If you're a baseball fan with a sense . Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy. [57], In 1963 Major League Baseball expanded the strike zone. Welcome sports fans and collectors toSandyKoufax.com, the first and only authorized and approved website by Sandy Koufax. [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. "When he (Koufax) first came up, he couldn't throw a ball inside the batting cage," said Hall of Fame teammate Duke Snider. [120] He was also named that year as one of the 30 players on the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. On May 11, 1963, Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers pitched his second career no-hitter. He also became the second pitcher in baseball was a member of Dodgers' world championship teams in 1955, '59, '63 and '65, earning MVP honors in 1963 and Despite giving up on his curveball early in the game after failing to throw strikes with it in the first two innings, and pitching the rest of the game relying almost entirely on fastballs, Koufax threw a three-hit shutout to clinch the Series. "[104], Koufax threw with a pronounced straight-over-the-top arm action. leader four times, setting a single-season mark with 382 in 1965, and had the most wins three times, with totals Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. About Sandy Koufax. When Sandy Koufax was awarded a basketball scholarship to the University of Cincinnati in 1953, his plans included a career in architecture. Despite his string of amazing performances, Koufax pitched in pain throughout the 1965-1966 campaigns due to arthritis in his left elbow. To get himself through the games he pitched, Koufax resorted to Empirin with codeine for the pain, which he took every night and sometimes during the fifth inning. He was awarded Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year award. [9][12] In 1951, at the age of 15, Koufax also joined a local youth baseball league known as the "Ice Cream League". HarperCollins. In the first inning, Koufax walked the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches. [128] Regardless, his decision to not pitch on Yom Kippur in 1965 was highly significant for Jewish-Americans. Koufax won the NL MVP Award and the Hickok Belt, and was the first-ever unanimous selection for the Cy Young Award. Koufax had to call it a career after the 1966 season as a result of worsening arthritis in his throwing arm. When Sandy Koufax was awarded a basketball scholarship to the University of Cincinnati in 1953, his plans included a career in architecture. [131], 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. [101], Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, an especially impressive feat because it was during the era when only one was given out for both major leagues. Nothing else matters, and nothing else will do." Sandy Koufax I can't picture people talking about me 50 years from now. When he did play college baseball the scouts came in droves. Koufax was a notable player for the Dodgers together with Don Drysdale, and the two of . Koufax's role includes attending a portion of Spring Training to work with Dodger pitchers and consulting with the team throughout the year . [23] After seeing Koufax pitch for Lafayette, Campanis invited him to an Ebbets Field tryout. [15] In his only season, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings. Koufax, at age 36 in 1972, became the youngest player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Teammate Ed Palmquist missed the flight, so Koufax was told he would need to pitch at least seven innings. As one of the few Jewish players in baseball, he encountered bigotry from opposing players and even within his own clubhouse. [59] 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. After joining the major leagues at age 19, having never pitched a game in the minor . Fans and collectors are buying in good faith items they believe are real. However, he emerged as a hard-throwing left-handed pitcher at the University of Cincinnati and left after one year to sign with the Brooklyn Dodgers. After seeing Koufax's Game 1 performance, Yankee Yogi Berra said, "I can see how he won 25 games. shutouts . The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Sandy Koufax retired at 30-years-old because of chronic arthritis in his throwing elbow. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. "It's been 41 years between starts for him. [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). Smilin' Sandy is back and better yet, they are very easy to pick up online for a pretty reasonable price. He dazzled in the national spotlight when he set a World Series single-game record with 15 strikeouts in 1963, and again when he threw a perfect game to wrap up a record fourth no-hitter in 1965. Sandy Koufax Baseball Cards In Review Sandy Koufax was the first major league pitcher to pitch four no-hitters and only the eighth pitcher at the time to pitch a perfect game in baseball history. They rejoined the team in the last week of spring training. Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device. He was diagnosed by Dodgers team physician Robert Kerlan with traumatic arthritis. Koufax was an All-Star in each of his last six seasons,[1] leading the National League (NL) in ERA each of his last five years, in strikeouts four times, in wins and shutouts three times each, and in winning percentage, innings pitched and complete games twice each; he was the first NL pitcher in 20 years to post an ERA below 2.00, doing so three times. [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. He started playing basketball for the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst local community center team. In 1965 he set a major league record with 382 strikeouts; it was broken in 1973 by Nolan Ryan, but remains the top mark for NL pitchers and left-handers. In 1958, he began 73, but sprained his ankle in a collision at first base, finishing the season at 1111 and leading the NL in wild pitches. In April 1966, Kerlan told Koufax it was time to retire and that his arm could not take another season. [123][124], Before the 2015 MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati, Koufax was introduced as one of the four best living players (as selected by fans), along with Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Johnny Bench. Koufax obliged. Or write about sports? 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123 PSA Mint 9 ($204,000 USD) At $204,000 USD through Heritage Auctions this rookie Sandy Koufax card sold on March 23, 2017. He is also the first pitcher to win the award by a unanimous votea recognition which he accomplished twice more. [53][54] It would be the only time in his career he earned this distinction. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. His no-hitter, along with a 42 record, 73 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA, earned him the Player of the Month Award for June. [27], Koufax made his major league debut on June 24, 1955, against the Milwaukee Braves, with the Dodgers trailing 71 in the fifth inning. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. 99. Jewish American baseball pitcher Sandy Koufax was a star player for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers before elbow arthritis forced him into early retirement. percentage . The hard-throwing left-hander was baseball's most dominant pitcher until elbow arthritis forced him to retire at the age of 30. Hall of Fame first baseman Lou Gehrig played for the New York Yankees in the 1920s and 1930s, setting the mark for consecutive games played. Out of those two transitionary years, 1961-62, Sandy Koufax the master-of-all-time, baseball's Leonardo, arrived. While not as difficult to locate in high grade as the Clemente rookie, this card remains one of the major keys to the set, a set . He had a 0.95 ERA in four career World Series as the Dodgers won titles in 1959, 1963 and 1965. Who Is Sandy Koufax? Classic SI Photos of Sandy Koufax From 1963 to '66, Sandy Koufax had averaged a 24-7 record, 307 strikeouts and a 1.86 ERA, winning three out of four Cy Young awards at a time before each. On Sept. 25, 1966, at Wrigley Field, Sandy Koufax, the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar who soon would retire, faced off against Ken Holtzman, the promising 20-year-old rookie for the Chicago Cubs.. Laurie recognized that Koufax might be able to pitch, and recruited the 17-year-old to pitch for the Coney Island Sports League's Parkviews. (Voted by BBWAA on 344/396 ballots) [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. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. The majority of the proceeds from the sales off this site will go to charity. He is the inspiration for my site's whimsical "Sabbathmetrics" series (examining whether Jewish ballplayers do better or worse on the Sabbath). strikeouts . On two days rest, Koufax pitched a 6-3 complete-game victory to clinch the pennant. Koufax won . Koufax made his debut for the Dodgers in 1955. He is also the only pitcher to win three Cy Young Awards in the era in which the in Psychology, West Chester University of Pennsylvania (Graduated 2020) 1 y The only time anyone ever tried to measure how fast Sandy Koufax could throw was during spring training of 1960 as part of a test set up by This Week magazine. It was Yom Kippur, 6 October 1965, the day Sandy Koufax's choice to forgo work and observe the Jewish Day of Atonement, rather than pitch in the Series opener, instantly became the bible-esque . See. us, High School: Lafayette HS (Brooklyn, NY), Schools: Columbia University (New York, NY), University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH), Debut: He struck out 14 batters in the 10 win, at the time the most recorded in a perfect game (tied by Matt Cain in 2012). "[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. In August of 1972 Cooperstown welcomed a star-studded group of inductees for the Class of 1972. Sandy Koufax is a legendary figure in baseball history He was a left-handed pitcher who played for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955-1966. 32 was retired alongside those of fellow Dodger greats Roy Campanella [128] In addition, there were other Jewish holidays where he said he would not pitch, including Seder night of Passover and 3 times on Rosh Hashanah, one of which was Game 4 of the 1959 World Series. Teammate Joe Pignatano said that as soon as Koufax threw a couple of balls in a row, Alston would signal for a replacement to start warming up in the bullpen. 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. The advice worked, Koufax struck out the side, and then went on to pitch seven no-hit innings. [74], On June 20, in the first game of a doubleheader against the Mets, Koufax pitched his second one-hitter, allowing only a fifth-inning home run by Jim Hickman before the Dodgers came back for a 2-1 win. The name of his home town is Brooklyn, New York. 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). Baltimore's 20-year-old future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer pitched a four-hitter, and the Orioles won 60. One of the most dominating pitchers in the game's history, Koufax was the first With a limited baseball background, Koufax struggled with control at first, but used his raw talent to begin regularly throwing for the Dodgers in 1958, when the team moved to Los Angeles. After the final out of Game 7, Koufax drove to Columbia to attend class. [121], In 1990 Koufax was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Sandy Koufax - Baseball Hall of Fame Biographies, Vin Scully call of final three outs of Sandy Koufax's perfect game, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, 25 Main Street,Cooperstown, NY 13326Phone: 1-888-HALL-OF-FAME | 607-547-7200 | Fax: 607-547-0398, "I can see how he won 25 games. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [34] He saw little work, pitching only 58+23 innings with a 4.91 ERA, 29 walks and 30 strikeouts. vs. PHI 9.0 IP, 7 H, 10 SO, 1 BB, 2 ER, W. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1972. $44.99 $ 44. He quit after six years, just prior to the start of the 1973 season. With Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing. Koufax is the stepfather of Clarke's daughter from her prior marriage to artist John Clem Clarke. 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. On Sept. 9, 1965, Sandy Koufax tossed the eighth perfect game in MLB history, defeating the Cubs 1-0 at Dodger Stadium. 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. On May 23, he pitched a 1-0, one-hit shutout in Pittsburgh, allowing only a second-inning single by pitcher Bennie Daniels. In that start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision. Sandy Koufax was the first pitcher in major league baseball to earn multiple Cy Young Awards. I can't pitch. All rights reserved. vs. MLN 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO, 1 BB, 0 ER, Last Game: 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. He is an actor, known for 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Shotgun Slade (1959) and Michael Shayne (1960). Koufax won the Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965 and 1966 by unanimous votes, winning the Triple Crown[2][3][4][5] and leading the Dodgers to a pennant each year; he was the first three-time winner of the award, and the only pitcher to do so when a single award was given instead of one for each league. [44], Koufax tried one more year of baseball, showing up for the 1961 season in better condition than he ever had before. The one-year wonder that was '63 Fleer gave us some dandy cards of 1960s Hall of Famers and this might be the best card in the set. [50] He pitched six innings in four All-Star games,[100] including being the starting pitcher for three innings in the 1966 All-Star Game. LOS ANGELES (AP) When Sandy Koufax joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955, he was in awe of being on the same team with Jackie Robinson. Koufax's role includes attending a [95] In his three World Series losses, all starts, spread over three different Series, Koufax gave up a total of three earned runs; the Dodgers scored a total of one run in support in all three. In 1965, Koufax was 26-8, with a 2.04 ERA, the only season in this four-year stretch that his ERA finished above 2.00 -- by a tick. [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 won both the Cy Young Award and NL Most Valuable Player Award that season. [99], Due to a lack of run support, Koufax's postseason won-lost record over four World Series is an unimpressive 43, but his historic 0.95 ERA and two World Series MVPs testify to how well he actually pitched. Koufax also made headlines for adhering to his faith. [20] During his Pirates tryout, his fastball broke the thumb of Sam Narron, the team's bullpen coach. The problem is not to figure out why Sandy Koufax was a great pitcher. Over the next three seasons, Koufax was in and out of the starting rotation due to injuries. Gilbert marveled at what his friend accomplished. [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. Obama continued: "He can't pitch on Yom Kippur. When Koufax allowed baserunners, he was rarely permitted to finish the inning. Despite displaying tantalizing abilityhe struck out 14 batters in his second major league startthe left-hander was too wild to remain a regular in the rotation. Privacy Statement/Your California Privacy Rights. Instead, the Dodgers were swept in four games, not scoring a single run in the last three. 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. Sandy Koufax was born as Sanford Braun on December 30, 1935. 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. throughout the year . Find out more. His overhand curveball, spun with the middle finger, dropped vertically 12 to 24inches due to his arm action. that Sandy Koufax attended the University of Cincinnati on a basketball scholarship, playing freshman basketball (and baseball) under legendary hoops coach Ed Jucker? 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. He pitched 12 seasons for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1955 to 1966. Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, as well as the first pitcher to win a Cy Young He was selected as an All-Star for six consecutive seasons[1] and made seven out of eight possible All-Star Game appearances those seasons (he was not on the roster for the second All-Star Game in 1962). [6][7] Upon his retirement, Koufax's career ERA of 2.76 trailed only Whitey Ford among pitchers with at least 2,000 innings pitched since 1925; his .655 winning percentage ranked third among both left-handers and modern NL pitchers. Koufax ended up getting $125,000 and Drysdale $110,000 (equivalent to $0.92million in 2021). He (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Claude Osteen (center) celebrates with Don Drysdale (right) and Sandy Koufax (left) after Sandy leads the Dodgers to a 7-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins in Game 5 of the 1965 World Series. Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 11 January 2023, at 01:19. Sandy Koufax, over the course of just five seasons, had five earned run average titles, three Cy Young Awards, and a Most Valuable Player Award.. Did you know that Sandy Koufax threw a perfect game, plus three no-hitters, over the course of a four consecutive year period (1962-1965)?. Let scroll the below table. Represent the all-time greats and know your purchase plays a part in preserving baseball history. June 24, 1955 [33], The year 1956 was not very different from 1955 for Koufax. Sandy Koufax. An outstanding schoolboy athlete, Koufax starred at basketball and barely played baseball during his time at Lafayette High School. League seasons, he had a career record of 165-87, a 2 .76 ERA, 2,396 strikeouts, 137 complete games and 40 More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Born December 30, 1935 There is too much to say about his man. December 30, 1935 Koufax finally gained control of his overpowering fastball and knee-buckling curveball in the early 1960s, and embarked on one of the most dominant pitching runs in baseball history. Less than six weeks after the series, on Friday, November 18,[96][97] Koufax announced his retirement due to an arthritic elbow. award was presented to one pitcher, rather than one in each league . [82], The winning run was unearned, scored without a hit when the Dodger's Lou Johnson walked, reached second on a sacrifice, stole third, and scored on a throwing error by Chicago catcher Chris Krug. 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. Few individuals knew it at the time, but on Oct. 6, 1966, Sandy Koufax started the final game of his career. His life should be an inspiration for us all. His second marriage, to personal trainer Kimberly Francis, lasted from 1985 to 1998. Sandy Koufax is a devout Jew and is known as one of the most famous Jewish players to have graced the American sports scene. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. He remains, over half a century later, on the very short list of pitchers who retired with more career strikeouts than innings pitched. SPS INC., the longtime agency of Sandy Koufax will procure the items and oversee the site. [132], Koufax with the Los Angeles Dodgers, c. 1965, Baseball Anecdotes by Daniel Okrent and Steve Wulf, Harper and Row Publishers, 1989, The play-by-play data from which these averages were calculated are only available starting in 1957. He has been hailed as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. He was one of six pitchers who's fastball velocities were measured. Koufax was pitching better than ever, however, so he ignored the problem, hoping that the condition would clear up. He was the strikeouts [10] Shortly after his mother's remarriage, the family moved to the Long Island suburb of Rockville Centre. The new park had a large foul territory and a comparatively poor hitting background. The need to create the site and offer real products is long overdue. [129], 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. [115], Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, 1972, just weeks after his 36th birthday. [16][17] Bill Zinser, a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, sent the Dodgers front office a glowing report that apparently was filed and forgotten. He is also notable for being one of the outstanding Jewish athletes in U.S. sports; Koufax's decision not to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it fell on the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur garnered national attention as a conflict between religious calling and society, and remains a notable event in U.S. Jewish history. "[28], Koufax's first start was on July 6. Though Koufax had a much shorter career than contemporary stars such as Willie Mays and Hank Aaron, he easily earned enough votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America in 1972 to become the youngest player inducted into the Hall of Fame. View Sandy Koufax's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). The man never refused to give up and is now living his last few days in privacy with his family, away from the cameras. Sandy Koufax The famous, amazingly talented Sandy Koufax has led a life filled with hardships, swarmed his way up with his talent, and has faced heartbreaks too. He is married to Jane Purucker Clarke. Sandy Koufax's legacy as the greatest Jewish athlete ever has never been in question. His parents were Evelyn (ne Lichtenstein) and Jack Braun, Sephardic Jews of Hungarian descent.6The family lived in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn.