Ten things you probably didn’t know about Dodgers ace Kershaw

Brett Smiley

Clayton Kershaw is the frontrunner to pick up the 2014 NL Cy Young Award, which would be his third. 

Matt Kartozian/Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

One of the few things we don’t know about Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw is whether his legend will surpass that of fellow Los Angeles lefty Sandy Koufax. 

That’s subjective and debatable but through the mind-bending dominance Kershaw has displayed thus far in his seven major-league seasons, the 26-year-old has forced that Kershaw-Koufax conversation (go here, here, here, here, here and so on and listen to Vin Scully point out their distinct "niches").

En route to his third Cy Young award in four seasons, Kershaw has tallied a minuscule 1.70 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with 202 strikeouts in 169 innings. He K’d 15 in June in his first career no-hitter; he strung together 41 consecutive innings without allowing a run; he didn’t face a bases-loaded situation until Aug. 27; he didn’t allow an RBI by a left-handed batter until Sept. 3; he makes guys look like this with his curveball (which Scully refers to as "Public Enemy No. 1"):

Have at it, fellas.

Not by choice. At least they gave him an outfit that flattered his chest. A few years later, in 2012, Bryce Harper (and the other Nationals rookies) had to wear US gymnastics leotards.

You may have heard that one before, but did you know Kershaw played center as a freshman for high school QB Stafford? 

“When I was a freshman I was short and fat and just sort of thumbing up breaking pitches every time I threw,” Kershaw said. “And I just grew and started working out. It’s funny to think about how far physically I’ve come from freshman year.”

The pair grew up together in Dallas and played all sorts of sports together.

“They always wanted to be outside,” said Kershaw’s mother Marianne. “But if it was a rainy day, Clayton and Matthew developed this game called Hallway Hockey. They cut off full-size hockey sticks, and they’d put on football helmets. Then they’d put pillows under their shirts and put kneepads on. They’d run tape across doors at either side of the hallway and shoot goals at each other. They’d be goalie of their own door. It was pretty ingenious.”

He prefers the creative ones at least. Still, watch him thank one fan at Chase Field for the bland "you suck."

Here he explains the hecklers he enjoys, and the ones he does not. 

Proceeds from "Ping Pong 4 Purpose" benefit his foundation "Kershaw’s Challenge," a "Christ-centered, others-focused organization" that benefits childrens’ charities in Africa, Los Angeles and Dallas. This year Kershaw’s Challenge has focused on improving health and living conditions for underprivileged kids in those areas and on giving them opportunities and resources to succeed.

Here’s Kershaw with Neil Patrick Harris, followed by some other photos from his ping-pong event.

And here’s Kershaw with his wife Ellen, who co-founded the charity with Clayton. Major League Baseball presented Kershaw with the 2012 Roberto Clemente Award, an honor extended to a player who exhibits dedicated to helping the community and understands the value of helping others.

MLB Commissioner Alan H. "Bud" Selig poses with 2012 Roberto Clemente Award winner Clayton Kershaw, his wife Ellen before Game 4 of the 2012 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, October 28, 2012 at Comerica Park in Detroit.

Indeed, nobody’s perfect! Good thing he’s in the National League, though, because Kershaw loves batting according to LA Times’ T.J. Simons, who reported that hitting is Kershaw’s favorite thing in baseball.

Kershaw is batting .156 on his career with one home run (and 74 sacrifices). That solo round-tripper was a memorable one: he ripped it on Opening Day in 2013 in the bottom of the eighth of a scoreless game. He blanked the Giants in the ninth and picked up a shutout on the day as well. 

In 2012, Kershaw’s Dodgers teammate A.J. Ellis hosted a knockoff of Zach Galifianakis’s mock interview show "Between Two Ferns." Befitting the California flora, Ellis called it "Between Two Palm Trees."

There’s only one Galifianakis, but Ellis makes a much better talk show host than Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira in "Foul Territory." Anyhow, in a 2012 episode, Kershaw appeared as a guest on the show to discuss the plight of left handers. Good for toll booths, bad for using scissors.

"Will the Thrill" spent five years in a Rangers uniform from 1994 through 1998 when Kershaw was growing up in Texas. Also, when Kershaw was younger he played first base. Pitching was probably the right choice. 

How many wild animals did you party with on your birthday? This is beginning to sound like a cheesy greeting card.

Hey, I didn’t say these would all be terribly important revelations. Those blood pressure machines are both entertaining and even useful when they’re not terribly inaccurate.