One of the rarest Koufax cards can be found in a set made by Topps for the Venezuelan market in 1967. With Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing. Its one of the greatest honors of my life.. The performance earned him his second World Series MVP award, making him the first player to win the award twice. World Series Championship. [49] Selected as an All-Star for the first time, he appeared in both All-Star Games that year (two All-Star games were held for the years from 1959 to 1962). Sandy Koufax, Ed Linn. The Koufax years of 1963 to 1966 are the finest four-year stretch of pitching that major league baseball has ever seen - or likely will see. Keep in mind: shipping carrier delays or placing an order on a weekend or holiday . [16][17] Bill Zinser, a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, sent the Dodgers front office a glowing report that apparently was filed and forgotten. This Date in Baseball: Sandy Koufax Throws Perfect Game AP 0:00 0:44 Sept. 9 1914 George Davis of the Boston Braves pitched a 7-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second. and to strike out more than nine batters (9 .28) per nine innings . Obama continued: "He can't pitch on Yom Kippur. Alston gave him the start in Game 5, at the Los Angeles Coliseum in front of 92,706 fans. Koufax's lifetime ERA in the Fall Classic was 0.95. 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. Sandy, one day, I hope I can impact someone the way you have championed me. On August 31 against the Giants, he set the NL single-game record and tied Bob Feller's modern major league record of 18,[42] also scoring on Wally Moon's walk-off home run for a 5-2 win. That year, 1965, Koufax and Drysdale carried the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series almost by themselves. [46], A day later, Koufax was pitching for the "B team" in Orlando. With an overworked pitching staff there was no one else, as Drysdale and Johnny Podres had pitched the prior two days. 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. From 1962 to 1966, the Dodgers star had been an astonishing force in the sport, offering a five-year run . Because the standard was set of excellence that I tried to live up to. Here is the end of Vin Scullys call that night, one legend talking about another: On the scoreboard in right field, it is 9:46 p.m. in the City of the Angels, Los Angeles, California. "[68] In Game 4, Koufax completed the Dodgers' series sweep with a 21 victory over Ford, clinching the Series MVP Award for his performance. Koufax wed his second wife, Kimberly Francis, in 1985. [36] 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.[37][38][39][40][41]. And what a time it was: a record of 97-27 across his final four seasons, when he was at his best. [120] He was also named that year as one of the 30 players on the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. 42 and Roy Campanellas No. 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. . Autobiography of the great Dodgers pitcher, assisted by a noted sportswriter. Awards. In the second game of a doubleheader, Koufax faced Jim Bunning for the second time that season,[90] in a match-up between perfect game winners. Manager Dave Roberts, third-base coach Dino Ebel, owner Mark Walter and countless others were present for Koufaxs moment. [81] Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. Front & back yards are professionally landscaped. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. 10929 Sandy Koufax Dr is a house located in El Paso County and the 79934 ZIP Code. [56], The night before the playoffs began, manager Alston asked Koufax if he could start the next day. One of the most dominating pitchers in the game's history, Koufax was the first Koufax, though, dominated pretty much everybody else in his time. He walked Ed Bailey on a 3-and-2 pitch in the eighth, and pinch-hitter McCovey on four pitches in the ninth, before closing out the game. Another integral part of the audience was Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw. $1,895.00. After joining the major leagues at age 19, having never pitched a game in the minor leagues, the first half of his career was unremarkable, posting a record of just 3640 with a 4.10 earned run average (ERA); he was a member of World Series champions in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles, though he did not appear in any of the team's Series wins. Despite winning three of his next five with a 2.90 ERA, Koufax did not get another start for 45 days. Drysdale's wife Ginger suggested that they negotiate together to get what they wanted. 1963 Topps #210 HOF SANDY KOUFAX Los Angeles Dodgers KSA 5 EX graded $299.99 Free shipping or Best Offer 1959 Topps Sandy Koufax #163 PSA 5 ++ Centered, looks NM, Pack $295.00 18 watching Sandy Koufax Don Drysdale 1962 Topps NL Strikeout Leaders PSA 5 EX $29.00 $5.60 shipping or Best Offer 1963 Fleer #42 Sandy Koufax PSA 5 01287001 $71.00 14 bids [65][66] It was not only the first of three times he would be a unanimous selection, it was the only Cy Young Award given out for both leagues during his career; separate awards for each league were presented starting in 1967. He was the youngest player ever elected, five months younger than Lou Gehrig upon his special election in December 1939 (which waived what was then a one-year waiting period before enshrinement). [32] During the fall, he enrolled in the Columbia University School of General Studies, which offered night classes in architecture. [106] It not only appeared to move very late but also might move on multiple planes. Sabermetrician Rob Neyer called it the best curve of all time. 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. [11] Koufax attended Brooklyn's Lafayette High School, where he was better known for basketball than for baseball. 1953-12-14 Brooklyn Dodgers sign pitcher Sandy Koufax; 1955-06-08 L.A. Dodgers option pitcher (and future Baseball Hall of Fame manager) Tommy Lasorda to make room on roster for future Hall of Famer, pitcher Sandy Koufax; 1955-08-27 Sandy Koufax fans 14 Reds, both teams combine for record 23 strikeouts; 1959-06-22 Most Phillies strike out in a game (16 by Sandy Koufax) [91] 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.[92]. Why didnt his obituaries say so? [76][77] The game was Koufax's fourth no-hitter,[77] setting a major league record (subsequently broken by Ryan in 1981),[78] and the first by a left-hander since 1880. In baseball history, he has been named as greatest pitchers. [25] Koufax planned to use the money as tuition to finish his university education, if his baseball career failed. He quit after six years, just prior to the start of the 1973 season. The Dodgers won the pennant, and Koufax won the first of three pitchers' Triple Crowns, leading the league in wins (25), strikeouts (306) and ERA (1.88). Like |. In that start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision. Sandy Koufax made 40 starts in 1963, only one short of his career-high. [86][87] 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. And I got him sometimes. In truth, Aaron did a little better than that. After the last game of the season, he threw his gloves and spikes into the trash. history to have two games with 18 or more strikeouts, and the first to have eight games with 15 or more Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. He has done it four straight years, and now he caps it. 2. In the postseason, Koufax also shined, winning two World Series MVP Awards. On April 22 he lasted only one inning. We lost them for him. He won three Cy Young Awards, one MVP and three World Series titles with the Dodgers. He started playing basketball for the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst local community center team. A recording of the final inning made its way around the internet, as baseball fans celebrated the soft-voiced broadcasting icon for his poetic knack for bringing fans into the game. With his third no-hitter in three years Koufax tied Feller as the only modern-era pitchers to hurl three no-hitters.[72]. [69][70], Koufax's 1964 season started with great expectations. [60], On May 11 Koufax no-hit the Giants 80, besting Marichalhimself a no-hit pitcher on June 15. Below is the final inning of Koufaxs lone career perfect game, delivered by Vin Scully. He pitched well enoughBaltimore 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. Jim Alexander, Los Angeles Daily News 6/19/2022. 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 second time, I saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball. Alston gave him a chance to justify his place on the major league roster by giving him the next day's start. [83], In Game 2 Koufax pitched six innings, giving up two runs, and the Twins won 51 to take an early 20 lead in the series. OLDENBURG - Some of the people in this story, the strangest Sandy Koufax story ever told, are dead . Posted by Ryan Gaeta. He was named the World Series MVP in both 1963 and 1965, earning two wins in each Series and striking out 52 batters to lead the team to another pair of titles. [125], Koufax was included among a group of prominent Jewish Americans honored at a May 27, 2010, White House reception for Jewish American Heritage Month. The date, September the ninth, 1965, and Koufax working on veteran Harvey Kuenn.), reminding fans that they were witnessing history. strikeouts . Koufax has served as a mentor for Kershaw. [27] Koufax made his major league debut on June 24, 1955, against the Milwaukee Braves, with the Dodgers trailing 71 in the fifth inning. The Dodgers went on to face the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series, and Game 2 marked Koufax's third start in eight days. [55], Koufax had a strong season despite an injured pitching hand. [18], After trying out with the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds,[19] Koufax did the same for the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field. [93] Alston lifted Koufax at the end of the sixth inning,[93][94] with the idea of getting him extra rest before a potential fifth game. Topps created three different sets to be distributed in Venezuela and, as Koufax had retired after the 1966 season, he was included in the 50-card set featuring former stars from the 20th century. Kershaw is not the greatest Dodgers pitcher of all time, Sandy Koufax is. Pietrusza, David; Silverman, Matthew & Gershman, Michael, ed. "[24] The Dodgers signed Koufax for a $6,000 ($61,000 today) salary, with a $14,000 ($141,000 today) signing bonus. "[109][110], 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. If he's rested and ready to take the mound again, we want him on our team." Theyre both left-handed pitchers and both dominated their eras unlike any other pitcher. Good hitters could often predict what pitch was coming, but were still unable to hit it. Koufax allowed only one run in seven innings, but lost the 10 game when Nellie Fox scored on a double play. pic.twitter.com/JgMKllrYBN. Because of what was described as a ruptured elbow at the time, he only made 28 starts in 1964. Koufax later said, "I had nothing at all." After the meeting, the pitchers met for dinner, with Koufax complaining that Bavasi was using his teammate against him in the negotiations, taunting, "How come you want that much when Drysdale only wants this much? Once alerted, he made an effort to better disguise his deliveries. On Nov. 18, 1966, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax announced his retirement from baseball despite being just 30 years old. And here is the transcript of that call. Special Advisor to Dodgers' Chairman Mark Walter . [126], Koufax has been described by Sports Illustrated writer John Rosengren as a secular Jew. And here is, Feds arrest Michigan man who plotted to kill Jewish elected officials in the state, American citizen killed in latest West Bank shooting amid escalating violence. Nicknamed The Left Arm of God, Sandy Koufax is a four-time World Series champion (1955, 1959, 1963, 1965) and in 1972 he became the youngest player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. And totally in command. Come view this home today as it is ready for immediate move in! But after making adjustments prior to the 1961 season, and benefitting from the team's move into expansive Dodger Stadium a year later, Koufax quickly rose to become the most dominant pitcher in the major leagues before arthritis in his left elbow ended his playing days prematurely at age 30. His decision garnered national headlines, raising the conflict between professional pressures and personal religious beliefs to front-page news. 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). But off the field, Koufax and Kershaw have developed an even bigger friendship. Sanford "Sandy" Koufax, one of the greatest pitchers in baseball, was referred to as the "man with the golden arm." He established one record after another as he went through an 11-year career as a pitcher with the Brooklyn Dodgers. "[126][127] 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." The best way to describe Woods in those years is to say that he was Koufax. In 12 Major Sandy Koufax's age is 87 years old as of today's date 11th February 2023 having been born on 30 December 1935. But 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. [61] From July 3 to July 16, he pitched 33 consecutive scoreless innings, pitching three shutouts to lower his ERA to 1.65. Throughout his career, Koufax relied heavily on two pitches. Countries of the World. Now, 57 years after the Hall of Fame pitcher sat out a World Series. throughout the year . He threw a ridiculous 311 innings, averaging nearly eight innings per start. It's on today's date in 1965 that Sandy Koufax capped an amazing World Series with a Game 7 pitching performance of such stylish fortitude that baseball fans who remember it are still in awe. Only St. Louis Cardinal Bob Gibson, with 13 in his iconic 1968 season,[63] "the year of the pitcher", has thrown more.[64]. (Jon SooHoo / Los Angeles Dodgers) "Our all-switch-hitting infield, Jim Lefebvre, Wes Parker, Jim Gilliam, Maury. [52] On April 24, he tied his own record with 18 strikeouts in a 10-2 road win over the Cubs. [115], Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, 1972, just weeks after his 36th birthday. Willie Mays said, "I knew every pitch he was going to throw fastball, breaking ball or whatever. . 4. Koufax was coming off the best season of his . I then took Koufax's stats for his 28.62 starts and multiplied everything with 0.9085 to arrive at Koufax's final projected stats. Scully was not Jewish. [23] After seeing Koufax pitch for Lafayette, Campanis invited him to an Ebbets Field tryout. In June, the Dodgers honored the 86-year-old Koufax with a statue outside Dodger Stadium. During welcome remarks in a reminiscence of Koufax's decision not to play on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, President Barack Obama said that the two had "something in common." Koufax pitched four no-hitters in his career, including a perfect game against the Cubs on Sept. 9, 1965. In the end, Aaron had 42 hits off Koufax, the most of anybody. 39 ratings4 reviews. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. Since his retirement, Koufax has maintained that standard. 3. 12/30/2022 at 12:00 AM 12/30/2022 at 12:00 AM 11 stats that show why Koufax is a legend. He returned in late September, but pitched ineffectively as the Dodgers lost to the San Francisco Giants in a three-game playoff for the pennant. 1965 Topps Sandy Koufax #300 (2.50) 1966 Topps Sandy Koufax #100 (3.00) Take a look at each of these cards in the PSA Set Registry. With the Series tied at 22, Koufax pitched a complete-game shutout in Game 5 for a 32 Dodgers lead as the Series returned to Metropolitan Stadium for Game 6, which the Twins won to force a seventh game. Paid $15 to get my first auto of his and ngl it put a big dent in my funds lol. [57], In 1963 Major League Baseball expanded the strike zone. When throwing a fastball with baserunners, his hand position in the stretch would be higher than when he threw a curveball. 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. [2][102] Koufax and Juan Marichal are the only two pitchers to have more than one 25-win season in the post-World War II era, with each man recording three.