[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. 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. 99. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Out of those two transitionary years, 1961-62, Sandy Koufax the master-of-all-time, baseball's Leonardo, arrived. 304 pp. From 1962-66, Koufax led the National League in earned run average and shutouts . [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. It's also available for football, basketball and hockey. On June 30 against the expansion New York Mets, he threw his first no-hitter. Catcher Norm Sherry advised him to throw slightly less hard in order to improve his control. Sandy Koufax was born on 30 December 1935 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. A numbness developed in the index finger on his left hand, and the finger became cold and white. [10] He later earned a partial scholarship. [88], Koufax and Drysdale did not report to spring training in February. He is three times the winner of the Cy Young Award and National League Triple Crown. His parents were Evelyn (ne Lichtenstein) and Jack Braun, Sephardic Jews of Hungarian descent.6The family lived in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. 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. [126], Koufax has been described by Sports Illustrated writer John Rosengren as a secular Jew. 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 . Sandy Koufax sport was basketball. 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). 2023 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. By JOE REEDY June 18, 2022. Find out more. He died of ALS in 1941. While playing first base for Lafayette's baseball team with his friend Fred Wilpon,[13] he was spotted by Milt Laurie, a baseball coach who was the father of two Lafayette players. He also known as Sandy Koufax. This Month in Sports ReferenceFind out when we add a feature or make a change. Koufax ended up getting $125,000 and Drysdale $110,000 (equivalent to $0.92million in 2021). Eddie Mathews bunted, and Koufax threw the ball into center field. Good hitters could often predict what pitch was coming, but were still unable to hit it. Koufax agreed not to throw at all between gamesa resolution that lasted only one start. Less than six weeks after the series, on Friday, November 18,[96][97] Koufax announced his retirement due to an arthritic elbow. Privacy Statement/Your California Privacy Rights. 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). [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. 2020 Topps Stadium Club #290 Sandy Koufax Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Card. Nothing else matters, and nothing else will do." Sandy Koufax I can't picture people talking about me 50 years from now. 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. Still, his accomplishments on the field led to his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. LeBron James became an immediate star after skipping college to join the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. 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. [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. 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. After four weeks, Koufax gave Drysdale the go-ahead to negotiate new deals for both of them. I can't pitch. That changed to some degree in recent years as the legendary lefty has signed a little more frequently in private settings in response to . Koufax briefly held the Dodgers records for career strikeouts and shutouts until longtime teammate Don Drysdale passed him in 1968. His life should be an inspiration for us all. throughout the year . 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. Koufax had 11-game winning streaks in both 1964 and 1965. After the last game of the season, he threw his gloves and spikes into the trash. Robinson saw that Koufax was talented and had flashes of brilliance, and objected to him being benched for weeks at a time. He was awarded Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year award. He remains, over half a century later, on the very short list of pitchers who retired with more career strikeouts than innings pitched. After a slow start, his baseball career was cut short by problems with his pitching arm. The advice worked, Koufax struck out the side, and then went on to pitch seven no-hit innings. [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. [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. The mention of his name brought the biggest cheer at the event. Koufax later said, "I had nothing at all." Sandy Koufax Official THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF SANDY KOUFAX About Us Welcome sports fans and collectors to SandyKoufax.com, the first and only authorized and approved website by Sandy Koufax. Sandy Koufax. 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [43], In early 1960, Koufax asked Dodgers general manager Buzzie Bavasi to trade him because he was not getting enough playing time. Eddie Mathews bunted, and Koufax threw the ball into center field. University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH). 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. If not, then nothing to worry about this. Sandy Koufax is a devout Jew and is known as one of the most famous Jewish players to have graced the American sports scene. With Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing. [46], A day later, Koufax was pitching for the "B team" in Orlando. 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. In spring 1954, he made the college baseball varsity team, which was coached by Jucker at that time. On April 18, he struck out three batters on nine pitches in the third inning of a 30 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the only NL pitcher to have two "immaculate innings". In a start in Cincinnati his finger split open after one inning. (Voted by BBWAA on 344/396 ballots) [9][12] In 1951, at the age of 15, Koufax also joined a local youth baseball league known as the "Ice Cream League". Buy a cookie, get a Koufax. [117] On June 4 of that year, Koufax's uniform number 32 was retired alongside those of Dodger greats Roy Campanella (39) and Jackie Robinson (42). 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 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). [81] Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. One of the most dominating pitchers in the game's history, Koufax was the first 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. Koufax, at age 36 in 1972, became the youngest player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! https://www.biography.com/athlete/sandy-koufax. 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 Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. 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. [29] He lasted only .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}4+23 innings, giving up eight walks. [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. Koufax had to call it a career after the 1966 season as a result of worsening arthritis in his throwing arm. [54] On April 22, however, "he felt something let go in his arm," resulting in three cortisone shots for a sore elbow and three missed starts. Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitched a perfect game in the National League against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, September 9, 1965. The future baseball great took on his more familiar surname at age 9 when his mother, Evelyn, remarried attorney Irving Koufax. Look at the box score of that game today. 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 . He was one of six pitchers who's fastball velocities were measured. I can see how he won 25 games. He had a 0.95 ERA in four career World Series as the Dodgers won titles in 1959, 1963 and 1965. [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. 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. We strive for accuracy and fairness. The new park had a large foul territory and a comparatively poor hitting background. In baseball history, he has been named as greatest pitchers. 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. On two days rest, Koufax pitched a 6-3 complete-game victory to clinch the pennant. Tired of constantly taking medication and concerned about his future health, Koufax stunned the baseball world by announcing his retirement on November 18, 1966. When he did play college baseball the scouts came in droves. Years later he recalled, "That winter was when I really started working out. Third Party Auction sites are flooded with fake and unlicensed items. You name a better left-hander in the history of baseball and Ill eat my hat, said Hall of Famer Harry Hooper. Sandy Koufax Position: Pitcher Bats: Right Throws: Left 6-2 , 210lb (188cm, 95kg) Born: December 30, 1935 (Age: 87-003d) in Brooklyn, NY us More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame MVP 3x Cy Young 3x Triple Crown 7x All-Star 4x World Series 2x WS MVP 5x ERA Title 2x ML PoY 32 32 Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. 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. 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? "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. Framed Sandy Koufax - Flying Pitch with Score Board Black and White - Autograph Replica Print. 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 . [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. Former professional baseball player Sandy Koufax began his career in 1955 when he was signed by his hometown Brooklyn Dodgers. The majority of the proceeds from the sales off this site will go to charity. After playing in only 12 seasons, Koufax became the youngest player inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. of 27, 26 and 25 . The performance earned him his second World Series MVP award, making him the first player to win the award twice. Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax returned to the Dodgers in January 2013 to serve as Special Advisor to Dodgers' Chairman Mark Walter . His mother was remarried when he was nine, to Irving Koufax. 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. "Either he throws the fastest ball I've ever seen, or I'm going blind, said Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn. He started playing basketball for the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst local community center team. Sandy Koufax is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. The man never refused to give up and is now living his last few days in privacy with his family, away from the cameras. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Exceeded rookie limits during 1956 season, View Player Bio If he's rested and ready to take the mound again, we want him on our team." They rejoined the team in the last week of spring training. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Koufax jammed his pitching arm in August while diving back to second base to beat a pick-off throw. He has been hailed as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. The highly favored Los Angeles Dodgers had dropped the first game of the World Series. Sanford Braun Age and Birth Information You must have idea about Sanford Braun age! His postseason record was 4-3 with a 0 .95 ERA . However, the morning after his 19th win, a shutout in which he struck out 13 batters, he could not straighten his arm. While batting in April, he had been jammed by a pitch from Earl Francis. [111][112], The Dodgers hired Koufax to be a minor league pitching coach in 1979. This forced the Dodgers to keep him on the major league roster for at least two years before he could be sent to the minors. He is the inspiration for my site's whimsical "Sabbathmetrics" series (examining whether Jewish ballplayers do better or worse on the Sabbath). history to have two games with 18 or more strikeouts, and the first to have eight games with 15 or more The real name of this Former baseball player is Sanford Braun. When Koufax allowed baserunners, he was rarely permitted to finish the 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. [2][75], On September 9, 1965, Koufax became the sixth pitcher of the modern era, and eighth overall, to throw a perfect game. Why Sandy Koufax is an important figure in baseball history. Instead, Koufax made a living on a baseball diamond, becoming one of the most dominating left-handers of all time. [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. And you still couldn't hit it. [22] Dodgers scout Al Campanis heard about Koufax from Jimmy Murphy, a part-time scout. If you do a good job, the numbers say so. "[28], Koufax's first start was on July 6. Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball. [115], Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, 1972, just weeks after his 36th birthday. [61] From July 3 to July 16, he pitched 33 consecutive scoreless innings, pitching three shutouts to lower his ERA to 1.65. He was the youngest player (age 36) and the He ended up with a third pitcher's Triple Crown, pitching 323 innings, posting a 279 record, and recording a 1.73 ERA. With his third no-hitter in three years Koufax tied Feller as the only modern-era pitchers to hurl three no-hitters.[72]. Fans and collectors are buying in good faith items they believe are real. HarperCollins. [15] In his only season, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings. Traumatic arthritis in his elbow ended Koufaxs career early due to a threat of permanent disability. 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. [55], Koufax had a strong season despite an injured pitching hand. In that start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision. If you're a baseball fan with a sense . Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 11 January 2023, at 01:19. 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. He was previously married to Kimberly Francis and Anne Heath Widmark. ( 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [120] He was also named that year as one of the 30 players on the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. "[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. 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. Koufax was the MVP and Cy Young Award winner in 1963 and also won Cy Young Awards in 1965 and '66 . leader four times, setting a single-season mark with 382 in 1965, and had the most wins three times, with totals [106] It not only appeared to move very late but also might move on multiple planes. 1963 Fleer Sandy Koufax. [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). 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. He resigned in 1990, saying he was not earning his keep, but most observers blamed it on his uneasy relationship with manager Tommy Lasorda. from the SABR BioProject, More Sandy Koufax Pages at Baseball Reference. 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.
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