2021 doesn’t seem to be much better than 2020.
Don Sutton ended his playing career in the Hall of Fame in 1988, but his impact on the baseball game went far beyond that. After playing for five different major league teams, accumulating 324 wins, a career of 3.26 ERA and 3,574 eliminations, Sutton would continue to work on the Braves’ broadcasts from 1989 to the present (with a brief interlude as the color commentator at the end of the 2000s for the Nationals), although health problems have greatly reduced the amount he played on the radio in recent seasons.
Along with Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren, he was one of the faces of Braves ‘TV broadcasts in the 1990s and early 2000s, and alongside Jim Powell, his voice went hand in hand with Braves’ baseball on Rede de Radio Braves.
… and the world lost it last night.
Sad to share that my father died in his sleep last night. He worked as hard as anyone I have ever met and he treated those he met with great respect … and he took me to work hard. For all these things, I am very grateful. Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/cvlDRRdVXa
– Daron Sutton (@lifeisgreatsut) January 19, 2021
Sutton certainly dealt with his fair share of health problems when he got older. He had one of his kidneys removed in 2002 after being diagnosed with kidney cancer, he underwent a procedure to remove part of his lung in 2003 and broke his leg that kept him out of the air waves in 2019. Although there was no announcement outside that he was particularly ill, it was public knowledge that for the past two years, Sutton’s health was a matter of concern.
His life is worth celebrating and the country of Braves is smaller without him. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family and to Braves fans everywhere who will miss hearing him call Braves games on the radio. Let’s miss you and say hi to Skip, Pete and Ernie for all of us.