Clayton Kershaw, the legendary Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander who won three Cy Young Awards and is widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers of his generation, is retiring after 18 seasons.
The Dodgers announced his decision one day before what will be his 228th and final regular-season home start at Dodger Stadium on Friday, Sept. 19.
Kershaw, who spent his entire career with the Dodgers, was named the NL MVP in 2014 and has been named an All-Star 11 times. He is one of just 20 pitchers — and only four left-handers — to reach the 3,000-strikeout milestone. He has a career record of 222-96 and 15 shutouts, which leads active major league players.
Kershaw’s last career game is to be determined based off how far the Dodgers make it into the postseason.
Either way, now that he is calling it quits, the 37-year-old will be able to spend some more time with his family. Here’s five fast facts on Kershaw’s wife and family.
1. Clayton and Ellen Kershaw Met in High School
According to an interview with Graham Bensinger, Ellen and Clayton began dating when they were freshmen in high school. They both grew up in Dallas, and Clayton was in the hallway at the school when he first asked her out. The Kershaws attended school with Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and former fellow MLB pitchers Jordan Walden and Shawn Tolleson.
Ellen has described Clayton as the “class clown.” And Clayton told Bensinger that they started out as best friends.
“We just enjoyed hanging out with each other (in high school),” he recalled. “We kind of ran in the same circles…it was a fun time for us.” The future MLB pitcher said he finally had to work up “some courage” to ask her out. She said yes to the date, and “I went and told all my buddies in the (school) cafeteria. It was a good day.”
2. The couple got married in December 2010
After graduating from college, the couple were forced to separate. Ellen attended Texas A&M while Clayton was drafted by the Dodgers and bypassed his collegiate career.
“I would say we got closer when she went to college and I stared playing professionally,” Clayton told Risen Magazine. “We both kind of figured out stuff on our own. I think that really helped our relationship now. As for when she became the one? I really don’t know. I guess somewhere late in high school, or early college.”
Ellen had many of the same thoughts during the interview, saying they realized they were the ones for each other when they were apart.
“We both realized our lives were so much better when we were together than when we were apart,” she told Risen Magazine. “We could accomplish so much more; with my passion for Africa and Clayton heading into his career in baseball, it felt like the Lord was up to something pretty cool with both of our passions.”
The Kershaws got married on December 4, 2010 in a Dodger-themed wedding in Dallas, according to the Abilene Reporter-News.
A sign saying “Welcome to Dodgertown” was prominently displayed at the reception and that the groom danced in Dodger blue sneakers.
The ceremony was held at Highland Park Presbyterian Church and the wedding was at nearby Royal Oaks Country Club.
3. The Kershaws Have Four Children and Fifth on the Way
Clayton and Ellen are already parents to four children: Cali, 10, and three boys — Charley, 8, Cooper, 5, and Chance, 3. The couple has also announced they are expecting a fifth child, a girl.
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 27: (L-R) Cali Ann Kershaw, Ellen Kershaw, Chance James Kershaw, Charley Clayton Kershaw, Cooper Ellis Kershaw and Clayton Kershaw attend Ping Pong 4 Purpose 2023 presented by Skechers and UCLA Health at Dodger Stadium on July 27, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Kershaw’s Challenge)
4. With Clayton’s Success, Ellen Was Able to Practice Her Passion of Philanthropy
Working with underprivileged children in Africa has always been a passion of Ellen’s. So, it didn’t take long for the couple to start their own charity to give back.
The Kershaw’s charity, Kershaw’s Challenge, works to assist at-risk children in Africa.
Kershaw’s Challenge started in 2011 with a girl named Hope. She helped the couple realize that they have “a platform to do great things,” the organization’s story said.
Hope, who the Kershaws met when she was 9-years old, was born in Zambia and has battled the HIV epidemic her entire life. She was sick and malnourished and survived mostly on the streets. Ellen was the first one to meet Hope as she was there working, and Clayton flew to Zambia in December 2010 to meet her. According to the organization, Clayton was “in disbelief at the depth of poverty.”
“As a result of a lifetime of abuse, she built up walls towards anyone who might hurt her,” the story said.
As Hope and the Kershaws grew their relationship, she started to open up and they sponsored her through a ministry organization to provide her foot and an education.
Because Hope’s story is similar to many children in Africa, the couple came up with a vision. It included donating to the organization for every strikeout he records during a game. Kershaw’s Challenge has grown extraordinarily since its inception and now works in Los Angeles, Dallas, Zambia and the Dominican Republic.
5. Clayton and Ellen Wrote a Book
Clayton and Ellen co-authored Arise: Live Out Your Faith and Dreams on Whatever Field You Find Yourself, which explores how they draw on their faith to guide their humanitarian efforts. The book was published in January 2012 by Regal Press.
In 2017, when Clayton experienced a lower-back injury, Ellen was on a flight from Florida. She told The Los Angeles Times that she was frantic after seeing him pulled from the game following the second inning and found it agonizing not to know immediately what had happened.
“To not know what was going on and not be able to get a hold of him to know if he was sick or hurt or whatever was going on, there were definitely butterflies in my stomach,” she told the newspaper.
In addition to her philanthropy, Ellen described herself to The Times as the family’s “traveling secretary, real estate agent and accountant.”
“I feel like I had kind of gotten into the groove of that, and then you start adding kids to it and it’s a whole other ballgame,” she said.”
Clayton Kershaw’s Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know