Don Sutton, the longtime right-handed 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 media.
The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, said Don Sutton died of cancer at his Rancho Mirage, California home. He was 75.
“Sad to report that my father passed away in his sleep last night,” Daron Sutton wrote on Twitter. “He worked as hard as anyone I’ve ever known and he treated those he met with great respect … and he often took me to work. For all these things I am very grateful to him. Rest in peace.”
Sad to share that my dad passed away in his sleep last night. He worked as hard as anyone I’ve ever known and he treated those he encountered with great respect … and he often took me to work. I am very grateful for all these things. 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 – from 1966 to 1980 and including one final tour in 1988. He was a four-time All-Star and his 324 wins in 14th place in Major League history .
He also pitched 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 death of our dear friend, Don Sutton,” the Braves said in a statement. “A generation of Braves fans got to know his voice. … Don was as feared on the hill as he was loved in the stand. A 300-game winner who was an All-Star four times brought unparalleled acquaintance. of the game and his sharp wit in his calls. But despite all the success, Don never lost his generous character or humble personality. “
Sutton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
“Don Sutton’s genius on the field and his enduring dedication to the game he loved so much were carried through to his time as a member of the Hall of Fame,” said Jane Forbes Clark, president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. said in a statement. “I know how much he cherished his moments in Cooperstown, just as we cherished our special moments with him. We share our deepest condolences with his wife, Mary, and his family. ”
Sutton’s death comes on the heels of seven Hall of Famers who died in 2020, the most sitting members of Cooperstown 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.