20 Fun Facts About Clayton Kershaw

Here are 20 fun facts about Clayton Kershaw, the renowned baseball pitcher:

1. Birth: Clayton Edward Kershaw was born on March 19, 1988, in Dallas, Texas.
2. High School: He attended Highland Park High School in Dallas, where he played baseball and was also the center on the varsity football team.
3. Childhood Friend: He played Little League baseball with Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.
4. Drafted: He was drafted straight out of high school by the Los Angeles Dodgers as the 7th overall pick in the 2006 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft.
5. Quick Rise: Kershaw rose quickly through the minor leagues, making his MLB debut on May 25, 2008.
6. Youngest Player: When he debuted, he was the youngest player in MLB, a title he held for a full year.
7. Triple Crown: In 2011, Kershaw won the Pitching Triple Crown and the National League (NL) Cy Young Award.
8. Three Cy Young Awards: He has won three NL Cy Young Awards in 2011, 2013, and 2014.
9. MVP: In 2014, Kershaw became the first pitcher to win the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award since 1968.
10. No-Hitter Game: On June 18, 2014, Kershaw pitched a no-hitter game with 15 strikeouts, a career-best.
11. Charity Work: Kershaw and his wife, Ellen, have established the Kershaw’s Challenge charity, which has raised over $12 million to help children in need.
12. Author: Clayton and his wife co-authored a book called “Arise: Live Out Your Faith and Dreams on Whatever Field You Find Yourself” about their Christian faith.
13. Marriage and Children: Kershaw married his wife, Ellen Melson, in 2010. They have three children together.
14. All-Star: He’s been selected to the All-Star team eight times, as of 2021.
15. World Series Champion: Kershaw won his first World Series in 2020 with the Dodgers, ending a decade-long wait for the championship.
16. Pitching Style: Kershaw is known for his distinctive pitching style, which includes a pause at the top of his windup.
17. Left-handed: He is a left-handed pitcher, a rarity in baseball that has added to his competitive advantage.
18. Highest-Paid Pitcher: In 2014, Kershaw signed a seven-year, $215 million contract with the Dodgers, making him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball at the time.
19. Gold Gloves: Kershaw won a Gold Glove award in 2011, reflecting his exceptional fielding prowess.
20. Honor: In 2020, the Texas Legislature officially declared the third week of June as “Clayton Kershaw Week” in the state of Texas.