There might not have been a finer closer than the “Eck” in major league baseball history.

Dennis Eckersley started his Major League Baseball career with the Cleveland Indians in 1975. After three seasons in Cleveland, he played for the Boston Red Sox (1978-1984) and the Chicago Cubs (1984-1986), before finally winding up with the Oakland A’s in 1987.

It was in Oakland where he reached legendary status.

On April 3, 1987, the Chicago Cubs traded Eckersley to the Oakland A’s, where he eventually replaced injured closer Jay Howell. The Eck went on to save 16 games in 1987, but he truly made his mark the following year, recording a league-leading 45 saves in 1988.

Dennis Eckersley recorded saves in each of the four games Oakland won while sweeping Eck’s former team, the Boston Red Sox, in the 1988 AL Championship Series. From there, the A’s met their cross-bay rival the San Francisco Giants in the 1989 World Series. In the series many coin as “The Earthquake Series”, Eckersley secured a victory in Game 2 and saved the final game of the series as Oakland swept the Giants.

Eckersley went on to become baseball’s most dominant closers from 1988 to 1992. During that span, he finished as the American League saves leader twice, while also finishing second twice and third once. Also during that span, he never posted an ERA higher than 2.96 and went on to save a remarkable 220 games.

Dennis Eckersley had perhaps his best season in 1992, when he won the American League Cy Young Award, which is given to the league’s best pitcher, as well as the AL’s Most Valuable Player Award. He also became only the third pitcher to save 51 games in a season. (The other two were Rollie Fingers in 1981 and Willie Hernandez in 1984.)

Only two pitchers in the history of baseball have ever finished with a 20-win season and a 50-save season. One is the Braves’ John Smoltz. The other is the Eck.

Eckersley went on to play nine years with the A’s before joining manager Tony LaRussa in St. Louis for the 1996 season. Eckersley eventually finished his career in Boston, playing one final season with the Red Sox in 1998.

For his career, Dennis Eckersley was a six-time All-Star and a World Series champion. On top of being the AL’s Most Valuable Player and Cy Young in 1992, he also was named The Sporting News’s AL Pitcher of the Year, as well.

Dennis Eckersley’s career accomplishments were recognized when he was elected into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2004. His 390 career saves ranks him fifth on the all-time list.

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