He is married to Jane Purucker Clarke. [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. [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. Robinson saw that Koufax was talented and had flashes of brilliance, and objected to him being benched for weeks at a time. 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.. Koufax later said, "I had nothing at all." 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 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. A history of the Sports Reference Sponsorship System, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Tuesday, January 17, 11:08PM. 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. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Smilin' Sandy is back and better yet, they are very easy to pick up online for a pretty reasonable price. 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). With an overworked pitching staff there was no one else, as Drysdale and Johnny Podres had pitched the prior two days. In a Reserve Price Auction, the seller has set a Reserve Price, which is a price below which the listing . (Voted by BBWAA on 344/396 ballots) He is the inspiration for my site's whimsical "Sabbathmetrics" series (examining whether Jewish ballplayers do better or worse on the Sabbath). In spring 1954, he made the college baseball varsity team, which was coached by Jucker at that time. The need to create the site and offer real products is long overdue. 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 pitched 12 seasons for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1955 to 1966. He is married to Jane Purucker Clarke. Sandy Koufax Autographed Authentic Mitchell & Ness 1963 Replica Jersey - Grey. 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. Lasorda would later joke that it took Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching staff. [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. Many thanks to him. 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." [112] Neither marriage produced children. OLDENBURG - Some of the people in this story, the strangest Sandy Koufax story ever told, are dead . throughout the year . 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. He started playing basketball for the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst local community center team. 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. [35], To prepare for the 1957 season, the Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball. 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. [10] He later earned a partial scholarship. 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). 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. At the age of thirty-six, he became the youngest player to get elected for Basketball hall of fame. By July, though, his entire hand was becoming numb and he was unable to complete some games. Clayton Kershaw and Joe Torre were the primary speakers ahead of the unveiling of a bronze statue of Hall of Famer Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax at the Centerfield Plaza at . [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. [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. Instead, Koufax made a living on a baseball diamond, becoming one of the most dominating left-handers of all time. A numbness developed in the index finger on his left hand, and the finger became cold and white. [51], In 1962, the Dodgers moved from the Los Angeles Coliseum, which had a 250-foot (75m) left-field line an enormous disadvantage to lefthanded pitchers to pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium. The future baseball great took on his more familiar surname at age 9 when his mother, Evelyn, remarried attorney Irving Koufax. His mother was remarried when he was nine, to Irving Koufax. After seeing Koufax's Game 1 performance, Yankee Yogi Berra said, "I can see how he won 25 games. He was the first pitcher to average fewer than seven hits allowed per nine innings pitched in his career (6 .79) [130], Koufax married Anne Widmark, the daughter of actor Richard Widmark, in 1969; they divorced in 1982. Koufax became the youngest player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, and has since served as a pitching instructor for his former team. (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. In 1963, Koufax led the league in wins with 25, in ERA with 1.88, in shutouts with 11 and strikeouts with 306. Sandy Koufax's legacy as the greatest Jewish athlete ever has never been in question. [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. of 27, 26 and 25 . [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. With Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing. There will alsobe items offered where 100 percent of the sale goes to charity and those items will be clearly marked. [25] Koufax planned to use the money as tuition to finish his university education, if his baseball career failed. On Sept. 9, 1965, Sandy Koufax tossed the eighth perfect game in MLB history, defeating the Cubs 1-0 at Dodger Stadium. [115], Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, 1972, just weeks after his 36th birthday. He was diagnosed by Dodgers team physician Robert Kerlan with traumatic arthritis. Koufax was born Sanford Braun on December 30, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York. [107] He also occasionally threw a changeup and a forkball. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, as well as the first pitcher to win a Cy Young He was the first pitcher in history to average more than one strikeout per inning, and the first to allow fewer than seven hits per nine innings pitched. 304 pp. He and Oscar Robertson are neck-and-neck in the debate over the greatest UC athlete of all time. He More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Born December 30, 1935 Koufax ended up getting $125,000 and Drysdale $110,000 (equivalent to $0.92million in 2021). Sandy Koufax Many consider Sandy Koufax (born 1945) to be one of the best left-handed pitchers of all time. The Koufax years of 1963 to 1966 are the finest four-year stretch of pitching. All rights reserved. Despite his string of amazing performances, Koufax pitched in pain throughout the 1965-1966 campaigns due to arthritis in his left elbow. [43], In early 1960, Koufax asked Dodgers general manager Buzzie Bavasi to trade him because he was not getting enough playing time. Born: After a slow start, his baseball career was cut short by problems with his pitching arm. [89] [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. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. If not, then nothing to worry about this. Do you have a blog? For Sandy Koufax, his faith came before his career. [34] He saw little work, pitching only 58+23 innings with a 4.91 ERA, 29 walks and 30 strikeouts. See. He was the greatest pitcher of his time in baseball, said writer Jimmy Cannon. 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 won the NL MVP Award and the Hickok Belt, and was the first-ever unanimous selection for the Cy Young Award. Koufax's role includes attending a portion of Spring Training to work with Dodger pitchers and consulting with the team throughout the year . [26], Because Koufax's signing bonus was greater than $4,000 ($40,000 today), he was known as a bonus baby. In that start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. To make room for him, the Dodgers optioned their future Hall of Fame manager, Tommy Lasorda, to the Montreal Royals of the International League. Sandy Koufax, a former professional baseball player, began his career in 1955 when he was signed by his hometown Brooklyn Dodgers. In the final game of the regular season, the Dodgers had to beat the Phillies to win the pennant. portion of Spring Training to work with Dodger pitchers and consulting with the team [58] Compared to the previous season, walks in the NL fell 13 percent, strikeouts increased 6 percent, the league batting average fell from .261 to .245, and runs scored declined 15 percent. [22] Dodgers scout Al Campanis heard about Koufax from Jimmy Murphy, a part-time scout. Koufax was the supreme pitcher of his generation and the greatest Jewish hurler ever, and his taking a stand occurred at baseball's centerpiece event. Before tenth grade, Koufax's family moved back to the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. Koufax had 11-game winning streaks in both 1964 and 1965. Nobe Kawano, the clubhouse supervisor, retrieved the equipment in case Koufax returned to play the following year. 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). Koufax allowed only one run in seven innings, but lost the 10 game when Nellie Fox scored on a double play. Now 67 years later, the two are immortalized in bronze at the entrance to Dodger Stadium. [23] After seeing Koufax pitch for Lafayette, Campanis invited him to an Ebbets Field tryout. Both players were represented by an entertainment lawyer, J. William Hayes, which was unusual in an era when players were not even represented by agents. He is also the only pitcher to win three Cy Young Awards in the era in which the Instead, Koufax made a living on a baseball diamond, becoming one of the most dominating left-handers of all time. [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. Eddie Mathews bunted, and Koufax threw the ball into center field. 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. Koufax won his second pitchers' Triple Crown, leading the league in wins (26), ERA (2.04) and strikeouts (382, the highest modern-day total at the time, topped only by Nolan Ryan's 383 in 1973), and captured his second unanimous Cy Young Award. [27], Koufax made his major league debut on June 24, 1955, against the Milwaukee Braves, with the Dodgers trailing 71 in the fifth inning. Join our linker program. After winning the second game of the series, the Dodgers blew a 42 lead in the ninth inning of the deciding third game, losing the pennant. On June 30 against the expansion New York Mets, he threw his first no-hitter. He holds a fantastic record. Koufax was an immediate beneficiary of the change, lowering his ERA at home from 4.29 to 1.75. If you do a good job, the numbers say so. However, due to changes in Hall practices, the 1972 induction ceremony was nearly eight months after the election, leaving Koufax slightly older than Gehrig, who had no formal induction ceremony, at the time of his induction. He was a left-handed pitcher. His postseason record was 4-3 with a 0 .95 ERA . It's also available for football, basketball and hockey. 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. He made 43 appearances, had 27 complete games (eight shutouts) and 382 strikeouts in 335 2/3 innings. There were thirty-three bidders that were interested enough to pay top dollar for this card, but . 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. 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. Dodgers team physician, Dr. Robert Kerlan, said at the time, "Sandy pitches in extreme pain that can . Once alerted, he made an effort to better disguise his deliveries. 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. In the first inning, Koufax walked the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches. On November 18, 1966, Sandy Koufax, the ace pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, retires from baseball.He was just 30 years old, and he was retiring after a great season-he'd led the Dodgers . He managed to pitch and win two more games. He is also the first pitcher to win the award by a unanimous votea recognition which he accomplished twice more. In 12 Major He is three times the winner of the Cy Young Award and National League Triple Crown. [6] Drysdale pitched the opener, but was hit hard by the Minnesota Twins. "[45] During spring training, Dodger scout Kenny Myers discovered a hitch in Koufax's windup, where he would rear back so far he would lose sight of the target. 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. View Sandy Koufax's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). Sandy Koufax. His overhand curveball, spun with the middle finger, dropped vertically 12 to 24inches due to his arm action. On March 31, the morning after pitching a complete spring training game, Koufax awoke to find that his entire left arm was black and blue from hemorrhaging. Sandy Koufax sport was basketball. $23.95. Despite winning three of his next five with a 2.90 ERA, Koufax did not get another start for 45 days. Proud to support B-R.COM, and to sponsor the page of a tremendous athlete and person. [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. By JOE REEDY June 18, 2022. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. [81] Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. (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. Gilbert marveled at what his friend accomplished. 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). Save 15% on 2 select item(s) FREE delivery Dec 13 - 15 . first pitcher inducted into the Hall of Fame (1972) who had more strikeouts than innings pitched . vs. PHI 9.0 IP, 7 H, 10 SO, 1 BB, 2 ER, W. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1972. [30] He did not start again for almost two months, but on August 27, Koufax threw a two-hit, 70 complete game shutout against the Cincinnati Reds for his first major league win. He was previously married to Kimberly Francis and Anne Heath Widmark. $1,895.00. The Dodgers went on to face the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series, and Game 2 marked Koufax's third start in eight days. Traumatic arthritis in his elbow ended Koufaxs career early due to a threat of permanent disability. 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. Koufax also made headlines for adhering to his faith. [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. [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]. What I don't understand is how he lost five, said Hall of Famer Yogi Berra in 1963. The advice worked, Koufax struck out the side, and then went on to pitch seven no-hit innings. Exceeded rookie limits during 1956 season, View Player Bio He led the Miami Heat to NBA titles in 2012 and 2013 and won another championship with Cleveland in 2016, before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. One of the greatest baseball players in history, Willie Mays thrilled fans over a 22-year big league career with his powerful bat and astonishing defensive skills. Good hitters could often predict what pitch was coming, but were still unable to hit it. Jackie Robinson, in his final season, clashed with Alston on Koufax's usage. You don't have to wait for the reviews. He won both the Cy Young Award and NL Most Valuable Player Award that season. Bid on Sandy Koufax Autographed Baseball at MLB Auctions. [88], Koufax and Drysdale did not report to spring training in February. 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