Orel Hershiser Gets a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — for Broadcasting, Not Pitching
Orel Hershiser, the former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher turned television analyst, receives the 2,853rd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 13 at 6755 Hollywood Boulevard, honoured not for what he did on the mound but for two decades behind a microphone Variety.
The ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 am PT, capping a path from the Dodgers bullpen to the broadcast booth that Hershiser began building 25 years ago as an analyst for ESPN Variety. He was selected as part of the Walk of Fame Class of 2025 in the Sports Entertainment category, alongside David Beckham. Recipients have two years from selection to schedule their ceremonies Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Hershiser's road to Los Angeles started far from it. Born in Buffalo, New York, he attended high school in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and enrolled at Bowling Green State University in 1976. The Dodgers drafted him in the 17th round. His signing bonus was a new glove and $10,000 Variety.
He reached the Dodgers' bullpen in 1983 and signed with the club in 1979. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda gave him the nickname "Bulldog" — a tag that followed him from the dugout to the broadcast studio Variety. In 2023, the Dodgers formally inducted him as a Dodger Legend Variety.
Since 2014, Hershiser has worked as a color commentator and analyst for the Dodgers on Spectrum SportsNet LA, the team's regional sports network — the role that put him on the Walk of Fame's radar Variety. A color commentator provides analysis and context alongside the play-by-play announcer during a live broadcast.
Sportscaster Bob Costas said Hershiser is a rare former player who took broadcasting seriously, investing time and intellectual energy into mastering the craft rather than simply trading on name recognition Variety.
What makes this stand out is the category. The Walk of Fame's Sports Entertainment honour recognises the on-screen presence of athletes who crossed into broadcasting, not their athletic records alone. Hershiser's star sits at the intersection of two careers — one built on a $10,000 signing bonus and a borrowed nickname, the other on 25 years of learning to talk about the game he once played.
