LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers express their condolences to the family of renowned pitcher Carl Erskine, who passed away early Tuesday morning in his hometown of Anderson, Ind. at the age of 97.

A 1954 All-Star and a World Series champion with the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, Erskine went 122-78 (.610) in a 12-year career for Brooklyn and Los Angeles. He was the author of no-hitters in 1952 and 1956, and he held the record for strikeouts (14) in a World Series game, a record he held until it was broken by Sandy Koufax exactly 10 years later.

Erskine also started the first home game in the history of the Los Angeles franchise on April 18, 1958, when he defeated the newly minted San Francisco Giants, 6–5, in front of more than 78,000 fans.

As outstanding as his playing career was, it may have been transcended by his allyship with Jackie Robinson and more in the pursuit of civil rights, as well as an indispensable advocate for those with special needs – a cause that became his ultimate legacy. On July 22, 2023, Erskine received the prestigious honor of the John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, previously bestowed upon Rachel Robinson in 2017.

“Carl Erskine was an exemplary Dodger,” said Stan Kasten, President & CEO, Los Angeles Dodgers. “He was as much a hero off the field as he was on the field – which given the brilliance of his pitching is saying quite a lot. His support of the Special Olympics and related causes, inspired by his son Jimmy – who led a life beyond all expectations when he was born with Down syndrome, cemented his legacy. We celebrate the life of ‘Oisk’ as we extend our sympathies to his wife, Betty, and their family.”