Dennis Eckersley had one of the more unique Hall of Fame careers in baseball history, beginning with a strong first half as an All-Star starter with Cleveland and Boston before transitioning into a dominant closer over the back half in a Bay Area homecoming to play for the A’s.

Over an illustrious 24-year career in which he left his mark as the only MLB pitcher to record 100 saves and 100 complete games, there is no shortage of accomplishments to look back on.

1. Winning AL MVP and Cy Young
1992

Eckersley’s dominance as a closer reached its apex in 1992, when his league-leading 51 saves, 1.91 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 80 innings pitched earned him both the league’s MVP and Cy Young Award. He became just the third relief pitcher in MLB history to win both awards, joining Rollie Fingers (1981) and Willie Hernández (1984). Eckersley’s strong '92 campaign helped the A’s reach the ALCS, where they fell to the Blue Jays in six games.

2. Securing a sweep in the Battle of the Bay World Series
Oct. 28, 1989

In what was a memorable 1989 World Series due to a massive earthquake before Game 3, Eckersley pumping his fist in the air upon receiving the throw from Tony Phillips at first base to record the final out is a lasting image. He closed out what was a sweep of the Giants at Candlestick Park and finished the series with a flawless stat line as he retired all five batters he faced across two appearances. It was redemption for Eckersley, who one year prior endured the heartbreak of serving up a crucial walk-off home run to Kirk Gibson in the 1988 World Series that was ultimately won by the Dodgers.

3. Transitioning from starter to closer
1987

Eckersley was an accomplished two-time All-Star as a starter by the time he arrived to the A’s in a trade just before the start of the 1987 season, but it was his connections with manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan that transformed him into a Hall of Famer by crafting an idea to convert Eckersley to a reliever. While there were many successful closers before him, the way Eck was used revolutionized the role, as the A’s employed a strategy to maximize his effectiveness by limiting him to mostly one-inning appearances. Eckersley quickly adapted to the new role and led MLB in saves (45) in 1988, his first season as Oakland’s full-time closer.

4. Tossing a no-hitter on Memorial Day
May 30, 1977

While the second half of Eckersley’s 24-year career saw him flourish as a closer, the first half began with a quick development into an elite starter. The premium stuff was on full display when Eckersley no-hit the Angels at Cleveland Stadium, striking out 12 batters and allowing only two baserunners on a walk and a wild pitch on a third strike. Two months later, he was selected to his first All-Star Game.

5. Dominating Boston, wins ALCS MVP
Oct. 5-9, 1988

Eckersley was an easy choice for MVP in the '88 ALCS. The A’s swept the Red Sox and he recorded the save in all four games, allowing just one hit and two walks in six innings. The impressive feat of four saves in a four-game sweep of an ALCS has only been matched once since, when Royals closer Greg Holland did it against the Orioles in 2014.

6. Going 41 straight games without a walk
Aug. 7, 1989-June 10, 1990

Fellow Hall of Fame pitcher Goose Gossage once said Eckersley “could hit a gnat in the butt with a pitch if he wanted to.” In other words, Eck had pinpoint command of all his pitches, as he showed during a stretch of 41 consecutive games in which he did not issue a single walk, setting a record that still stands to this day.

7. Overcoming his personal battle
1986

Perhaps the biggest challenge Eckersley encountered during his career came off the field. After the 1986 season, Eck realized he was “spiraling out of control” and decided to check himself into a rehabilitation center in Newport, R.I., in January 1987 to treat his battle with alcoholism and achieved sobriety.

“That offseason, after 1986, was probably one of the most difficult times in my life,” Eckersley said during his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2004. “My career hit a major downturn and I was spiraling out of control, personally. … No one knew then, but I was fighting a major battle with alcohol. I knew I had come to a crossroads in my life. With the grace of God, I got sober, and I saved my life.”

8. Selected to six All-Star Games
Eckersley made the All-Star Game in 1977, '82, '88 and three straight seasons from 1990-92, with the first two selections coming while he was still in a starting role with Cleveland and Boston. He appeared in all six games and did not allow a run in five of those six outings.

9. Getting into the broadcasting booth
2003

It didn’t take long for Eckersley to adjust to life after baseball, and that’s because he’s technically still in it. Just a few years after retirement, he was hired to work for NESN as an analyst and color commentator for the Red Sox. While maintaining a steady role on NESN, Eck has also had the chance to provide analysis in the broadcast booth for postseason action on TBS in recent years, keeping a strong presence among baseball fans.

10. Induction into the A’s Hall of Fame
Sept. 5, 2018

Eckersley was part of the inaugural class elected to the A’s Hall of Fame in 2018, going in alongside fellow legends Rickey Henderson, Rollie Fingers, Reggie Jackson, Dave Stewart and the late Charlie Finley and Catfish Hunter.

"I was proud to be an Oakland A," Eckersley said while donning a kelly green jacket during a pregame ceremony in 2018. "Greatest times of my life. Those were magical years that I was here."