In particular, he was involved deeply with the Special Olympics and charities which aimed at helping people with developmental difficulties such as his son Jimmy, who was born with Down syndrome.

He attended Anderson High School where he was a standout pitcher, attracting the attention of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

[1] After being discharged from the Navy in 1946, he was declared a free agent by Commissioner Happy Chandler as the Dodgers had violated a directive which forbade Major League teams from signing a player active in the military.

After a bidding war between the Boston Red Sox, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Dodgers, he signed with Brooklyn for another bonus of $5,000 ($78,000 today).

Erskine was 14–6 in 1952 with a career-best 2.70 earned run average, then had his 20-win season in 1953, leading the league with a .769 winning percentage along with 187 strikeouts and 16 complete games, all career highs.

[2] When Newcombe was pitching in the ninth inning of the third game of the playoff with the New York Giants on October 3, 1951, Erskine and Ralph Branca were warming up in the bullpen.

On April 18, Erskine started the home opener at the Los Angeles Coliseum against the San Francisco Giants, who had moved west with their rivals, and won the game 6–5.

In a twelve-season career, he posted a 122–78 (.610) record with 981 strikeouts and a 4.00 earned run average in 1718+2⁄3 innings pitched.

After retiring, he was made an assistant pitching coach in 1959 and finished the season on the team that went on to win the World Series.

For the 1960 season, he worked as a color commentator for Saturday-afternoon telecasts of major league games on ABC, teaming with play-by-play announcer Jack Buck.

[1] Erskine also became a leader in the community, participating in numerous organizations and businesses, including rising to the presidency of the Star Bank of Anderson, Indiana, before easing back to the role of vice chairman of the board.

[1] He had initially planned to move his family to New York City to work as a representative for Van Heusen's athletic wear.

His support of the Special Olympics and related causes, inspired by his son Jimmy – who led a life beyond all expectations when he was born with Down Syndrome, cemented his legacy.