Via the most excellent John Thorn, official MLB historian, comes this 1954 scouting report filed by the luminous Branch Rickey, then baseball-ops boss of the Pirates. His subject? A 17-year-old right-hander out of Van Nuys, California, name of Don Drysdale ...
(Note: Contrary to the text, Drysdale was 17 at the date of this report.)
"A lot of artistry about this boy"! "Let him alone on all his fingering"! He's a "chap"!
As the handwritten note reminds us, Drysdale eventually signed with the Dodgers, thanks in part to his father's steering him there. He went on to win 209 games, post a lifetime ERA of 2.95 and make the Hall of Fame in 1984.
Branch Rickey, you see, was on to something.
