his monumental ’68 campaign in which he recorded the most wins and most strikeouts in L.A. Dodgers history, and when he set an all-time MLB record of throwing 58 scoreless innings, a mark which stood until another Dodgers legend, Orel Hershiser, broke it with in 1988 with 59 scoreless innings.
Includes LOA from the Drysdale Family.