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Sandy Koufax

Many consider Sandy Koufax (born 1935) to be one of the best left-handed pitchers of all time. He had six exemplary seasons in the 1960s. After a slow start, his baseball career was cut short by problems with his pitching arm. Still, his accomplishments on the field led to his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

Koufax was born Sanford Braun on December 30, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York. He was the son of Jack (a salesman) and Evelyn (an accountant) Braun. His parents divorced when Koufax was three years old. Six years later, his mother married Irving Koufax, an attorney. Jack Braun had also remarried, and soon stopped calling his son and paying child support. Koufax took his stepfather's name. Irving Koufax encouraged his stepson in all pursuits, including baseball and other sports.

Koufax preferred basketball to baseball as a youth. When he did play the latter, in sandlot games or in Brooklyn's so-called "Ice Cream League," he was usually the first baseman. He did not pitch his first game until he was 15 years old. Koufax spent much of his time playing basketball at the Jewish Community House. While attending Lafayette High School, a coach tried to convince Koufax to play football as well, but Koufax was not interested.

After graduation, Koufax entered the University of Cincinnati, studying architecture on a basketball scholarship. During his first year, he averaged ten points a game. He also tried out for the school's baseball team on a whim. In 32 innings pitched, Koufax struck out 51 hitters. His tenure at Cincinnati was brief, only a year or two. As early as high school, he had been scouted, initially by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and later the Dodgers and Milwaukee's team.

Became a Dodger

In 1954, the Brooklyn Dodgers signed the 19-year-old Koufax to a contract worth about $20,000, with a $14,000 bonus. Roger Khan of the Los Angeles Times quoted Al Campanis, who worked in the front office of the Dodgers organization, as saying, "Only two times in my life has the hair literally stood up on the back of my neck. Once was when I saw Michelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel. The other time was when I first saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball." Because of the bonus, league rules dictated that Koufax had to stay on the Dodgers roster for at least two years. Thus, Koufax never played in the minor leagues, but had to develop in the spotlight of the majors.

This situation was difficult because Koufax was a very wild pitcher. While he threw the ball hard and had a speedy fastball, he often lacked control. When he did have control of his pitches, it was inconsistent. It was said that left-handed pitchers took longer to develop, but some speculated that Koufax might have had a confidence problem as well. Koufax admitted he was initially in awe of his team-mates. In his first two seasons with the Dodgers, 1955-56, Koufax only appeared in 28 games, posting a record of four wins and six loses. Though he won only two games each season, he showed flashes of his future brilliance. In one 1955 game, his second career start, Koufax threw a two-hit shutout. Koufax threw the ball hard in that game, and believed that he had to throw it that way for it to work. This belief hindered his development for six years.

During the 1957 season, Koufax pitched more often and turned his first winning season record, five wins and four losses. He pitched a total of 104 2/3 innings. After the season ended, Koufax remained with the Dodgers when they moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. He continued to be used in more games and demonstrated enough talent that the Dodgers did not give up on him. He posted an 11-11 record on the season. This trend continued in 1959. Koufax tied the new major league record for most strikeouts in a two-game period with 31, 13 in one, than 18 against the San Francisco Giants. Though the Dodgers went on to win the World Series against the Chicago White Sox, Koufax lost in the one game he pitched, 1-0.

Koufax's 1960 season was a similar combination of highs and lows. Though his record was eight wins and 13 losses, he struck out 197 batters in 175 innings. He was disappointed with himself, and was not sure if the Dodgers would keep him on the team, for good reason. In his first six seasons, his record was only 36-40. In the 691 2/3 innings he pitched, he struck out 684 and walked 405. He told Joseph Durso of The New York Times, "I have a terrible temper. After the final game that season, I threw all my baseball stuff away, left the clubhouse and didn't think I'd ever come back. I even went into business, but wasn't crazy about it. Then I decided I hadn't worked hard enough, so next spring I reported to Vero Beach. Our clubhouse man, Nobe Kawano, handed me the gear and said, 'I took all your stuff out of the garbage."'

Learned to Control Pitches

Before the beginning of the 1961 season, Koufax talked to his team's general manager, Buzzie Bavasi, and asked that he be allowed to pitch on a more regular basis. Koufax believed that if he had too many days off in between starts, it was detrimental to his arm. Bavasi granted his request, and Koufax finally learned to control his fastball, in part because of advice from catcher Norm Sherry. During a game with the Chicago White Sox, Koufax got himself into trouble, with the bases loaded and nobody out. Sherry told him that he would have better control if he eased up on the ball and did not always throw it so hard. Koufax followed Sherry's advice, and got the next three batters out. With the help of Sherry and a pitching coach, Koufax also developed a strong curveball and a change-up, though he did not have complete confidence in the latter. As Bruce Jenkins of The San Francisco Chronicle wrote "Koufax had the greatest fastball of his day (maybe ever) and the best curveball. He didn't need anything else." Koufax's career was transformed.

Beginning in 1961, Koufax was chosen to play in the All-Star game every year until the end of his career. He also led the league in at least one category each season. In 1961, Koufax posted an 18-13 record, and led the league in strikeouts with 269, a new record. Beginning in 1962, through his retirement in 1966, Koufax had the league's best earned run average (ERA) and pitched at least one shutout per year. In 1962, his ERA was 2.54, and he posted a record of 14-7, striking out 216 batters in 184 1/3 innings. However Koufax did not pitch for half of the season because he developed circulatory problems in his pitching arm he after a wild pitch had accidentally hit him. This injury would eventually shorten his career.

Koufax had a dominant season in 1963, and had much to show for it. He led the league in wins, with a 25-5 record; ERA, with 1.88; strikeouts, with 306; and shutouts, with 11. The Dodgers won the World Series against the New York Yankees. Koufax pitched two complete games, winning them both by allowing only 12 and 3 earned runs. He set a record by striking out 23 batters in 18 innings. For his season, Koufax was named the National League's Most Valuable Player. He also won the Cy Young Award, given to the league's best pitcher.

In 1964, Koufax had a shortened season due to another injury to his pitching arm, which led to chronic arthritis. Koufax would spend the rest of his career in pain, pitching only after he had received cortisone shots. Despite missing the last month of the season, Koufax had a 19-5 record, had the league's best ERA (1.74) and winning percentage (.792), and led the league in shutouts, with seven. Koufax posted similar numbers in 1965. With a record of 26-8, he had the league's best ERA (2.04) and set a new record with 382 strikeouts. Koufax also won his second Cy Young Award. But these were not Koufax's best accomplishments of the season.

Refused to Pitchon Yom Kippur

Koufax pitched a perfect game on September 9, 1965. He retired all 27 batters, the last six on strikeouts. Koufax told Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times, "Earlier in the game, I didn't have great stuff. I was just getting people out. But the last two innings were probably as good as I ever pitched." This game was later named one the best moments in the history of the Dodgers by its fans.

Koufax became a hero to many of his fellow Jews by refusing to pitch in the first game of the World Series against the Minnesota Twins because it fell on Yom Kippur, the high holy day. Koufax was criticized by some because the Dodgers lost that game. However, he went on to pitch in three of the next six games. He lost the first, but won the last two, including the deciding seventh game, 2-0.

At the beginning of the 1966 season, Koufax and another Dodgers pitcher, Don Drysdale, held out at the beginning of the season for several weeks in a salary dispute. They hired an agent to negotiate for them, which was unheard of at the time. This marked the beginning of a trend in Major League baseball because it worked for them. Koufax signed a contract worth $130,000 for the season, a big salary in that era. He earned his pay by posting a 27-9 record. He led the league in strikeouts (317), had the league's best ERA (1.73), and won his third Cy Young Award. The Dodgers appeared in the World Series again, but lost to the Baltimore Orioles in four games. Koufax pitched in one game, and lost.

Retired at Age 30

Koufax thought he might retire all season long, and did so after the conclusion of the 1966 season. He did not want to risk permanent damage because of his injuries. According to Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times, at the time he said, "I've got a lot of years to live after baseball. And I would like to live them with complete use of my body." His teammates were unprepared for the announcement because Koufax had not told them in advance. He was known throughout his career for being rather aloof. In retirement, Koufax would guard his privacy even more. He moved to Maine, using that as his home base for many years. To make a living, Koufax signed a ten-year contract with NBC to be a baseball broadcaster in 1966. While was good at the job, he was not always comfortable on camera. He quit before the start of the 1973 season.

Baseball had not forgotten Koufax's contributions. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in the first year that he became eligible. At 36 years of age, he was the youngest inductee, and one of only six to be elected in their first year of eligibility. Koufax remained close to the game by serving as a guest pitching coach in various training camps, including the Dodgers and New York Mets. He also spent 11 years, 1979-90, working as a roving minor league pitching instructor in the Dodgers' system.

Koufax enjoyed his anonymity. He was twice married, first to Anne Widmark, daughter of the famous actor, Richard Widmark. They divorced in the early 1980s. He was remarried to a woman named Kim, but they also were divorced in the late 1990s. Of his life and career, Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated wrote, "Koufax was the kind of man boys idolized, men envied, women swooned over and rabbis thanked, especially when he refused to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur. And when he was suddenly, tragically done with baseball, he slipped into a life nearly monastic in its privacy."

Further Reading

American Jewish Biographies, Lakeville Press, 1982.

The Ballplayers: Baseball's Ultimate Biographical Reference, edited by Mike Shatzkin, Arbor House/William Morrow, 1990.

Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Baseball, edited by David L. Porter, Greenwood Press, 1987.

Hickok, Ralph, The Encyclopedia of North American Sports History, Facts on File, 1992.

Hickok, Ralph, A Who's Who of Sports Champions: Their Records and Stories, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1995.

Karst, Gene, and Martin J. Jones, Jr., Who's Who in Professional Baseball, Arlington House, 1973.

Light, Jonathon Frasier, The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball, McFarland and Company, Inc., 1997.

Who's Who in America 1999, Marquis Who's Who, 1998.

Denver Post, May 2, 1999.

Los Angeles Times, September 9, 1990; July 15, 1999; October 25, 1999.

New York Times, August 23, 1980; May 7, 1988.

San Francisco Chronicle, October 30, 1999.

Sports Illustrated, April 25, 1994; July 12, 1999.

 
 
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: Sandy Koufax

Koufax, 1966
(click to enlarge)
Koufax, 1966 (credit: AP)
(born Dec. 30, 1935, New York, N.Y., U.S.) U.S. baseball pitcher. Koufax's mother divorced when he was young, and he took the name of his stepfather. In his youth he played sports at the Jewish community centres in his native Brooklyn, and in high school he was known more as a basketball player than as a baseball player. He attended the University of Cincinnati on a basketball scholarship before joining the Brooklyn (later Los Angeles) Dodgers in 1955 as a left-handed thrower with a blazing fastball and a sharp breaking curveball. Once he gained control of his pitches he set several season records for strikeouts (including 382 in 1965), and his career average of one strikeout per inning is a rare accomplishment. In 1965 he pitched his fourth no-hit game, until 1981 a major-league record; the fourth no-hitter was also a perfect game (no player reached first base). Despite his early retirement in 1966 because of arthritis, he is regarded as one of baseball's greatest pitchers.

For more information on Sandy Koufax, visit Britannica.com.

 
Columbia Encyclopedia: Koufax, Sandy
(Sanford Koufax) (kō'făks), 1935–, American baseball player, b. New York City. A superb pitcher, he played (1955–66) with the Dodgers, remaining on the team when the franchise was moved from Brooklyn, N.Y., to Los Angeles. Three times he received the Cy Young Award for his outstanding pitching (1963, 1965, 1966), and he pitched in four World Series (1959, 1963, 1965–66). A left-hander with overwhelming speed and a brilliant curve, Koufax struck out 2,396 batters between 1955 and 1966, when he was forced into premature retirement by an arm ailment at the peak of his career (he won 26 and 27 games his last two seasons). In 1972 he became the youngest player ever elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Bibliography

See his autobiography (1966); biographies by E. Gruver (2000) and J. Leavy (2002).

 
Wikipedia: Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Pitcher
Born: December 30 1935 (1935--) (age 71)
Batted: Right Threw: Left
MLB debut
June 24, 1955
for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Final game
October 2, 1966
for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Career statistics
Win-Loss     165-87
ERA     2.76
Strikeouts     2396
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Member of the National
Empty_Star.svg Baseball Hall of Fame Empty_Star.svg
Elected     1972
Vote     86.87% (first ballot)

Sanford Koufax (IPA pronunciation: /'kofæks/) (born Sanford Braun, on December 30, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American left-handed former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, from 1955 to 1966.

Koufax's career peaked with a run of six outstanding seasons from 1961 to 1966, before arthritis ended his career at age 30. He was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1963, and won the 1963, 1965, and 1966 Cy Young Awards by unanimous votes; in all three seasons, he won the pitcher's triple crown by leading the league (indeed, both major leagues) in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average.[1][2] A notoriously difficult pitcher for batters to face, he was the first major leaguer to pitch more than three no-hitters (including the first perfect game by a lefthander since 1880), to average fewer than seven hits allowed per nine innings pitched in his career (6.79; batters hit .205 against him), and to strike out more than nine batters (9.28) per 9 innings pitched in his career.[3] He also became the 2nd pitcher in baseball history to have two games with 18 or more strikeouts, and the first to have 8 games with 15 or more strikeouts.

Among NL pitchers with at least 2,000 innings pitched who have debuted since 1913, he has the highest career winning percentage (.655) and had the lowest career ERA (2.76) until surpassed by Tom Seaver, whose NL career mark is 2.73.[4] His 2,396 career strikeouts ranked 7th in major league history upon his retirement, and trailed only Warren Spahn's total of 2,583 among left-handers. Retiring at the peak of his career, he became, at age 36 and 20 days, the youngest player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.[5]

Koufax is also notable as one of the few outstanding Jewish athletes of his era in American professional sports. His decision not to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because game day fell on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, garnered national attention as an example of conflict between societal pressures and personal beliefs.[6]

Early life

Koufax was raised in Borough Park, Brooklyn.[7] His parents, Evelyn and Jack Braun, divorced when he was three years old; his mother remarried when he was nine, and Koufax took the surname of her new husband, Irving.[8] Shortly after his mother's remarriage, the family moved to the Long Island suburb of Rockville Centre. When he graduated from ninth grade, they moved back to the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn.[9]

Koufax attended Brooklyn's Lafayette High School, where he was better known for basketball than for baseball. When he started high school, school sports were not available because the New York teachers were refusing to supervise extracurricular activities without monetary compensation. As an alternative to school sports, Koufax started playing basketball for a local Jewish Community Center team. After the labor action was settled, he played for the high school basketball team. During his senior year, he became team captain and ranked second in his division in scoring, with 165 points in 10 games.[7][10]

While attending high school, Koufax also played baseball. In 1951, at the age of 15, Koufax began playing in a local youth baseball league known as the "Ice Cream League". He started out as a left-handed catcher, and the next year moved to first base; he also played first base for the Lafayette High School team. While playing for Lafayette, he was spotted throwing the ball around the infield by Milt Laurie, the father of two of Koufax's teammates and coach of the Coney Island Sports League's Parkviews. Laurie recognized that Koufax might be able to pitch, so he recruited the 17-year old Koufax to pitch for the Parkviews.[11]

Koufax graduated from high school and attended the University of Cincinnati on a basketball scholarship.[8] In spring 1954, he made the college baseball varsity team.[12] That season, Koufax went 3–1 with 51 strikeouts and 30 walks, in 31 innings.[13] Bill Zinser, a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, sent the Dodgers front office a glowing report that apparently was filed and forgotten.[14]

After trying out with the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds,[15] Koufax went to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field.[16] During the tryout with the Pirates, Koufax's pitching broke the thumb of his catcher, Sam Narron, the team's bullpen coach. Branch Rickey, then general manager of the Pirates, told his scout Clyde Sukeforth that Koufax had the "greatest arm [he had] ever seen".[17] The Pirates, however, failed to offer Koufax a contract until after he was committed to signing with the Dodgers.[18]

Dodgers scout Al Campanis learned about Koufax from a local sporting goods store owner. After seeing Koufax pitch at Lafayette High School, Campanis invited him to a try out at Ebbets Field. Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watched as Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing. Campanis later said, "There are two times in my life the hair on my arms has stood up: The first time I saw the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the first time I saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball."[19] The Dodgers signed Koufax on a $6,000 salary with a $14,000 signing bonus. Koufax planned to use the signing bonus as tuition to finish his university education in case his baseball career failed.[20]

Professional career

Early years (1956–60)

Because Koufax's signing bonus was greater than $4,000, he was known as a bonus baby. That forced the Dodgers to keep him in the major leagues for at least two years before he could be sent to the minors. To make room for him on the roster, the Dodgers optioned their future manager, Tommy Lasorda, to the Montreal Royals of the International League. Lasorda would later joke that it took Sandy Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching staff.[21]

Koufax made his major league debut on June 24, 1955, in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Braves with the Dodgers trailing 7–1. Johnny Logan, the first batter Koufax faced, got a bloop single. He was followed by future Hall of Famers Eddie Mathews and Hank Aaron. Mathews bunted, and Koufax calmly fielded the ball and threw it into center field, trying to get Logan on the force. Aaron then walked on four pitches to load the bases. Bobby Thomson was the next batter, and after working the count full, he struck out swinging. Thomson had just become Koufax's first strikeout victim.[22]

Koufax's first game as starting pitcher was on July 6. He lasted only 4 2/3 innings, giving up eight walks.[23] He did not start again for almost two months, but he made the most of it when it did happen. On August 27, playing at Ebbets Field against the Cincinnati Reds, Koufax threw a two hit, 7–0 complete game shutout for his first major league win.[24] Koufax made only twelve appearances in 1955, pitching 41.7 innings and walking almost as many men (28) as he struck out (30). His only other win in 1955 was also a shutout.[25]

During the fall, he enrolled in the Columbia University School of General Studies, which offered night classes in architecture. The Dodgers won the 1955 World Series for the first title in franchise history—but without any help from Koufax, who sat on the bench for the entire series. After the final out of the Series, Koufax drove to Columbia to attend class.[26]

1956 wasn't very different from 1955 for Koufax. Despite the blazing speed of his fastball, Koufax continued to struggle with control problems. He saw little work, pitching only 58.2 innings, walking 29 and striking out 30; he had a 4.91 ERA. Rarely was he allowed to work out of a jam. As soon as he threw a couple of balls in a row, Alston would have somebody start warming up in the bullpen. Jackie Robinson, in his final season, clashed with Alston on several different subjects, including Koufax. Robinson saw that Koufax was talented and had flashes of brilliance, and objected to Koufax being benched for weeks at a time.[27]

To prepare for the 1957 season, the Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball. On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. Alston gave him a chance to justify his place on the major league roster by giving him the next day's start. Facing the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, Koufax struck out 13 and earned a complete game win. It was his first complete game in almost two years. For the next two weeks, and for the first time in his career, he was in the starting rotation. Despite winning three of his next five, leading the league in strikeouts and having a 2.90 ERA, Koufax didn't get another start for 45 days. In his next start, on July 19, he struck out eleven in seven innings, but got a no decision. On September 29, Koufax became the last man ever to pitch for the Brooklyn Dodgers before their move to Los Angeles, by throwing an inning of relief in the final game of the season.[28]

Over the next three seasons, Koufax was in and out of the Dodger starting rotation due to injuries. He started the 1958 season strong by going 7–3 through July, but ended up spraining his ankle in a collision at first base. He finished the season with an 11–11 record, leading the league in wild pitches. In June 1959, Koufax struck out 16 Philadelphia Phillies to set the record for a night game. On August 31, 1959, he broke that record and tied Bob Feller's major league record for strikeouts in one game with 18 strikeouts, (and broke the modern NL record of 17, by Dizzy Dean in 1933), pitching in Los Angeles against the Giants.[29]

In 1959 the Dodgers won a close pennant race against the Milwaukee Braves and the San Francisco Giants and went on to face the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. The opening game of the series was in Chicago, and Koufax pitched two perfect innings in relief, though they came after the Dodgers were already behind 11–0. Alston gave him the start in the fifth game, played at the Los Angeles Coliseum in front of 92,706 fans. He allowed only one run in seven innings, but was charged with the loss in the 1–0 game when Nellie Fox scored on a double play. However, the Dodgers came back to win the Series in Game 6 in Chicago.[30]

In early 1960 Koufax asked Dodgers GM Buzzie Bavasi to trade him because he wasn't getting enough playing time. By the end of 1960, after going 8–13, Koufax was thinking about quitting baseball to devote himself to an electronics business that he'd invested in. After the last game of the season, he threw his gloves and spikes into the trash. Nobe Kawano, the clubhouse supervisor, retrieved the equipment to return to Koufax the following year (or to somebody else if Koufax did not return to play).[31]

Domination (1961–64)

1961 season

Koufax decided to try one more year of baseball and showed up for the 1961 season in better condition than he had in previous years. Years later he recalled, "That winter was when I really started working out. I started running more. I decided I was really going to find out how good I can be."[32] One evening during spring training, Dodger scout Kenny Myers was talking with Koufax and catcher Norm Sherry and asked Koufax to demonstrate his windup. He discovered a hitch in Koufax's windup: he'd rear back far enough that, in his release, his vision was obstructed and he couldn't see the target.[33]

The next day, Koufax was pitching for the "B team" in Orlando. His teammate, Ed Palmquist, missed the flight, so Koufax was told he would need to pitch at least seven innings. In the first inning, Koufax walked the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches. Sherry told him, as he'd been told before, to take something off the ball to get better control. Koufax finally listened and struck out the side. By the time he came out of the game after seven innings, Koufax had struck out eight batters, walked five and given up no hits.[34]

Koufax finally broke into the starting rotation permanently. On September 27, Koufax broke the National League record for strikeouts in a season, surpassing Christy Mathewson's 58-year-old mark of 267, set in 1903. Koufax finished the year 18–13, with 269 strikeouts and 96 walks.[35] During the two 1961 All-Star games, Koufax pitched two innings without giving up a run.[36]

1962 season

In 1962, the Dodgers moved to their new ballpark, Dodger Stadium. In contrast to the Los Angeles Coliseum, where Koufax had difficulty pitching due to the 250' left field line, Dodger Stadium was a pitcher-friendly park with large foul territory and a poor hitting background. Pitching in this park, Koufax lowered his home ERA from 4.29 to 1.75.[37] On June 30 against the New York Mets, Koufax threw his first no-hitter; he would finish his career with a then-record four no-hitters. In the first inning of the 5-0 win over the Mets, Koufax struck out three batters on nine pitches to become the sixth National League pitcher and the 11th pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the nine-pitch/three-strikeout half-inning. With the no-hitter and a 1.23 ERA for June, he was named Player of the Month.[38][39]

That same season, Koufax's pitching hand was injured. In a batting appearance in April, Koufax had been jammed by a pitch from Earl Francis. Soon a numbness developed in Koufax's index finger on his left hand, and the finger became cold and white. Koufax was pitching better than ever before, however, so he ignored the problem hoping that it would clear up. By July his entire hand was becoming numb and he had to leave some games early. In a start in Cincinnati, his finger split open after one inning. A vascular specialist determined that Koufax had a crushed artery in his palm. Ten days of experimental medicine successfully reopened the artery. Koufax finally was able to pitch again in September, when the team was locked in a tight pennant race with the Giants. Trying to get back into shape after the long layoff, Koufax was ineffective in three appearances as the Giants caught the Dodgers at the end of the regular season, forcing a three-game playoff.[40]

The night before the National League playoffs began, Manager Walter Alston asked Koufax if he could start the first game the next day. With an overworked pitching staff, there was no one else, as Don Drysdale and Johnny Podres had pitched the prior two days. Koufax obliged. Koufax later said, "I had nothing at all." He was knocked out in the second inning, after giving up home runs to Hall of Famer Willie Mays and Jim Davenport. After winning the second game of the series, the Dodgers blew a 4–2 lead in the ninth inning of the deciding third game, losing the pennant.[41]

1963 season

Koufax came roaring back in 1963. On May 11, he carried a perfect game into the eighth inning against the powerful Giants lineup, including future Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and Orlando Cepeda. Koufax walked Ed Bailey on a 3-and-2 pitch, but preserved the no-hitter, his second in as many years, by closing out the ninth.[42] Koufax finished the year by winning the pitchers' Triple Crown, leading the league in wins (25), strikeouts (306) and ERA (1.88) while also throwing 11 shutouts (only Bob Gibson has pitched more shutouts in a season since then) and leading the Dodgers to the pennant. He won the NL MVP Award, the Cy Young Award (the first unanimous choice), and the Hickok Belt.[43][44]

The Dodgers faced the New York Yankees in the 1963 World Series, where Koufax beat Whitey Ford 5 to 2 in Game 1 and struck out 15 batters, breaking Carl Erskine's record of 14 in the 1953 World Series (Bob Gibson would break Koufax's record by striking out 17 Detroit Tigers in Game One of the 1968 World Series). Yogi Berra, after seeing Koufax's Game 1 performance, was quoted as saying, "I can see how he won 25 games. What I don't understand is how he lost five."[45] In Game 4, he completed the Dodgers' series sweep of the Yankees with a 2 to 1 victory over Ford, earning the World Series MVP Award for his performance.[46]

1964 season

The 1964 season started with great expectations. On April 18, Koufax struck out three batters on nine pitches in the third inning of a 3-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the first (and currently only) pitcher to accomplish the nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning twice in the National League.[39] On April 22, however, against the St. Louis Cardinals, during the first inning of Koufax's third start, he felt something "let go" in his arm. Koufax ended up getting three cortisone shots for his sore elbow, and he missed three starts. On June 4, playing at Connie Mack Stadium against the Philadelphia Phillies, in the bottom of the fourth inning, Koufax walked Richie Allen on a very close full-count pitch. Allen, who was thrown out trying to steal second, was the first and last Phillie to reach base. With his third no-hitter in three years, Koufax became only the second pitcher of the modern era (after Bob Feller) to pitch three no-hitters.[47]

On August 8, Koufax jammed his pitching arm while diving back to second base to beat a pick-off throw. He managed to pitch and win two more games. However, the morning after his 19th win, a shutout in which he struck out 13, he couldn't straighten his arm. He was diagnosed by Dodgers' team physician Robert Kerlan with traumatic arthritis. Koufax finished the year with an impressive 19–5 record.[48]

Playing in pain (1965–66)

1965 season

The 1965 season started off badly for Koufax. On March 31, the morning after pitching a full game during spring training, Koufax awoke to find that his entire left arm was black and blue from hemorrhaging. Koufax returned to Los Angeles to consult with Kerlan, who advised Koufax that he'd be lucky to be able to pitch once a week. Kerlan also told Koufax that he would eventually lose full use of his arm. Koufax agreed not to throw at all between games—a resolution that lasted only one start. To get himself through the games he pitched in, Koufax resorted to Empirin with codeine for the pain (which he took every night and sometimes during the fifth inning) and Butazolidin for inflammation. He also applied capsaicin-based Capsolin ointment (called "atomic balm" by baseball players) before each game, and then soaked his arm in a tub of ice.[49]

Despite the constant pain in his pitching elbow, Koufax pitched 335⅔ innings and led the Dodgers to another pennant. He finished the year by winning his second pitchers' Triple Crown, leading the league in wins (26), ERA (2.04) and strikeouts (382; the 2nd highest modern day total, one behind Nolan Ryan's 1973 total). His strikeout total set a modern (post-1900) record that lasted until 1973, when Nolan Ryan struck out 383 batters. He held batters to 5.79 hits per 9 innings, and allowed the fewest base runners per 9 innings in any season ever: 7.83, breaking his own record (set two years earlier) of 7.96. Koufax had 11-game winning streaks in both 1964 and 1965. Koufax captured his second Cy Young Award (again unanimously).[50][1]

Koufax and the Dodgers faced the Minnesota Twins in the World Series. Koufax declined to pitch Game 1 due to his observance of Yom Kippur; with Drysdale pitching, his team was hit hard. In Game 2, Koufax pitched six innings, giving up 2 runs, but the Twins won the game 5–1 and took an early 2–0 lead in the series. The Dodgers fought back; Claude Osteen, Don Drysdale, and Koufax claimed vital wins to take a 3-2 lead back to Minnesota. In Game 5, Koufax pitched a complete game shutout, winning 7–0; however, the Twins won Game 6 to force a seventh game. Starting Game 7 on only two days of rest, Koufax pitched through tiredness and arthritic pain, throwing a three-hit shutout to clinch the Series. The performance was enough to win him his second World Series MVP award. Also, in 1965 he won the Hickok Belt a second time, the first (and only) time anyone had won the belt more than once. He was awarded Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year award.[51][44][1]

Perfection

For more details on this topic, see Sandy Koufax's perfect game.

On September 9, 1965, Koufax became the sixth pitcher of the modern era to throw a perfect game. The game was Koufax's fourth no-hitter, setting a Major League record (subsequently broken by Nolan Ryan). Koufax struck out 14 batters, the most recorded in a perfect game. The game also featured a quality performance by the opposing pitcher, Bob Hendley of the Cubs. Hendley pitched a one-hitter and allowed only two batters to reach base. Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. In one of baseball's great statistical and score-keeping anomalies, this has been the only nine-inning major league game where both teams combined for one hit. The game's only run, scored by the Dodgers, was unearned.[52][53] The Dodger run was scored without a recorded at bat—Lou Johnson walked, reached second on a sacrifice fly, stole third, and scored when the throw to get him out at third went wild.

Holdout

Before the 1966 season began, Koufax and Drysdale met separately with Dodger GM Buzzie Bavasi to negotiate their contracts for the upcoming year. After Koufax's meeting, he met Drysdale for dinner and complained that Bavasi was using Drysdale against him in the negotiations, asking, "How come you want that much when Drysdale only wants this much?"[54] Drysdale responded that Bavasi did the same thing with him, using Koufax against him. Drysdale's first wife, Ginger Drysdale, suggested that they negotiate together to get what they wanted. They demanded $1 million dollars, divided equally over the next three years, or $167,000 each for the next three seasons. Both players were represented by an entertainment lawyer, J. William Hayes, which was unusual during an era when players were not represented by agents.[55]

Koufax and Drysdale didn't report to spring training in February. Instead, they both signed to appear in the movie Warning Shot, starring David Janssen. Drysdale was going to play a TV commentator and Koufax was going to play a detective. Meanwhile, the Dodgers waged a public relations battle against them. After four weeks, Koufax gave Drysdale the go-ahead to negotiate new deals for the both of them. Koufax ended up getting $125,000 and Drysdale $110,000. They rejoined the team in the last week of spring training.[56]

1966 season

In April 1966, Kerlan told Koufax it was time to retire, that his arm could not take another season. Koufax kept Kerlan's advice to himself and went out every fourth day to pitch. He ended up pitching 323 innings and had a 27–9 record with a 1.73 ERA. Since then, no lefthander has had more wins, nor a lower ERA, in a season. In the final game of the regular season, the Dodgers had to beat the Phillies to win the pennant. In the second game of a doubleheader, Koufax faced Jim Bunning in the first ever match-up between perfect game winners. Koufax, on two days rest, pitched a complete game, 6–3 victory to clinch the pennant.[57] While he started 41 games (for the second year in a row), only two lefthanders started as many games in any season over the ensuing years through 2006.

The Dodgers went on to face the Baltimore Orioles in the 1966 World Series. Game 2 marked Koufax's third start in eight days. Koufax pitched well enough—Baltimore first baseman Boog Powell told Koufax's biographer, Jane Leavy, "He might have been hurtin' but he was bringin'"—but three errors by Dodger center fielder Willie Davis in the fifth inning produced three unearned runs. Baltimore's Jim Palmer pitched a four-hitter and the Dodgers ended up losing the game 6–0. Alston lifted Koufax at the end of the sixth inning with the idea of getting him extra rest before pitching a potential fifth Series game. It never happened; the Dodgers were swept in four, not scoring a single run in the last three. After the World Series, Koufax announced his retirement due to his arthritic condition.[58]

In a twelve-season career, Koufax had a 165–87 record with a 2.76 ERA, 2,396 strikeouts, 137 complete games, and 40 shutouts. Koufax and Juan Marichal are the only 2 major league pitchers in the post-war era (1946-date) to have more than one season of 25 or more wins; both pitchers had 3 such seasons during their careers. In his last ten seasons, from 1957 to 1966, batters hit .203 against Koufax, with a .271 on base percentage and a .315 slugging average. They batted .189 in games that were late and close, and .186 in tie games.[59] His World Series record is just as impressive: a 4-3 won-lost record but a 0.95 earned run average in four World Series. He is on the very short list of pitchers who retired with more career strikeouts than innings pitched. Koufax was selected for seven All-Star games (twice in 1961 when there were two games played, and once in each year from 1962 to 1966, with the All-Star Game having returned to one game per year in 1963). Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, as well as the first pitcher to win a Cy Young Award by a unanimous vote; in fact, all three Cy Young Awards he won were by unanimous vote. More impressive yet, through Koufax's career there was only one such award given out annually. In 1967, the year after Koufax retired, Cy Young Awards began to be given to pitchers in both the National and American Leagues.[1][60]

Mechanics

Whereas many left-handed pitchers throw with a three-quarter or sidearm motion, Koufax threw with a pronounced over-the-top arm action. This may have increased his velocity, but reduced the lateral movement on his pitches, especially movement away from left-handed hitters. Most of his velocity came from his deceptively strong legs and back, combined with a high kicking wind-up and long forward stretch toward the plate. Throughout Koufax's career, he relied on two pitches: his four-seam fastball had a "rising" motion due to underspin and appeared to move very late; the overhand curveball, spun with the middle finger, dropped vertically ("12-to-6") due to his arm action. He also occasionally threw a changeup and a forkball.[61]

At the beginning of his career, Koufax worked with coaches to eliminate his tendency to "tip" pitches (i.e. reveal which pitch was coming due to variations in his wind-up). Late in his career, and especially as his arm problems continued, this variation—usually in the position he held his hands at the top of the wind-up—was even more pronounced. Good hitters could often predict what pitch was coming, but were still unable to hit it. Willie Mays said, "I knew every pitch he was going to throw and still I couldn't hit him."[62]

Post-playing career

Sandy Koufax's number 32 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1972
Enlarge
Sandy Koufax's number 32 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1972

In 1967, he signed a ten-year contract with NBC for $1 million to be a broadcaster on the Saturday Game of the Week. Never feeling comfortable in front of the camera, he quit after six years, just prior to the start of the 1973 season.[63][64]

Koufax married Anne Widmark, daughter of movie star Richard Widmark, in 1969; the couple was divorced in the 1980s. He then remarried and divorced again in the 1990s.[64]

In his first year of eligibility in 1972, Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, just weeks after his 36th birthday. His election made him the Hall's youngest member ever, five months younger than Lou Gehrig upon his induction in 1939.[5] On June 4 of that same year, Koufax's uniform number 32 was retired alongside those of Dodger greats Roy Campanella (39) and Jackie Robinson (42).[65]

The Dodgers hired Koufax to be a minor league pitching coach in 1979. He resigned in 1990, saying he wasn't earning his keep, but most observers blamed it on his uneasy relationship with manager Tommy Lasorda.[66] In 2003, Koufax discontinued his relationship with the Dodgers when the New York Post (which, like the Dodgers, had become part of Rupert Murdoch's business empire) published a story reporting rumors about his sexual orientation, and implying that Koufax was gay. Koufax returned to the Dodger organization in 2004 when the Dodgers were sold to Frank McCourt.[52][67]

In 1999, The Sporting News placed Koufax at number 26 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Baseball Players."[68] That same year, he was named as one of the 30 players on the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Although he rarely makes public appearances, he went to Turner Field in Atlanta for the introduction ceremony before Game 2 of the World Series.[69]

In an article in 1976 in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter," consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Koufax was the left-handed pitcher on Stein's Jewish team.

41 years after he retired from baseball, Koufax was the final player chosen in the inaugural Israel Baseball League draft in April 2007. Koufax, 71, was picked by the Modi'in Miracle. "His selection is a tribute to the esteem with which he is held by everyone associated with this league," said Art Shamsky, who will manage the Miracle. "It's been 41 years between starts for him. If he's rested and ready to take the mound again, we want him on our team." He'll be working on 14,875 days rest, as has been pointed out.[1] [2]

On May 14, 2007, Upper Deck Authenticated signed Koufax to an exclusive autograph and memorabilia agreement.[70]

Career statistics

Pitching statistics

W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO
165 87 2.76 397 314 137 40 9 2324 ⅓ 1754 713 204 817 2396

Source: Sandy Koufax Statistics. www.baseball-reference.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-01.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Sandy Koufax Statistics. www.baseball-reference.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-14.
  2. ^ 1963 Major League Leaders. Retrieved on 2007-02-17. 1965 Major League Leaders. Retrieved on 2007-02-17. 1966 Major League Leaders. Retrieved on 2007-02-17.
  3. ^ No Hitter Records. Retrieved on 2007-02-17. Progressive Leaders for Hits Allowed/9IP. Retrieved on 2007-02-17. Progressive Leaders for Strikeouts/9IP. Retrieved on 2007-02-17..
  4. ^ While Seaver ended his career with an overall career ERA of 2.86, this included three seasons in the American League. Seaver passed Koufax's record in 1974 when he ended the season with more than 2,000 NL innings and an ERA of 2.47.
  5. ^ a b Retired Numbers - Kirby Puckett. minnesota.twins.mlb.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-10.
  6. ^ Solomvits, Sandor. Yom Kippur and Sandy Koufax. JewishSports.com. Retrieved on 2006-11-15.
  7. ^ a b Brody, Seymour. Koufax Biography. jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved on 2006-11-15.
  8. ^ a b Koufax Biography. www.hickoksports.com. Retrieved on 2006-11-15.
  9. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 19–22.
  10. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 22–28; Leavy, pp. 37–40.
  11. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 32–39.
  12. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 43–44.
  13. ^ Koufax and Linn, p. 46.
  14. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 44–45.
  15. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 46–48.
  16. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 56–57.
  17. ^ Leavy p. 54
  18. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 70–74.
  19. ^ Leavy p. 55
  20. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 65–66.
  21. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 42, 75–94.
  22. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 95–97.
  23. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 98–99.
  24. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 99–100, 295.
  25. ^ Koufax and Linn, p. 295.
  26. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 3, 105–107.
  27. ^ Leavy, p. 86.
  28. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 117–124; Leavy, pp. 87–90.
  29. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 125–138; Leavy, pp. 90–92; Box score and play by play. Retrieved on 2007-02-17.
  30. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 139–141; Box score and play by play. Retrieved on 2007-02-17.
  31. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 142–147; Leavy, pp. 93–95.
  32. ^ Leavy, p. 101.
  33. ^ Leavy, p. 102.
  34. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 153–155; Leavy, pp. 102–103.
  35. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 157–159; Leavy, pp. 115–116.
  36. ^ First game box score and play by play. Retrieved on 2007-02-17. Second game box score and play by play. Retrieved on 2007-02-17.
  37. ^ James, p. 233; Koufax and Linn, pp. 127–128; Leavy, p. 116.
  38. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 167–169; Leavy, p. 119; Player of the Month Award. Retrieved on 2007-02-17.
  39. ^ a b 9-Pitches, 9-Strikes, Side Retired. Retrieved on 2007-02-17.
  40. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 165–176; Leavy, pp. 120–121.
  41. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 176–177; Neyer, pp. 111–118.
  42. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 181–183; Leavy, pp. 122–123.
  43. ^ 1963 National League Statistics and Awards. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  44. ^ a b The Hickok Belt. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  45. ^ Sandy Koufax Biography. ESPN SportsCentury. Retrieved on May 24, 2005.
  46. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 184–216; Leavy, pp. 132–143; World Series MVP Award. Retrieved on 2007-02-18. 1963 World Series box scores and play by play. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  47. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 219–221; Leavy, pp. 151–153.
  48. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 222–228; Leavy, pp. 155–157.
  49. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 228–239; Leavy, pp. 157–160.
  50. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 234–240; Leavy, p. 160; Single-Season Leaders for Strikeouts. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  51. ^ Koufax and Linn, pp. 256–268; Leavy, pp. 169–195; 1965 World Series box scores and play by play. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  52. ^ a b Sandy Koufax. www.baseballlibrary.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-15.
  53. ^ Attiyeh, Mike. The five best pitching duels ever. Retrieved on 2007-02-18. Box score and play by play. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  54. ^ Leavy, p. 205
  55. ^ Leavy, pp. 200–207.
  56. ^ Leavy, pp. 207–210.
  57. ^ Leavy, pp. 222–236.
  58. ^ Leavy, pp. 236–239; Box score and play by play. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  59. ^ The play-by-play data from which these averages were calculated are available starting in 1957. See Sandy Koufax Career Pitching Splits. Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-14.
  60. ^ MVP and Cy Young Awards. www.baseball-reference.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-14.
  61. ^ Neyer and James, pp. 270–271; Leavy, pp. 6–15.
  62. ^ Koufax and Linn, p. 153; Leavy, p. 24.
  63. ^ Leavy, p. 251.
  64. ^ a b Schwartz, Larry. ESPN Classic - Koufax dominating in '65 Series. espn.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  65. ^ Dodgers Retired Numbers. mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-15.
  66. ^ Leavy, pp. 255–258.
  67. ^ Koufax returns to Dodgertown. Addict Baseball and Football Forum. Retrieved on 2007-02-15.
  68. ^ TSN Presents - Baseball's 100 Greatest Players. sportingnews.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-15.
  69. ^ The All-Century Team. mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-15. Koufax makes appearance at World Series. CNN/SI. Retrieved on 2007-02-15.
  70. ^ Upper Deck News & Events. upperdeck.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-20.