NORFOLK, VA—Los Angeles Dodger pitching great and Hall of Famer Don Sutton will be the keynote speaker for the 37th annual ODU Baseball Banquet at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel on Jan. 31, 2014. Known as a model of consistency and durability throughout his 23-year major league career, Don Sutton won 324 games, 58 of them shutouts and struck out 3,574 batters while never missing his turn in the pitching rotation for the Dodgers, Astros, Brewers, Athletics and Angels. A four-time All-Star, he was selected the 1977 All-Star game MVP. He reached double figures in wins in 21 of his 23 seasons and struck out over 100 batters in each of the first 21 campaigns. Sutton pitched in four World Series and posted five career one-hit games.
Sutton is seventh on baseball’s all-time strikeout list and went 21-10 in 1976 with the Dodgers. He also won 19 games in 1972 and 1974 and 18 in 1973. As a rookie in 1966, Sutton fanned 209 batters, the most by a National League rookie since the great Grover Cleveland Alexander’s 227 in 1911.
Sutton was born in Clio, AL., and was a standout athlete at Gonzalez Tate High School in Pensacola, Fl. After a year at Gulf Coast Community College he signed with the Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1964. He finished his career with the Dodgers in 1988 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998. His number 20 was retired by the Dodgers in 1998. Since retiring, Sutton has been a broadcaster with the Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves telecasts on TBS. In 2006, he was a color commentator for the Washington Nationals on MASN until 2009 and has since returned to the Atlanta Braves Radio Network. Sutton also broadcast golf and served as a pre- and post-game analyst for NBC’s coverage of the 1983 and 1987 American League Championship Series. He also served as a color commentator for NBC’s coverage of the 1979 National League Championship Series.
“When you gave him the ball, you knew one thing – your pitcher was going to give you everything he had. You win as many games as he did – to me, that should be automatic Hall of Fame.” – Tommy Lasorda. The ODU banquet has annually featured some of the top names in major league baseball. In the past Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith, Rollie Fingers, Andre Dawson, Rich Gossage, Joe Morgan, Brooks Robinson, Hank Aaron, Lou Brock, Steve Carlton, Jim Palmer, Johnny Bench, Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver, the late Jim “Catfish” Hunter, the late Harmon Killebrew, Gaylord Perry, Jim Rice, Dave Winfield, Robin Roberts,Bob Feller, Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, Jr., along with Luis Tiant, managerial greats Tommy Lasorda and the late Sparky Anderson have spoken at the banquet. Last year's speaker was Atlanta Braves pitching great John Smoltz.Individual tickets for the Friday, Jan. 31 banquet are $65.00 each with a special rate for groups or teams at $45.00 each (20+ tickets) by calling 683-6964. Table sponsorships, which include amenities such as a VIP reception with the headliner, autographed baseballs and more, will be available as well. Please contact the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation (ODAF) at 683-6964 for sponsorship information.