June 8, 1968: Don Drysdale Pitches 58 2/3 Consecutive Scoreless Innings:

Don Drysdale, June 8, 1968.

Note the black armband on his left sleeve.

June 8, 1968: So long in the shadow of his teammate Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale achieves something never done by Koufax, or by any other pitcher before him.

Born in 1936 in Van Nuys, in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, he seemed destined to star for a Los Angeles sports team, although he didn't start pitching until his senior year at Van Nuys High School, where he was a classmate of actor Robert Redford. The Brooklyn Dodgers signed him, and he debuted with them in 1956. Two years later, they moved to Los Angeles, and the young man who would be nicknamed "Big D" was home.

He made 9 All-Star Games, led the National League in strikeouts 3 times, and won the Cy Young Award (then a both-leagues award) in 1962, going 25-9. He was the Dodgers' ace when they won the 1959 World Series, and was the righthanded half of a devastating duo with lefthander Sandy Koufax, leading the Dodgers to win the World Series in 1963 and 1965, and the NL Pennant in 1966.

In 1965, Drysdale won 23 games and hit 7 home runs. He became only the 3rd pitcher ever to win at least 20 games and hit 7 home runs in the same season, following Wes Ferrell of the 1931 Cleveland Indians and Don Newcombe of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers. No pitcher has done it since.

Drysdale was also known as a "headhunter," who hit batters on purpose. His motto was, "If one of our guys gets hit, two of yours get hit. If two of ours get hit, four of yours get hit."

Arthritis forced Koufax to retire after the 1966 season, restoring Drysdale's ace status. That was also the 1st season for Don Sutton, who would join Koufax and Drysdale in the Hall of Fame. Drysdale was nicknamed "Big D" and "Double D," so Sutton became "Little D" -- even though he ended up with more career strikeouts than either Koufax or Drysdale.

On May 10, 1968, the Dodgers lost to the Atlanta Braves, 2-1 at Atlanta Stadium. (That facility was renamed Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in 1975.) Drysdale allowed a run in the 4th inning, and was removed from the game in the 7th. A runner he allowed on base scored, and was thus charged to him. He was the losing pitcher, and finished the game with no consecutive scoreless innings. But then, in what became known as "The Year of the Pitcher," came 6 straight shutouts:

1. May 14, Dodger Stadium: Dodgers 1, Chicago Cubs 0. He allowed 2 hits and 3 walks. 9 straight scoreless innings.

2. May 18, Dodger Stadium: Dodgers 1, Houston Astros 0. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks. 18 straight scoreless innings.

3. May 22, Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis: Dodgers 2, Cardinals 0. He allowed 5 hits and no walks. 27 straight scoreless innings.

The losing pitcher is Bob Gibson, who finishes this "Year of the Pitcher" with a 1.12 ERA and a record of 22-9. He would have a streak of 47 straight scoreless innings that season, 3rd all-time at the time.

If you want to know how he had the lowest ERA of the post-1920 Lively Ball Era, and still lost 9 games, this is one of the reasons. 

4. May 26, the Astrodome, Houston: Dodgers 5, Astros 0. He allowed 6 hits and 2 walks. 36 straight scoreless innings.

5. May 31, Dodger Stadium: Dodgers 3, San Francisco Giants. He allowed 6 hits and 2 walks. 45 straight scoreless innings.

6. June 4, Dodger Stadium: Dodgers 4, Pittsburgh Pirates 0. He allowed 3 hits and no walks. 54 straight scoreless innings.

In 1913, Walter Johnson pitched 55 2/3 straight scoreless innings. Drysdale was now 6 outs away from breaking that record.

That night, in his victory speech for the California Primary at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York mentioned Drysdale, who had campaigned for him. A few minutes later, RFK was shot, and died the next day.

On June 8, a few hours after RFK's funeral, the Dodgers took the field at Dodger Stadium wearing black armbands, in RFK's memory. Whether the sadness of the last 3 days had any effect on Drysdale, or if it was just time for the streak to end, is unclear.

Against the Philadelphia Phillies, Drysdale got through the 1st 2 innings. He struck Clay Dalrymple out to finish the 2nd, giving himself the record at 56 straight. He got through the 4th, making it 58 straight.

Finally, Tony Taylor led off the top of the 5th with a single. Dalrymple followed with another, advancing Taylor to 3rd base. Drysdale struck Roberto Peña out. But Howie Bedell hit a sacrifice fly to left field, and Len Gabrielson was unable to throw Taylor out at the plate. The streak was over, at 58 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

The Dodgers still won, 8-3. Despite the streak, and despite this being "The Year of the Pitcher," Drysdale battled injury and finished just 14-12 for the season. After 1 more year, he retired, with a record of 209-166, an ERA of 2.95, and 2,486 strikeouts.

The Dodgers retired his Number 53, and he became an admired broadcaster. His 2nd wife was basketball star Ann Meyers. They are the only married couple ever to both be elected to their respective sports' Halls of Fame. (As of June 8, 2022, he legalization of same-sex marriage has not yet led to this distinction losing its uniqueness.) He died in 1993.

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June 8, 1968 was a Saturday. It was the day of Robert F. Kennedy's funeral. Because of this, many players asked for postponements of the day's games. The team owners didn't want to lose the revenue of a Saturday crowd, but they also didn't want to antagonize RFK's supporters. Some teams did postpone their games to set up Sunday doubleheaders. Others moved their afternoon games to night games, so they wouldn't coincide with the funeral. So there were only night games, 5 of them:

* The Chicago White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox, 4-0 at Fenway Park in Boston. Gary Peters pitched a 3-hit shutout. Carl Yastrzemski went 0-for-3 with a walk.

* The Baltimore Orioles beat the Oakland Athletics, 8-1 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Brooks Robinson went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Frank Robinson went 1-for-3 with a walk. Dave McNally went the distance for the win. The only run he allowed came on a home run by the opposing pitcher, Jim "Catfish" Hunter. Reggie Jackson went 0-for-3.

* The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds, 7-2 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Lou Brock went 1-for-5 with an RBI. Roger Maris went 0-for-5. Of the Reds' 9 hits, Pete Rose got 3, and Johnny Bench got 1.

* The Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians, 3-1 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. Mickey Lolich outpitched Sam McDowell. Al Kaline did not play.

* And the Houston Astros beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-2 at the Astrodome in Houston. Willie Stargell did not play, but Roberto Clemente went 1-for-3 with an RBI.

* The New York Yankees and the California Angels postponed their game at Yankee Stadium until the next day, as part of a doubleheader. The Yankees swept, 8-1 and 3-2. Mickey Mantle went 1-for-2 with 2 walks and an RBI in the 1st game, and walked as a pinch-hitter in the 2nd game. The Yankees won the 2nd game in the bottom of the 9th, when Charley Smith, the player they got when they traded Roger Maris, singled Bill Robinson home.

* The Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs postponed their game at Wrigley Field in Chicago to the next day, as part of a doubleheader. The Braves won the 1st game, 4-0. Ken Johnson pitched an 8-hit shutout, to beat Ferguson Jenkins. Joe Torre hit 2 home runs. The Cubs won the 2nd game, 6-5. Over the 2 games, Hank Aaron went 2-for-8 with a home run and 2 RBIs, and Ernie Banks went 3-for-7 with a walk and an RBI.

* The New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants postponed their game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The game was postponed, and played as a doubleheader on August 11. The Giants swept, 2-1 and 5-0. In the 1st game, Ray Sadecki outpitched Tom Seaver. Willie Mays did not play. In the 2nd game, Mike McCormack pitched a 5-hit shutout. He and Willie McCovey each hit a home run. Mays went 2-for-4.

* And the Minnesota Twins and the Washington Senators -- the "Old Senators" and the "New Senators" -- postponed their game at District of Columbia Stadium in Washington -- the stadium that, the following June 8, would be renamed Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. The game was made up as part of a doubleheader on August 27. The Senators won the 1st game, 2-0. Camilo Pascual, who had starred for the Old Senators and the Twins, pitched a 4-hit shutout for the New Senators. Over the 2 games, Rod Carew went 1-for-7. Harmon Killebrew did not play.