The Last of His Kind

Clayton Kershaw and the Burden of Greatness

By: Andy McCullough

Narrated by: LJ Ganser

The definitive biography of Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, examining the genesis of his brilliance, his epic quest to win the World Series, and his singular place within the evolving baseball landscape—based on exclusive interviews with Kershaw and more than 200 others.​

More than any baseball player of his generation, Clayton Kershaw has embodied the burden of athletic greatness, the prizes and perils that await those who strive for it all. He is a three-time Cy Young award winner, the first pitcher to win National League MVP since Bob Gibson, and a surefire, first-ballot Hall of Famer. Many of his peers consider him the greatest pitcher to ever climb atop a big-league mound.

In an age when baseball became more impersonal, a sport altered by adherence to algorithms and actuarial tables, Kershaw personified the game’s lingering humanity, with his joy and suffering on display each October as he chased a championship. He pitched through pain, placing his future at risk on the game’s grandest stages. He endeared himself to teammates and foes alike with his refusal to make excuses, with his willingness to shoulder the blame when he failed. And he only further impressed them when he returned, year after year, even as his body broke down from the strain of his profession. The journey captivated fans in Los Angeles and beyond, so much so that when the Dodgers finally won a title in 2020, the baseball world exulted in his triumph.

The Last of His Kind traces Kershaw’s path from a boyhood fractured by divorce to his development as one of the most-heralded pitching prospects in Texas history to his emergence in Los Angeles as the spiritual heir to Sandy Koufax. But the book also charts Kershaw’s place in baseball’s changing landscape, as his own stubbornness butted against the game’s evolution. The story of baseball in the 21st century can be told through Kershaw’s career, from his apprenticeship with icons like Joe Torre and Greg Maddux, to his wary relationship with the implementation of analytics, to his victimhood in the 2017 sign-stealing scandal at the hands of the Houston Astros. The game has changed so much during Kershaw’s illustrious career. To understand how baseball is played today, and how it got that way, you must understand the journey of Clayton Kershaw.

©2024 Andy McCullough (P)2024 Hachette Books

Critic reviews

“Reading Andy McCullough is like watching Clayton Kershaw: you sit back and savor a master of his craft. In The Last of His Kind, McCullough captures Kershaw as only he can, with graceful prose and lively details that illustrate the forces driving one of baseball’s towering figures. With rare access to the private world of a very public—but very guarded—superstar, McCullough offers a stirring portrait of what it means, what it takes, and what it costs to be an all-time great.” —Tyler Kepner, author of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches and The Grandest Stage: A History of the World Series

“Andy McCullough delivers a masterclass biography of the captivating Dodgers titan. Clayton Kershaw was always chasing something out there, and The Last of His Kind takes you to the depths of his imperfect pursuit of perfection. As worthy heirs go, Kershaw is to Sandy Koufax what McCullough is to Roger Kahn. Mandatory reading for anyone who wants to know what it takes to be great.” —Ian O’Connor, author of The Captain: The Journey of Derek Jeter and Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski

“Clayton Kershaw comes to life—the good, the great, and the hardball calamities—in this vibrant and soulful rendering by Andy McCullough. When one of the game’s most gifted writers takes on a subject as complex as Kershaw, both the man and the career, the result is an exceptional book.” —Tim Brown, author of The Tao of the Backup Catcher, Imperfect with Jim Abbott, and The Phenomenon with Rick Ankiel

The dodgers were fun in the late 2010s

I enjoyed this. Was fun reliving the 2017 season. If you like sports books this one is well worth it.

Timeline

As if you are traveling back into your childhood, or remember as an adult. Watching a 20 year old kid from Dallas Texas, begin his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday afternoon game against the St. Louis Cardinals. To me, I remember growing up with Kershaw. As he groomed his illustrious; soon to be Hall of Fame career. Growing with the ebbs and flows of the game we all come to love. A great read and remembrance of your emotions as you venture back into these past events.

Great listen for any baseball fan

Great listen for any baseball fan. Kershaw is an iconic name and this book does a great job of telling his story all the way up to 2024 season. Really enjoyed it and have a lot of respect for Kershaw as a man.

Captivating Story of an All Time Legend

This book is a beautifully complete and holistic view of Clayton Kershaw. It portrays him as it should: a man worthy of admiration, a baseball legend, but a human being with his own flaws. The audio performance was great, the research was incredibly thoughtful, and I hate the Astros more than ever for what they did in 2017. I’d call this book a resounding success

A great story about the man behind the legend!

The best book I have read about sports. I'm a huge Kershaw & Dodgers fan! After listening to this book, I am now a bigger fan of both!

Thankful!

So thankful for his story and his witness to others! A wonderful story! I appreciated the effort to share his innermost thoughts, concerns and frailties.

I'm Kersh's #1 fan!!

Kershaw has always been one of my favorite players on the Dodgers, but after listening to this book I became an even bigger fan than before. This book does not disappoint at all.

Love Kersh

Really appreciated the deep dive into Kersh’s story. Definitely my favorite Dodger. The guy who read the book was pretty terrible. When he does voices, they’re just nothing like how normal people talk. He’d probably be better reading war novels.

Honest Analysis

Loved the honest retelling and analysis of Kershaw’s life and career. No sugar coating here just pure journalism.

Last of his kind is one of a kind

Great writing and terrific reporting from Andy on one of the most important baseball stories of this generation. The narration of this audiobook was the cherry on top - such a baseball voice.