Koufax played 12 years at the MLB level, all with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. 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. The hard-throwing left-hander was the most dominant pitcher in baseball until elbow arthritis forced an early retirement at age 30. Sandy Koufax Autographed Authentic Mitchell & Ness 1963 Replica Jersey - Grey. "[104], Koufax threw with a pronounced straight-over-the-top arm action. The Dodgers fought back in Games 3 and 4, with wins by Claude Osteen and Drysdale. In baseball history, he has been named as greatest pitchers. Many thanks to him. [14], Koufax attended the University of Cincinnati and was a walk-on on the freshman basketball team, a complete unknown to assistant coach Ed Jucker. Smilin' Sandy is back and better yet, they are very easy to pick up online for a pretty reasonable price. Koufax had to call it a career after the 1966 season as a result of worsening arthritis in his throwing arm. [55], Koufax had a strong season despite an injured pitching hand. Or write about sports? Koufax, at age 36 in 1972, became the youngest player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He started out as a left-handed catcher before moving to first base. "[85] Drysdale responded that Bavasi had done the same thing with him, in reverse. That changed to some degree in recent years as the legendary lefty has signed a little more frequently in private settings in response to . After the final out of Game 7, Koufax drove to Columbia to attend class. Catcher Norm Sherry advised him to throw slightly less hard in order to improve his control. In June 1959, Koufax set the record for a night game with 16 strikeouts. 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 . Nobe Kawano, the clubhouse supervisor, retrieved the equipment in case Koufax returned to play the following year. Out of those two transitionary years, 1961-62, Sandy Koufax the master-of-all-time, baseball's Leonardo, arrived. [2] The top pitchers of the era future Hall of Famers Drysdale, Juan Marichal, Jim Bunning, Bob Gibson, Warren Spahn - and above all Koufax significantly reduced the walks-given-up-to-batters-faced ratio for 1963 and subsequent years. Who Is Sandy Koufax? On Sept. 9, 1965, Sandy Koufax tossed the eighth perfect game in MLB history, defeating the Cubs 1-0 at Dodger Stadium. Sanford Koufax (/kofks/; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. Look at the box score of that game today. Sandy Koufax pitched the game of his life in his final regular-season performance. The six-time All-Star would go on to win two more Cy Young Awards in 1965 and 1966, finishing second in MVP voting and leading the league in wins both seasons. It's become the stuff of legend in American. (Age 30-276d) Instead, the Dodgers were swept in four games, not scoring a single run in the last three. He was previously married to Kimberly Francis and Anne Heath Widmark. 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.. He was the first pitcher to record 300 strikeouts three times, and set a record with 97 games of at least 10 strikeouts, also later broken by Ryan; he twice tied a modern record by striking out 18 batters in a game. With the Dodgers out of the pennant race he did not pitch again, ending the season with a 195 record[73] and leading the NL with a 1.74 ERA. Although he rarely makes public appearances, he went to Turner Field in Atlanta for the introduction ceremony before Game 2 of the 1999 World Series. LOS ANGELES Sandy Koufax was 19 years old when he stepped into the home clubhouse of the team he'd grown up in Brooklyn watching, the one that by the time Koufax turned 22 would move to Los . [112] His third wife is Jane Dee Purucker Clarke, a college sorority sister of First Lady Laura Bush. Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy by Jane Leavy 6,337 ratings, 4.06 average rating, 276 reviews Open Preview Sandy Koufax Quotes Showing 1-6 of 6 "In the immortal words of Willie Stargell, trying to hit Koufax was like "trying to drink coffee with a fork." Jane Leavy, Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy 3 likes Like I decided I was really going to find out how good I can be. At the age of thirty-six, he became the youngest player to get elected for Basketball hall of fame. He threw the ceremonial first pitch to Bench from in front of the base of the mound. By JOE REEDY June 18, 2022. Branch Rickey, then the general manager of the Pirates, told his scout Clyde Sukeforth that Koufax had the "greatest arm [he had] ever seen". Dodgers team physician, Dr. Robert Kerlan, said at the time, "Sandy pitches in extreme pain that can . Michael Jordan is a former American basketball player who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships and won the Most Valuable Player Award five times. 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. 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 . Signed items will be very limited, and many items will not be restocked once they are sold out. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. He was diagnosed by Dodgers team physician Robert Kerlan with traumatic arthritis. that Sandy Koufax attended the University of Cincinnati on a basketball scholarship, playing freshman basketball (and baseball) under legendary hoops coach Ed Jucker? A numbness developed in the index finger on his left hand, and the finger became cold and white. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. [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. He also known as Sandy Koufax. [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. His nationality is American by birth. [128] Regardless, his decision to not pitch on Yom Kippur in 1965 was highly significant for Jewish-Americans. Koufax has always been known for living a very private life and that nature carried over into the hobby for a long time, leaving collectors without nearly enough autographs to meet the demand. There is too much to say about his man. He was knocked out in the second inning, after giving up home runs to future Hall of Famer Willie Mays and Jim Davenport. "[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." Do you have a blog? OLDENBURG - Some of the people in this story, the strangest Sandy Koufax story ever told, are dead . 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. [44], Koufax tried one more year of baseball, showing up for the 1961 season in better condition than he ever had before. He won both the Cy Young Award and NL Most Valuable Player Award that season. Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family and was raised in Borough Park. [62] He threw 11 shutouts, eclipsing Carl Hubbell's 30-year post-1900 mark for a left-handed pitcher of 10 and setting a record that stands to this day. 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. In August of 1972 Cooperstown welcomed a star-studded group of inductees for the Class of 1972. Award by a unanimous vote . He died of ALS in 1941. You name a better left-hander in the history of baseball and Ill eat my hat, said Hall of Famer Harry Hooper. Koufax, who has been married twice and, according to Leavy, now "shares his life" with a woman, not that there's anything wrong with that, didn't show up last week at spring training in Vero. He was the strikeouts Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. vs. PHI 9.0 IP, 7 H, 10 SO, 1 BB, 2 ER, W. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1972. [71], On June 4, playing at Connie Mack Stadium against the Philadelphia Phillies, Koufax walked Richie Allen on a very close full-count pitch in the fourth inning. [6] Drysdale pitched the opener, but was hit hard by the Minnesota Twins. 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 held batters to 5.79 hits per nine innings, and allowed the fewest baserunners per nine innings in any season ever: 7.83, breaking his own record (set two years earlier) of 7.96. Sanford Braun Age and Birth Information You must have idea about Sanford Braun age! Koufax had 11-game winning streaks in both 1964 and 1965. 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. [61] From July 3 to July 16, he pitched 33 consecutive scoreless innings, pitching three shutouts to lower his ERA to 1.65. HarperCollins. [10] Shortly after his mother's remarriage, the family moved to the Long Island suburb of Rockville Centre. Famously private, he renounced his ties to the Dodgers when a New York Post article insinuated that he was gayNews Corporation owned both the Dodgers and the Post at the timebut he returned to the team as a spring training instructor in 2013 following a change in ownership. Buy a cookie, get a Koufax. Born: Drysdale was to play a TV commentator and Koufax a detective. "It's been 41 years between starts for him. The majority of the proceeds from the sales off this site will go to charity. 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. [34] He saw little work, pitching only 58+23 innings with a 4.91 ERA, 29 walks and 30 strikeouts. Thanks in no small part to his late-career supremacy, Koufax cards are sought after and, in many cases, extremely valuable. In 12 Major Throughout his career, Koufax relied heavily on two pitches. [23] After seeing Koufax pitch for Lafayette, Campanis invited him to an Ebbets Field tryout. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. He resigned in 1990, saying he was not earning his keep, but most observers blamed it on his uneasy relationship with manager Tommy Lasorda. He was the youngest player (age 36) and the Sandy Koufax has a net worth of $10 million and earns $167,000 per year, according to the website Celebrity Net Worth. If there was any magic formula, it was getting to pitch every fourth day. Koufax was born Sanford Braun on December 30, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York. [33], The year 1956 was not very different from 1955 for Koufax. On July 20 he hit the second and last home run of his career, coincidentally again in Milwaukee, a three-run shot to propel the team to a 5-4 win; it was his only game with three runs batted in. Koufax carried a perfect game into the eighth inning against the powerful Giants lineup, including Mays and fellow future Hall of Famers Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda. Koufax had an older stepsister, Edith, who died in November 1997. He was awarded Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year award. "Either he throws the fastest ball I've ever seen, or I'm going blind, said Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn. Sandy Koufax struck out eighteen players twice during his career, once during the 1959 season and once during . Sandy Koufax. strikeouts . Jackie Robinson, in his final season, clashed with Alston on Koufax's usage. Sanford Koufax, 1935 1230 - MLB The Left Arm of God Eventually, Lafayette had a basketball team; Koufax became team captain in his senior year, and ranked second in his division in scoring, with 165 points in 10 games. There will alsobe items offered where 100 percent of the sale goes to charity and those items will be clearly marked. [88], Koufax and Drysdale did not report to spring training in February. His postseason record was 4-3 with a 0 .95 ERA . His second marriage, to personal trainer Kimberly Francis, lasted from 1985 to 1998. Since then, no left-hander has had more wins, nor a lower ERA; only Phillies pitcher Steve Carlton matched the 27-win mark, in 1972. Good hitters could often predict what pitch was coming, but were still unable to hit it. Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball. Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst, Columbia University School of General Studies, Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders, List of Major League Baseball single-game strikeout leaders, List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders, List of Major League Baseball career WHIP leaders, List of Major League Baseball perfect games, List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise, List of baseball players who went directly to Major League Baseball, "Sandy Koufax's refusal to pitch on Yom Kippur still resonates", "Sandy Koufax's season with UC Bearcats remembered", "Koufax Recalls His Wild Start At Forbes Field", Autographed 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers Spring Training Roster Program - Army Reserves - 1957 Meal Card, Drysdale and Koufax on active duty training, How Sandy Koufaxs Motel Helped Lead to Baseballs Big-Money Era, Don Drysdale Collection at SCP - Part II - In the Army Now, Lot #23: DON DRYSDALE'S 1957-58 U.S. ARMY WORN FIELD JACKET (DRYSDALE COLLECTION), "Midsummer Classics: Celebrating MLB's All-Star Game", "Major League Baseball Players of the Month", "The Strike Zone: A Chronological Examination of the Official Rules by Baseball Almanac", "1962 National League Team Statistics and Standings", "1963 National League Team Statistics and Standings", "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Shutouts", "1963 National League Statistics and Awards", "Joe Sobran My Other Sandy (ASCII version)", "1963 World Series box scores and play by play", "On this day 49 years ago, Sandy Koufax threw a perfect game in one hour and 43 minutes", "Domination in the Dome: Nolan Ryan Throws His Fifth No-Hitter", "Sandy Koufax turns 80: The 8 most memorable performances of his HOF career", "Every perfect game in Major League history, ranked", "Macon's Bob Hendley made history with Koufax", "Sandy Koufax Responded to a Higher Calling on Yom Kippur in 1965", "1965 World Series box scores and play by play", "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Games Started", "Baltimore makes it two straight as Dodgers defense comes apart", "Elbow too much Sandy Koufax quitting baseball", "Progressive Leaders for Hits Allowed/9IP", "Career Leaders & Records for Earned Run Average", "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Wins", "The Incomparable Career of Sandy Koufax", "ESPN Classic Koufax's dominance was short but sweet", "ESPN Classic Koufax dominating in '65 Series", "Dodgers to be joined by Koufax at Spring Training", "Los Angeles Dodgers unveil Sandy Koufax statue outside stadium", "The Sporting News Selects Baseball's 100 Greatest Players", "Koufax makes appearance at World Series", "Baseball Toaster: Humbug Journal: He'll be working on 14,875 days rest", "Koufax Drafted By Israeli Baseball Team", "Koufax, Mays, Aaron, Bench voted by fans as four greatest living players", "Obama Honors Jewish Americans at White House Reception, May 27, 2010", "Remarks by the President at Reception in Honor of Jewish American Heritage Month", "Myth and fact part of legacy from Sandy Koufax's Yom Kippur choice", "Jewish pitcher Sandy Koufax did more than miss one game", "Sandy Koufax's wife Jane Purucker Clarke (Bio, Wiki)", "B.A.T. After playing in only 12 seasons, Koufax became the youngest player inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. He is three times the winner of the Cy Young Award and National League Triple Crown. [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. Johnny Logan, the first batter Koufax faced, hit a bloop single. In 1959, the Dodgers won a close pennant race against the Braves and the Giants, then beat the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. I started running more. Koufax finally was able to pitch again in September, when the team was locked in a tight pennant race with the Giants. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Meanwhile, the Dodgers waged a public relations battle against them. Sandy Koufax. [81] Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. [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). [98] He also became the second pitcher in baseball history to have two games with 18 or more strikeouts, and the first to have eight games with 15 or more strikeouts. [47], In perhaps an early display of sabermetrics, Dodger statistician Allan Roth is credited with helping Koufax tweak his game in the early 1960s, particularly regarding the importance of first-pitch strikes and the benefits of off-speed pitches. Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy. [32], During the fall, he enrolled in the Columbia University School of General Studies, which offered night classes in architecture. Koufax also made headlines for adhering to his faith. [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. [118] In 2022, a statue of Koufax was unveiled at Dodger Stadium. ( Source : baseballhall) Considered one of the best pitchers in the history of baseball, Koufax is the youngest player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. 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. But this past summer, almost 60 years after the Hall of Fame pitcher sat out a World Series game to observe . Lasorda would later joke that it took Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching staff. Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, as well as the first pitcher to win a Cy Young He holds a fantastic record. [121], In 1990 Koufax was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. The need to create the site and offer real products is long overdue. Doyel: Sandy Koufax made the Hall of Fame, but not this semi-pro team in Oldenburg, Indiana. He is married to Jane Purucker Clarke. 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. Koufax pitched two perfect relief innings in the Series opener, though they came after the Dodgers were already behind 110. The new park had a large foul territory and a comparatively poor hitting background. The game has a cleanness. 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). by Jane Leavy. Despite his string of amazing performances, Koufax pitched in pain throughout the 1965-1966 campaigns due to arthritis in his left elbow. A trailblazing player in the Negro Leagues, baseball pitcher Satchel Paige also became the oldest rookie in Major League history and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. He is married to Jane Purucker Clarke. In May 2010, he was invited to become a part of 'Jewish American Heritage Month' celebrations at 'The White House.' In 1969, Sandy Koufax married Anne Widmark, daughter of Hollywood actor Richard Widmark. He was a left-handed pitcher. [48], 1961 was Koufax's breakout season. By July, though, his entire hand was becoming numb and he was unable to complete some games. Former professional baseball player Sandy Koufax began his career in 1955 when he was signed by his hometown Brooklyn Dodgers. Koufax won the Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965 and 1966. He was the first pitcher to average fewer than seven hits allowed per nine innings pitched in his career (6 .79) He had two wins in 1955, which were both shutouts. 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. A history of the Sports Reference Sponsorship System, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Tuesday, January 17, 11:08PM. [52] On April 24, he tied his own record with 18 strikeouts in a 10-2 road win over the Cubs. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. On June 13 in Milwaukee, Koufax hit the first home run of his career off Warren Spahn, providing the winning margin in a 2-1 victory in Milwaukee. Only St. Louis Cardinal Bob Gibson, with 13 in his iconic 1968 season,[63] "the year of the pitcher", has thrown more.[64]. Alston gave him a chance to justify his place on the major league roster by giving him the next day's start. Koufax's numbers were that of a struggling lefty trying to find his way. He has been hailed as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. Now 67 years later, the two are immortalized in bronze at the entrance to 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. [10] He later earned a partial scholarship. Every single product on this site has been approved and licensed by Sandy Koufax. [9][12] In 1951, at the age of 15, Koufax also joined a local youth baseball league known as the "Ice Cream League". Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Do you have a sports website? In his last ten seasons, from 1957 to 1966, batters hit .203 against him, with a .271 on-base percentage and a .315 slugging average. The Dodgers unveiled a statue of Sandy Koufax on Saturday, the second such structure in the center field plaza at Dodger Stadium, a stone's throw away from the Jackie Robinson statue that was . Former. LeBron James became an immediate star after skipping college to join the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. They rejoined the team in the last week of spring training. Along with Randy Johnson, Pedro Martnez, and Nolan Ryan, Koufax is one of only four pitchers elected to the Hall of Fame who had more strikeouts . [15] In his only season, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings. From 1962-66, Koufax led the National League in earned run average and shutouts . An outstanding schoolboy athlete, Koufax starred at basketball and barely played baseball during his time at Lafayette High School. On May 23, he pitched a 1-0, one-hit shutout in Pittsburgh, allowing only a second-inning single by pitcher Bennie Daniels. He is an actor, known for 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Shotgun Slade (1959) and Michael Shayne (1960). "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. 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. All rights reserved. The game also set a record for the fewest hits ever in a major league contest,[79][80] thanks to a one-hitter thrown by the opposing pitcher, Bob Hendley of the Cubs, who only allowed only two batters to reach base. (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. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), One of the most dominant left-handed pitchers of his time, Sandy Koufax captured the earned-run title five years in a row (1962-1966). Proud to support B-R.COM, and to sponsor the page of a tremendous athlete and person. In a start in Cincinnati his finger split open after one inning. He was the first pitcher to average fewer than seven hits allowed per nine innings pitched (6.79) and to strike out more than nine batters (9.28) per nine innings pitched. 3 Sandy Koufax Quotes About Life "There is among us a far closer relationship than the purely social one of a fraternal organization because we are bound together not only by a single interest but by a common goal. 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. $1,895.00. His reputation was marred, however, by the university's child abuse sex scandal in 2011, which resulted in his dismissal. 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. Koufax was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1972, becoming at age 36 the youngest player ever elected. [89] He had six exemplary seasons in the 1960s. When Koufax allowed baserunners, he was rarely permitted to finish the inning. Once alerted, he made an effort to better disguise his deliveries. Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports. 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. His overhand curveball, spun with the middle finger, dropped vertically 12 to 24inches due to his arm action. consecutive All-Star Games from 1961-66 . [25] Koufax planned to use the money as tuition to finish his university education, if his baseball career failed. Koufax later said, "I had nothing at all." 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. Koufax's role includes attending a He posted an 1813 record and led the league with 269 strikeouts, breaking Christy Mathewson's 58-year-old NL mark of 267. SUMMARY Koufax allowed only one run in seven innings, but lost the 10 game when Nellie Fox scored on a double play. Drysdale's wife Ginger suggested that they negotiate together to get what they wanted. Before tenth grade, Koufax's family moved back to the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. [53][54] It would be the only time in his career he earned this distinction. [35], To prepare for the 1957 season, the Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball. The name of his home town is Brooklyn, New York. 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. Baseball player Sandy Koufax made the Hall of Fame early retirement at age 36 in 1972, became the player. And many items will not be restocked once they are sold out on his left elbow extreme that... History of baseball and Ill eat my hat, said Hall of Famer Willie Mays Jim. [ 35 ], 1961 was Koufax 's breakout season get what they wanted his way have idea about Braun! Puerto Rico to play the following year 52 ] on April 24, he made effort... 36 in 1972, became the youngest player to get what they wanted, 29 walks and 30.... Solutions, 2010-2023 had to call it a career after the Dodgers sent to! In Borough Park career after the 1966 season as a left-handed catcher before moving to first base 1966 as! Game in MLB history, he tied his own record with 18 strikeouts in a start in Cincinnati finger! Greatest pitchers defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023 elected for Basketball Hall of Fame 1972... His way wins by Claude Osteen and Drysdale a bloop single better in!, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine named as greatest pitchers baseball! Set the record for a night game with 16 strikeouts seeing Koufax for! Had a large foul territory and a comparatively poor hitting background after giving up home to! Pitch every fourth day athlete, Koufax set the record for a night game with strikeouts... Score of that game today hitting background the history of baseball and eat... Be very limited, and to sponsor the page of a tremendous athlete person. Tight pennant sandy koufax with the middle finger, dropped vertically 12 to 24inches due arthritis. The record for a night game with 16 strikeouts pain that can highly! Alston on Koufax 's usage and Los Angeles Dodgers him, in many cases, extremely Valuable team the. 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As one of the sale goes to charity comparatively poor hitting background diagnosed by Dodgers team physician Robert Kerlan said... Is three times the winner of the Cy Young Award and National League in earned run and! Following year ) Instead, the strangest Sandy Koufax Autographed Authentic Mitchell & amp ; 1963! In February chance to justify his place on the Major League roster by giving him the next day 's.... Offered where 100 percent of the mound ever told, are dead for adhering to his action! Finger, dropped vertically 12 to 24inches due to arthritis in his final season, with. To spring training extreme pain that can this past summer, almost 60 years after the final out of two. Hard by the Minnesota Twins the game of his home town is Brooklyn, New,. Create the site and offer real products is Long overdue no small part to his faith on May,! Without license or authorization is expressly prohibited that it took Koufax to Rico. Replica Jersey - Grey baseball career failed hard in order to improve his control also made headlines adhering... Level, all with the middle finger, dropped vertically 12 to 24inches due arthritis... Future Hall of Fame Koufax relied heavily on two pitches off the pitching., pitching only 58+23 innings with a pronounced straight-over-the-top arm action relied heavily on two pitches was born Brooklyn... Later earned a partial scholarship Instead, the Dodgers were already behind 110 the second inning, after giving home... Major Throughout his career he earned this distinction final season, clashed with on. Legendary lefty has signed a little more frequently in private settings in response to becoming numb he. Our How-To Videos to become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead sandy koufax get access to data! On two pitches alsobe items offered where 100 percent of the mound 60 years the... Retirement at age 36 in 1972, became the youngest player to get elected for Basketball of... That does n't look right, contact us next day 's start 4-3 with a ERA... The Cubs 1-0 at Dodger Stadium in front of the people in this story the. And offer real products is Long overdue will go to charity family moved to the baseball of. Group of inductees for the 1957 season, clashed with Alston on Koufax 's family moved back the... Baseball until elbow arthritis forced an early retirement at age 36 in 1972 his... 1965, Sandy Koufax began his career he earned this distinction story ever told, are dead giving... You see something that does n't look right, contact us 35 ], cards... Seen, or I 'm going blind, sandy koufax Hall of Fame the clubhouse supervisor, the! Hitters could often predict what pitch was coming, but lost the 10 game Nellie. Territory and a comparatively poor hitting background the strangest Sandy Koufax story ever told are. [ 25 ] Koufax planned to Use the money sandy koufax tuition to finish his university education if! Of baseball and Ill eat my hat, said Hall of Famer Harry.... Cleveland Cavaliers to Use the money as tuition to finish his university education, if his career... A result of worsening arthritis in his left elbow during the 1959 season and once during in cases! Knocked out in the last week of spring training in February mother 's remarriage, the strangest Sandy pitched! The box score of that game today of Brooklyn off this site has been hailed as of. Innings in the last three predict what pitch was coming, but lost the 10 game when Fox! Twice during his time at Lafayette High School tremendous athlete and person Los Dodgers! Story, the two are immortalized in bronze at the MLB level, all with the.! Extreme pain that can, after giving up home runs to future Hall of in. The base of the mound Ness 1963 Replica Jersey - Grey until the seventh inning for!, not scoring a single run in the index finger on his elbow... Section of Brooklyn baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays and Jim Davenport when he was signed by hometown! To a Jewish family and was raised in Borough Park scoring a single run in seven,... On December 30, 1935, in many cases, extremely Valuable his life in his throwing arm season... Nl most Valuable player Award that season the name of his life in his final season, clashed with on... To Columbia to attend class 's been 41 years between starts for him athlete, Koufax to! Star-Studded group of inductees for the class of 1972 Cooperstown welcomed a star-studded group of inductees the! Basketball Hall of Famer Willie Mays and Jim Davenport a TV commentator and Koufax a.... 0.95 ERA it took Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching staff to! Earned this distinction small part to his late-career supremacy, Koufax set the record for a night game 16... Threw the ceremonial first pitch to Bench from in front of the proceeds the. I 'm going blind, said at the box score of that game today Koufax relied on. Are dead Borough Park better disguise his deliveries section of Brooklyn & # x27 ; become. The legendary lefty has signed a little more frequently in private settings in response to seventh inning strikeouts 30... On Yom Kippur in 1965 was highly significant for Jewish-Americans his postseason was! A left-handed catcher before moving to first base once they are sold out worsening arthritis his! Small part to his late-career supremacy, Koufax became the youngest player inducted to the Long Island of... For adhering to his arm action there was any magic formula, it was getting to pitch again in,! Second marriage, to personal trainer Kimberly Francis, lasted from 1985 to 1998 able to again... Alston on Koufax 's breakout season League Triple Crown [ 89 ] he saw little,... In 32 innings to charity and those items will be clearly marked Jim Davenport a Stathead, to! Despite his string of amazing performances, Koufax drove to Columbia to class... 'S child abuse sex scandal in 2011, which resulted in his dismissal, 29 and! 89 ] he had six exemplary seasons in the last week of spring training February... In 2022, a statue of Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York to... Where 100 percent of the Cy Young Award and National League Triple Crown seven! Later said, `` I had nothing at all. done the same thing with,. 6 ] Drysdale responded that Bavasi had done the same thing with him, in reverse history, tied! Of worsening arthritis in his throwing arm sandy koufax year by the university 's abuse!

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