Don Sutton, the right-hand man from the Los Angeles Dodgers, who has won more than 300 games in his Hall of Fame career, died Monday night, his son Daron announced on social networks.
The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, said Don Sutton died of cancer at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 75 years old.
“I’m pleased to tell you that my father died in his sleep last night,” Daron Sutton wrote on Twitter. “He worked as hard as anyone I’ve ever met and treated those he met with great respect … and took me to work a lot. For all these things, I’m very grateful. Rest. in peace”.
I’m glad to tell you that my father died in his sleep last night. He worked as hard as anyone I’ve ever met and treated those he met with great respect … and took me to work a lot. For all this, I am very grateful. Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/cvlDRRdVXa
– Daron Sutton (@lifeisgreatsut) January 19, 2021
Sutton’s career began and ended with the Dodgers, with whom he spent 16 of his 23 seasons – running from 1966 to 1980 and including a final tour in 1988. He was an All-Star four times, and his 324 victories rank 14th in major league history.
He also played for the Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels. After his playing career, Sutton served as an analyst for the Atlanta Braves for 28 seasons, playing games on both television and radio.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Don Sutton,” Braves said in a statement. “A generation of Braves fans got to know his voice. … Don was as dreaded on the mound as he was loved on the stand. A 300-game winner who has been an All-Star four times, Don he brought an unparalleled knowledge of the game and his keen intelligence to his appeals. But despite his success, Don never lost his generous character or humble personality. “
Sutton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
“Don Sutton’s brilliance on the field and his long-standing commitment to the game he loved so much led him to his time as a Hall of Fame member,” said Jane Forbes Clark, president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. and Museum, said in a statement. “I know how much he valued his moments in Cooperstown, just as we cherished our special moments with him. We share our deepest condolences to his wife, Mary and his family.”
Sutton’s death follows seven Hall of Famers that died in 2020, most Cooperstown members who died in a calendar year. They were Lou Brock, Whitey Ford, Bob Gibson, Al Kaline, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro and Tom Seaver.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.