Donald Scott Drysdale was born on July 23, 1936 in Van Nuys, California. At the prompting of his father, a baseball coach who thought it better to save his arm for later, Drysdale didn’t begin pitching until age 16. Two years later the lanky right-hander found himself in Bakersfield with the California league. After compiling a 8-5 record, Drysdale was promoted to Montreal where he pitched 11-11 in 28 games.

In 1956, the Brooklyn Dodgers added Drysdale to their pitching lineup. His name would stay at the top of their roster for the next 13 years. It was obvious from the start that Drysdale belonged in professional baseball, and during the first season he was utilized as both a starter and reliever. He soon acquired the nickname “Big D” and a reputation for being a fierce competitor who wasn’t afraid to hit a batter who crowded the plate. Drysdale learned this in part from his mentor Sal “the Barber” Maglie, who taught him the importance of strategic pitching to keep a batter off balance.