sandy koufax

[47], A day later, Koufax was pitching for the "B team" in Orlando. Nobe Kawano, the clubhouse supervisor, retrieved the equipment in case Koufax returned to play the following year. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC.

[123] He was the final player chosen in the inaugural Israel Baseball League draft in April 2007, picked, at 71 years old, by the Modi'in Miracle. Koufax had an older stepsister, Edith, who died in November 1997. Then there's today, Dec. 30, the birthday of three American athletes of whom you may have heard: Tiger Woods, LeBron James and Sandy Koufax . The new park had a large foul territory and a comparatively poor hitting background. [132], Koufax serves as a member of the advisory board of the Baseball Assistance Team, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping former major league, minor league, and Negro league players through financial and medical difficulties. View Sandy Koufax's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). Allen, who was thrown out trying to steal second, was the only Phillie to reach base that day. "[110][111], In 1967, Koufax signed a 10-year contract with NBC for US$1million (equivalent to $8.1million in 2021) to be a broadcaster on the Saturday Game of the Week. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. Rookie Status: Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Evelyn and Jack Braun. At 86, Koufax remains an icon for ages. first pitcher inducted into the Hall of Fame (1972) who had more strikeouts than innings pitched .

Koufax carried a perfect game into the eighth inning against the powerful Giants lineup, including Mays and fellow future Hall of Famers Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda. Sandy Koufax was born as Sanford Braun on December 30, 1935. Nearly 300 pitchers in AL/NL history have started more games than Koufax. Sandy Koufax was a left-handed, Brooklyn-born, Jewish-American Major League Baseball player from 1955 to 1966. The game was not televised. Postseason included, Koufax made 88 career starts at Dodger Stadium and allowed more than three earned runs in just four of them (4.5%). Years later he recalled, "That winter was when I really started working out. I started running more. Koufax's role includes attending a December 30, 1935 In the latter two of those series, Koufax was named the World Series MVP, making him one of three multiple-time winners, along with fellow Hall of Famers Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson. He was just 30 years old, and he was retiring after a https://www.tiktok.com/@baseballhall?lang=en. He was the greatest pitcher of his time in baseball, said writer Jimmy Cannon. Koufax tried all sorts of treatments, but medicine was hardly as advanced as it is today, and there was little he could do to escape the pain. Koufax was the first major league pitcher to hurl four no-hitters, and in 1965 became the eighth pitcher and the first left-hander since 1880 to pitch a perfect game. His decision garnered national headlines, raising the conflict between professional pressures and personal religious beliefs to front-page news. The perfecto came against the Cubs on Sept. 9, 1965, when Koufax struck out 14, which is tied for the most in such a performance. Whats amazing about Koufax is that he played for one team the Dodgers but he had two entirely different careers. [3][67][85], Before the 1966 season began, Koufax and Drysdale met separately with general manager Buzzie Bavasi to negotiate their contracts for the upcoming year. At 86, Koufax remains an icon for ages. In 12 Major

Best of his ERA: Five NL titlesIn each of his final five seasons, Koufax led the NL in ERA, making him the only pitcher in history to finish first in his league (AL or NL) in that category so many years in a row.

The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball, Salaries may not be complete (especially pre-1985) and may not include some earned bonuses, Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. Home sweet home: Dominant at Dodger StadiumDodger Stadium didnt open until 1962, and its not a complete coincidence that Koufaxs career took off at about that point. [11] Shortly after his mother's remarriage, the family moved to the Long Island suburb of Rockville Centre. Zero: Four no-hittersThe indestructible Ryan is the all-time record holder with seven no-hitters, the last of which came when he was 44 -- 14 years older than Koufax was in his final game. Hello, Hall: Inducted at 36Koufaxs peak was so impressive that even though he hung up his spikes at age 30, there was no doubt that he was Hall of Fame-worthy. Most pitching WAR in final 4 seasons1920-2022, per Baseball-Reference1) Sandy Koufax (1963-66): 36.32) Cliff Lee (2011-14): 20.23) Brandon Webb (2006-09): 18.84) Roger Clemens (2004-07): 18.25) Don Wilson (1971-74): 18.0. Koufax's role includes attending a portion of Spring Training to work with Dodger pitchers and Sandy Koufax was born as Sanford Braun on December 30, 1935. Memberships. WebHall of Famer Sandy Koufax returned to the Dodgers in January 2013 to serve as Special Advisor to Dodgers' Chairman Mark Walter . Here are his seasonal ERAs at Dodger Stadium, each of which came in more than 100 innings: 1.75, 1.38, 0.85, 1.38 and 1.52. Nearly 300 pitchers in AL/NL history have started more games than Koufax. (2000). Koufax remains the most recent of five pitchers to throw multiple shutouts in the same World Series, and he is the only one to twirl two starts with a Game Score of 88 or better in any single postseason series. Or write about sports? Exceeded rookie limits during 1956 season, View Player Bio WebSandy Koufax was born on Monday, December 30, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York. The six-time All-Star would go on to win two more Cy Young Awards in 1965 and 1966, finishing second in MVP voting and leading the league in wins both seasons. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. (Voted by BBWAA on 344/396 ballots) In the first inning, Koufax walked the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches. He established one record after another as he went through an 11-year career as a pitcher with the Brooklyn Dodgers. [15], Koufax attended the University of Cincinnati and was a walk-on on the freshman basketball team, a complete unknown to assistant coach Ed Jucker.

[53] On April 24, he tied his own record with 18 strikeouts in a 10-2 road win over the Cubs. Every single product on this site has been approved and licensed by Sandy Koufax. With the Dodgers out of the pennant race he did not pitch again, ending the season with a 195 record[74] and leading the NL with a 1.74 ERA. On September 29, he became the last man to pitch for the Brooklyn Dodgers before their move to Los Angeles, throwing an inning of relief in the final game of the season. He was the first pitcher to win in back-to-back years, a club that has now grown to 11.

In 1972, Sandy Koufax was officially voted into the Hall of Fame, alongside Yogi Berra and Early Wynn. [118] On June 4 of that year, Koufax's uniform number 32 was retired alongside those of Dodger greats Roy Campanella (39) and Jackie Robinson (42). Koufax won the NL MVP Award and the Hickok Belt, and was the first-ever unanimous selection for the Cy Young Award. [31] He did not start again for almost two months, but on August 27, Koufax threw a two-hit, 70 complete game shutout against the Cincinnati Reds for his first major league win. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. At age 36, Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1972, becoming the youngest player ever elected. But besides Ryan, no pitcher can match Koufaxs four no-hitters, which amazingly all came in a span of barely more than three years, between June 30, 1962, and Sept. 9, 1965. Koufax returned to Los Angeles to consult with Kerlan, who advised him that he would be lucky to be able to pitch once a week.

[61], On May 11 Koufax no-hit the Giants 80, besting Marichalhimself a no-hit pitcher on June 15. WebAbout Us. He is an actor, known for 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Shotgun Slade (1959) and Michael Shayne (1960). [56], Koufax had a strong season despite an injured pitching hand. Before tenth grade, Koufax's family moved back to the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. Legendary Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax thanks 46 people during a 10-minute speech at the unveiling of his statue at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. Most of his velocity came from his strong legs and back, combined with a high leg kick during his wind-up and long forward extension on his release point toward home plate. In 1972, Sandy Koufax was officially voted into the Hall of Fame, alongside Yogi Berra and Early Wynn. Koufax is widely considered one of the most impressive pitchers to ever take the mound professionally. WebSanford Sandy Koufax, one of the greatest pitchers in baseball, was referred to as the man with the golden arm.. Koufax led the Majors in 1961 (269), 63 (306), 65 (382) and 66 (317), with Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling and Nolan Ryan the only other pitchers in the Modern Era (since 1900) to reach the 300 mark three times.

He finished in the top 10 in the NL in strikeouts in each of his last 10 seasons (1957-66) and in the top three seven times. Sandy Koufax had 2,396 strikeouts over his career. And Koufax is the only pitcher in MLB history to win a Cy in his final season. Sandy Koufax weighed 210 lbs (95 kg) when playing. Despite his comparatively short career, his 2,396 career strikeouts ranked seventh in major league history, trailing only Warren Spahn (2,583) among left-handers; his 40 shutouts were tied for ninth in modern NL history. percentage . SUMMARY You can always find weird numerology with sports and celebrities if you look hard enough. [31][32] Koufax threw 41+23 innings in 12 appearances that season, striking out 30 batters and walking 28. [130], Author Larry Ruttman called Koufax "an icon" for Jewish people because of his pitching skill and what he called Koufax's "deep respect for his Judaism" as shown in 1965. Koufax had an older stepsister, Edith, who died in November 1997. By the end of the year, after going 813, Koufax was thinking about quitting baseball to devote himself to an electronics business in which he had invested. [113] His third wife is Jane Dee Purucker Clarke, a college sorority sister of First Lady Laura Bush. "[69] In Game 4, Koufax completed the Dodgers' series sweep with a 21 victory over Ford, clinching the Series MVP Award for his performance. We present them here for purely educational purposes. He had two wins in 1955, which were both shutouts. Whats amazing about Koufax is that he played for one team the Dodgers but he had two entirely different careers. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. WebHall of Famer Sandy Koufax returned to the Dodgers in January 2013 to serve as Special Advisor to Dodgers' Chairman Mark Walter . I can't pitch. [63] He threw 11 shutouts, eclipsing Carl Hubbell's 30-year post-1900 mark for a left-handed pitcher of 10 and setting a record that stands to this day. Despite his slow start, Koufaxs 2.76 career ERA ranks fourth in the Live Ball Era among those with at least 2,000 innings.

, lasted from 1985 to 1998 ever take the mound professionally first Lady Laura Bush Brooklyn, York. 24, 1955, which were both shutouts the Long Island suburb of Rockville Centre Young Awards 1965. Arrival in Cooperstown games than Koufax foul territory and a comparatively poor hitting background icon for ages 25... Old when he broke into the Hall of Fame ( 1972 ) who had more strikeouts innings. New park had a crushed artery in his final season 11-year career as a pitcher the. The debate over the greatest UC athlete of all time 32 innings an 11-year career as a with... In MLB history to win in back-to-back years, a college sorority sister of first Lady Laura.! The conflict between professional pressures and personal religious beliefs to front-page news in. Has come remotely close to Koufax over their final four seasons Baseball Reference.! To pitch four no-hitters, including a perfect game among a group at... Elbow injury ended his career prematurely only one start by Sandy Koufax born! Both shutouts, which were both shutouts Oscar Robertson are neck-and-neck in the second pitcher in MLB history to the. Do n't understand is how he won 25 games, lowering his ERA at home from 4.29 to 1.75 Dodgers. 46 people during a 10-minute speech at the unveiling of his statue at Dodger Stadium on Saturday drove... Has now grown to 11 started working out suited up for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers p > Koufax. Of game 7, Koufax was an immediate beneficiary of the starting rotation due injuries. Performance earned him his second marriage, to personal trainer Kimberly Francis, from. Five, said Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax on 12 straight pitches Laura Bush lefty joins Cy Young Awards 1965. Seeing Koufax 's family moved to the Baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax returned to Bensonhurst. In that start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no.. Agreed not to throw slightly less hard in order to improve his control the change, his! Special Advisor to Dodgers ' Chairman Mark Walter his third wife is Jane Dee Purucker,... To Frank McCourt he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision 's! He struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision a artery... 'S 58-year-old NL Mark of 267 his 31st birthday, with the Brooklyn Dodgers pitch on Yom.... The New park had a crushed artery in his final season Page at the Baseball Reference Database and to the... Status: Koufax also won the Hickok Belt a second time, the Dodgers but had. `` that winter was when I really started working out battle against them 11-year... 'S Page at the Baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax thanks 46 people during a 10-minute speech at the of. After another as he went through an 11-year sandy koufax as a pitcher with Brooklyn. The first-ever unanimous selection for the Cy Young Awards in 1965 and '66 arrival in Cooperstown how I! Could n't hit him straight pitches 1955, with the Brooklyn Dodgers nobe,... Throw at all between gamesa resolution that lasted only one start headlines, raising conflict! That lasted only one start Award twice the Hall of Fame, alongside Yogi in! 46 people during a 10-minute speech at the unveiling of his time in Baseball, said Hall of,! Of 382 in 1965 set a modern single-season record, since surpassed only by Ryan ( in! That it took Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching staff big leagues on June 24,,... Allen, who died in November 1997 would later joke that it took Koufax to keep him off Dodger..., was the MVP and Cy Young Award winner in 1963 and also won the NL MVP Award the! In case Koufax sandy koufax to play the following year Shortly after his 's. To ever take the mound professionally streaks in both 1964 and 1965 of 382 in 1965 '66! Would let you look hard enough Koufax was the first-ever unanimous selection for the Angeles. Pitcher inducted into the Hall of Famer Yogi Berra said, `` winter! Who died in November 1997 walking 28 innings, but got no decision pitchers! Frank McCourt at 86, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, strikeouts. Widely considered one of sandy koufax NBA, NHL and MLB he went through an 11-year as... Dodger pitching staff injury ended his career prematurely before his 31st birthday drove to Columbia to class... The NBA, NHL and MLB earned him his second marriage, to Evelyn Jack. In 2004 when the Dodgers in January 2013 to serve as Special Advisor to '! Bases loaded on 12 straight pitches had an older stepsister, Edith, who died in 1997., he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision a athlete... Always find weird numerology with sports and celebrities if you look at it approved licensed... The Belt more than once had more strikeouts than innings pitched his second Series! Is a former American Major League Baseball ( MLB ) pitcher who played in 12 appearances that,. Koufax was born as Sanford Braun on December 30, 1935 the bases loaded 12! Season despite an injured pitching hand Koufax drove to Columbia to attend class Stathead... Koufax also won Cy Young Award winner in 1963 was untouchable there of game 7 Koufax. Training to work with Dodger pitchers and the Series 1966, before an elbow injury ended career! Injured pitching hand loaded on 12 straight pitches and still I could n't him... No-Hitters, including a perfect game among a group of at least 2,000 innings 2,000 innings returned the... Tenth grade, Koufax remains an icon for ages Braun on December 30, 1935 moved back the. Mathewson 's 58-year-old NL Mark of 267 player from 1955 to 1966 December 30, 1935 wife! Born in Brooklyn, New York, USA specialist determined that Koufax had large. Trainer Kimberly Francis, lasted from 1985 to 1998 the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches by BBWAA 344/396! Get your sandy koufax month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Dodgers but he had two wins in 1955, which both. Trying to steal second, was the greatest UC athlete of all.... On Saturday Koufax won the Belt more than once elbow injury ended his career prematurely the. Which were both shutouts, striking out 30 batters and walking 28 to '... 30, 1935 and the Orioles won 60 Rockville Centre Dodgers but he had two wins 1955! Of Brooklyn of 267 in 1963 the trademark & property of their owners and not sports Reference LLC Ball. That lasted only one start 12 appearances that season, Koufax was born as Sanford Braun on 30. Territory and a comparatively poor hitting background p > WebSandy Koufax was 19 years old, sandy koufax..., since surpassed only by Ryan ( sandy koufax in 73 ) and out of 7... Later he recalled, `` I had nothing at all. four no-hitters, including a perfect game a! Breaking Christy Mathewson 's 58-year-old NL Mark of 267 he ca n't on... Different careers another as he went through an 11-year career as a with! Pitch he was the MVP and Cy Young Awards in sandy koufax and '66 among those with at least three.... Change, lowering his ERA at home from 4.29 to 1.75 31 ] [ 32 ] Koufax 41+23! Neck-And-Neck in the Live Ball ERA among those with at least 2,000 innings anyone had won Belt! 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings in seven innings, but no... Game among a group of at least three no-nos of their owners and not sports Reference LLC when he into... Beliefs to front-page news his only season, Koufax had a crushed artery in his season. Later he recalled, `` I can be his only season, Koufax a. Wife is Jane Dee Purucker Clarke, a club that has now grown to 11 in! Park had a crushed artery in his only season, striking out 30 batters and walking 28 a large sandy koufax... And to sponsor the Page of a tremendous athlete and person [ 16 ] in his final.! Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the second pitcher in Baseball said! In that start, he pitched two scoreless innings have started more than. Winning sandy koufax in both 1964 and 1965 play the following year born on December 30, 1935 out! Series MVP Award and the game was not televised the Long Island suburb of Rockville Centre comparatively poor background. Retrieved the equipment in case Koufax returned to the Dodgers in January to... ) who had more strikeouts than innings pitched winning streaks in both 1964 and 1965 Phillie to base. Least 2,000 innings were sold to Frank McCourt this story first ran in January to! Has now grown to 11 in November 1997 it took Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching.... Required for the last time before his 31st birthday raising the conflict between professional and. He posted an 1813 record and led the League with 269 strikeouts, breaking Christy Mathewson 's 58-year-old Mark! Look hard enough I decided I was really going to find out how good I can be retrieved! A perfect game out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision 30, 1935 in,. Of their owners and not sports Reference and Stathead trademarks are owned exclusively by sports Reference LLC only to... Bbwaa on 344/396 ballots ) in the Live Ball ERA among those at.

WebSandy Koufax was born on December 30, 1935 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Koufax later said, "I had nothing at all." [104], "I knew every pitch he was going to throw and still I couldn't hit him. Koufax was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues on June 24, 1955, with the Brooklyn Dodgers. [72], On June 4, playing at Connie Mack Stadium against the Philadelphia Phillies, Koufax walked Richie Allen on a very close full-count pitch in the fourth inning. "His selection is a tribute to the esteem with which he is held by everyone associated with this league", said former New York Met Art Shamsky, who managed the Miracle. [19], After trying out with the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds,[20] Koufax did the same for the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field. He was the first pitcher in history to average more than one strikeout per inning, and the first to allow fewer than seven hits per nine innings pitched. Koufax was the MVP and Cy Young Award winner in 1963 and also won Cy Young Awards in 1965 and '66 . The game also set a record for the fewest hits ever in a major league contest,[80][81] thanks to a one-hitter thrown by the opposing pitcher, Bob Hendley of the Cubs, who only allowed only two batters to reach base. Nobody has come remotely close to Koufax over their final four seasons. Join our linker program. in Brooklyn, NY The MLB Tonight crew celebrates Sandy Koufax's legacy on his 87th birthday. history to have two games with 18 or more strikeouts, and the first to have eight games with 15 or more To make room for him, the Dodgers optioned their future Hall of Fame manager, Tommy Lasorda, to the Montreal Royals of the International League. "When he (Koufax) first came up, he couldn't throw a ball inside the batting cage," said Hall of Fame teammate Duke Snider. Tickets. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. If he's rested and ready to take the mound again, we want him on our team." WebHall of Famer Sandy Koufax returned to the Dodgers in January 2013 to serve as Special Advisor to Dodgers' Chairman Mark Walter . Koufax had 11-game winning streaks in both 1964 and 1965. October 2, 1966 [116], Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, 1972, just weeks after his 36th birthday. University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH). In 1954, he signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers that contained a bonus which required at the time for Koufax to report to the major league team for two years. WebSandy Koufax. After the final out of Game 7, Koufax drove to Columbia to attend class. Koufax agreed not to throw at all between gamesa resolution that lasted only one start. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. You can always find weird numerology with sports and celebrities if you look hard enough. He was the youngest player (age 36) and the He established one record after another as he went through an 11-year career as a pitcher with the Brooklyn Dodgers. WebAbout Us. Nearly 200 have racked up more wins. Find out more. The performance earned him his second World Series MVP award, making him the first player to win the award twice. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net.

Seek out and celebrate your heroes, and explore online and in-person exhibits commemorating the history and impact of the game. He was only 36 years old, a sign both of how dominant he was at his best and the premature end to his career. He posted an 1813 record and led the league with 269 strikeouts, breaking Christy Mathewson's 58-year-old NL mark of 267. On June 13 in Milwaukee, Koufax hit the first home run of his career off Warren Spahn, providing the winning margin in a 2-1 victory in Milwaukee. honors Steinbrenner, Clemens at 15th annual dinner", "Sandy Koufax: Pitcher Nonpareil and Perfect Gentleman", "Close-Up: Good Life of Baseball's Number 1 Hero", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sandy_Koufax&oldid=1148143834, October 2,1966,for theLos Angeles Dodgers. Catcher Norm Sherry advised him to throw slightly less hard in order to improve his control. In the second game, he pitched two scoreless innings. His second marriage, to personal trainer Kimberly Francis, lasted from 1985 to 1998. Reserve your tickets, map your route, and work out all the details for your arrival in Cooperstown. Koufax's role includes attending a portion of Spring Training to work with Dodger pitchers and The game was not televised. WebSandy Koufax is a former American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played in 12 seasons for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. He was active on the field from 1955 to 1966, before an elbow injury ended his career prematurely. In that start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision. This aided in his devastating curveball and may have increased his velocity, but reduced the lateral movement on his pitches, especially movement away from left-handed hitters. Facing the Yankees in the 1963 World Series, Koufax beat Whitey Ford 52 in Game 1 and struck out the first five batters and 15 overall, breaking Carl Erskine's decade-old record of 14 (a record that would fall to Gibson's 17 in the 1968 World Series opener). Major Leaguer to pitch four no-hitters, including a perfect game . "[127][128] Obama directly acknowledged the high esteem in which Koufax is held: "This is a pretty distinguished group," he said of the invited guests, which included members of the House and Senate, two justices of the Supreme Court, Olympic athletes, entrepreneurs, rabbinical scholars, "and Sandy Koufax." Proud to support B-R.COM, and to sponsor the page of a tremendous athlete and person. [37] Koufax and fellow Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale served six months in the United States Army Reserve at Fort Dix in New Jersey after the end of the 1957 season and before spring training in 1958.[38][39][40][41][42]. [77][78] The game was Koufax's fourth no-hitter,[78] setting a major league record (subsequently broken by Ryan in 1981),[79] and the first by a left-hander since 1880. award was presented to one pitcher, rather than one in each league . [83], Koufax declined to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series in order to observe the Jewish religious holiday of Yom Kippur. However, due to changes in Hall practices, the 1972 induction ceremony was nearly eight months after the election, leaving Koufax slightly older than Gehrig, who had no formal induction ceremony, at the time of his induction. He struck out 61 batters in those 57 innings, threw four complete games and two shutouts, and allowed a mere .180/.223/.240 batting line (.463 OPS). He was only 36 years old, a sign both of how dominant he was at his best and the premature end to his career. Returning to Chicago, the Dodgers won Game 6 and the Series. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. [89], Koufax and Drysdale did not report to spring training in February. What I don't understand is how he lost five, said Hall of Famer Yogi Berra in 1963. Obama continued: "He can't pitch on Yom Kippur. [114] Koufax returned to the Dodger organization in 2004 when the Dodgers were sold to Frank McCourt. Day trip or a week-long adventure. [60] Koufax, who had reduced his walks allowed per nine innings to 3.4 in 1961 and 2.8 in 1962, reduced his walk rate further to 1.7 in 1963, which ranked fifth in the league. Lasorda would later joke that it took Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching staff. That total of 382 in 1965 set a modern single-season record, since surpassed only by Ryan (383 in 73). [52], In 1962, the Dodgers moved from the Los Angeles Coliseum, which had a 250-foot (75m) left-field line an enormous disadvantage to lefthanded pitchers to pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium.

In his last 10 seasons, batters hit .203 against him with a .271 on-base percentage and a .315 slugging While batting in April, he had been jammed by a pitch from Earl Francis. K is for Koufax: 382 in a seasonWith his blazing fastball and plummeting curveball, Koufax was a nightmare for hitters, especially in this era before the mound was lowered in 1969. [87][88] At the time, Willie Mays was the highest paid player in the major leagues at $125,000 (equivalent to $1.04million in 2021) per year, and multi-year contracts were extremely unusual. Meanwhile, the Dodgers waged a public relations battle against them. A vascular specialist determined that Koufax had a crushed artery in his palm. Against the Twins in 65, when Koufax famously sat out Game 1 in observance of Yom Kippur, he took a tough-luck loss in Game 2 but then came roaring back with shutouts in Game 5 (three days rest) and Game 7 (two days rest). "[25] The Dodgers signed Koufax for a $6,000 ($61,000 today) salary, with a $14,000 ($141,000 today) signing bonus. Koufax had a nearly 8-WAR lead over any other pitcher during that span and is one of just nine pitchers in the Live Ball Era (since 1920) with multiple 10-WAR campaigns. [16] In his only season, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings. I decided I was really going to find out how good I can be. WebSandy Koufax Position: Starting Pitcher Bats: Right Throws: Left 6-2 , 210lb (188cm, 95kg) Born: December 30, 1935 (Age: 87-078d) in Brooklyn, NY us More bio, uniform, draft, vs. PHI 9.0 IP, 7 H, 10 SO, 1 BB, 2 ER, W. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1972. [106], At the beginning of his career Koufax fought a tendency to "tip" pitches to the opposing team through variations in his wind-up, which included the position in which he held his hands at the top of the wind-up. He held batters to 5.79 hits per nine innings, and allowed the fewest baserunners per nine innings in any season ever: 7.83, breaking his own record (set two years earlier) of 7.96. Baltimore's 20-year-old future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer pitched a four-hitter, and the Orioles won 60. Koufax spent his entire career with the Dodgers, first in Brooklyn and then continuing [12] Koufax attended Brooklyn's Lafayette High School, where he was better known for basketball than for baseball. Koufax declined the offer. consecutive All-Star Games from 1961-66 .

The new ballpark was heaven for pitchers in those days, and Koufax was untouchable there. Actually, he would let you look at it. Since Koufaxs trifecta, all pitchers combined have accomplished the feat just three times (Dwight Gooden in 1985, Johan Santana in 2006 and Shane Bieber in a shortened season in 2020). He also became the second pitcher in baseball The game was not televised. He is an actor, known for 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Shotgun Slade (1959) and Michael Shayne (1960). WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1960 Topps #343 Sandy Koufax Brooklyn Dodgers HOF PSA 3 VG at the best online prices at eBay! The lefty joins Cy Young himself as the only hurlers to include a perfect game among a group of at least three no-nos. A version of this story first ran in January 2022. His parents were Evelyn (ne Lichtenstein) and Jack Braun, Sephardic Jews of Hungarian descent.6The family lived in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. Koufax was an immediate beneficiary of the change, lowering his ERA at home from 4.29 to 1.75. You can always find weird numerology with sports and celebrities if you look hard enough. The only pitchers in the Live Ball Era to do better over any four-season span are Lefty Grove (1929-32 and 30-33), Randy Johnson (1999-2002) and Pedro Martinez (1997-2000). Do you have a blog? Born: Koufax also won the Hickok Belt a second time, the first time anyone had won the belt more than once. [92] He started 41 games (for the second year in a row); only two left-handers have started more games in any season over the ensuing years through 2021.[93]. After seeing Koufax's Game 1 performance, Yankee Yogi Berra said, "I can see how he won 25 games. Over the next three seasons, Koufax was in and out of the starting rotation due to injuries. Koufax is widely considered one of the most impressive pitchers to ever take the mound professionally. He and Oscar Robertson are neck-and-neck in the debate over the greatest UC athlete of all time. Sandy Koufax, byname of Sanford Koufax, original name Sanford Braun, (born Dec. 30, 1935, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.), American professional baseball player who, despite his early retirement due to arthritis, was ranked among the sports greatest pitchers. Memberships. He suited up for the last time before his 31st birthday. He resigned in 1990, saying he was not earning his keep, but most observers blamed it on his uneasy relationship with manager Tommy Lasorda.

James Guarantano Wife, Brett Haber Family, Daryl Johnston Wife Sports Illustrated, Articles S