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HOF pitcher, longtime broadcaster Don Sutton dies at 75

Mark Cunningham / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Hall of Fame pitcher and longtime broadcaster Don Sutton died at age 75, his son Daron announced Tuesday.

"Don Sutton's brilliance on the field, and his lasting commitment to the game that he so loved, carried through to his time as a member of the Hall of Fame," Hall of Fame chairman Jane Forbes Clark said. "I know how much he treasured his moments in Cooperstown, just as we treasured our special moments with him. We share our deepest condolences with his wife, Mary, and his family."

The Cilo, Alabama, native was a four-time All-Star and won 324 games during his 23-year career. A durable and dependable starter who crossed the 200-inning mark 21 times (including his first 19 seasons), Sutton ranks third all time in games started (756), seventh in innings (5,282 1/3) and strikeouts (3,574), and 10th in shutouts (58). He's one of only 10 pitchers who are part of both the 300-win and 3,000-strikeout clubs.

Sutton spent 16 of his 23 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, first from 1966 to 1980 and then for his final season in 1988. He helped the Dodgers win four National League pennants - he was released two months before their 1988 World Series win - and remains the franchise's all-time leader in wins, innings, and shutouts. The Dodgers retired his No. 20 in 1998, the same year he was elected to the Hall of Fame.

"Don left an indelible mark on the Dodger franchise during his 16 seasons in Los Angeles and many of his records continue to stand to this day," Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said. "I was privileged to have worked with Don in both Atlanta and Washington, and will always cherish our time spent together."

Sutton also pitched for the Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, and California Angels. He was a key member of the Brewers' 1982 AL pennant-winning club and helped the Angels reach the postseason in 1986.

"He was a Hall of Famer on and off the field," former Brewers owner and MLB commissioner Bud Selig told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "I was very proud that he played for the Brewers as part of that great career. Beyond being a great pitcher, he was truly a great person."

"We don't win the (1982) pennant without him," Selig added. "You can state that as a fact."

After retiring, Sutton began a long broadcasting career, primarily with the Atlanta Braves. He served as the Braves' commentator on both television and radio from 1990 to 2006 and then again from 2009 to 2018, and is a member of the Braves Hall of Fame.

"A generation of Braves fans came to know his voice, as Don spent 28 seasons broadcasting Braves games," the club said. "Don was as feared on the mound as he was beloved in the booth."

Sutton also worked as a broadcaster for the Dodgers and Washington Nationals.

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