Dennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility. He is also noted as the pitcher who gave up a dramatic, walk-off home run to the injured Kirk Gibson in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Eckersley was drafted by the Cleveland Indians out of Washington High School... of Fremont, California, in the third round of the 1972 amateur draft, and made his Major League debut on April 12, 1975. He was the American League Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 1975, compiling a 13–7 record and 2.60 ERA. His unstyled, long hair, moustache, and live fastball made him an instant and identifiable fan favorite. Eckersley pitched reliably over three seasons with the Indians; he even threw the 200th no-hitter in history on May 30, 1977, against the California Angels.
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| Birthdate: | October 3, 1954 |
| Birthplace: | Oakland |
| Age: | 57 |
| Height: | 6' 2" |
| All Positions Played: | Pitcher |
| Also known as: | Dennis Lee Eckersley, The Eck, dennis_eckersley |