Koufax also won the Hickok Belt a second time, the first time anyone had won the belt more than once. After setting a modern NL record in 1961 with 269 strikeouts, in 1963 he became the first pitcher in 17 years and the first left-hander since 1904 to strike out 300 batters. Sandy Koufax, Ed Linn. 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. 2023 jewish telegraphic agency all rights reserved. ) Other Amenities Other: two story, living area, dining area . Here's his prime years: Those columns are W, L, Pct., ERA, G, GS, CG, . (2000). [111][112], The Dodgers hired Koufax to be a minor league pitching coach in 1979. Sandy Koufax, byname of Sanford Koufax, original name Sanford Braun, (born Dec. 30, 1935, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.), American professional baseball player who, despite his early retirement due to arthritis, was ranked among the sport's greatest pitchers. 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. And you still couldn't hit it. During 1964 Koufax's arthritis became exacerbated. Education 190. From 1962-66, Koufax led the National League in earned run average and shutouts . 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." [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. 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). Not a day goes by without his name appearing on the World Wide Web.97 The year 2002 brought Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy, by Jane Leavy. [10] Shortly after his mother's remarriage, the family moved to the Long Island suburb of Rockville Centre. The couple divorced in 1982 and never had children. Koufax was pitching better than ever, however, so he ignored the problem, hoping that the condition would clear up. MLB Tonight celebrates Sandy Koufax's 87th birthday . Finally, on his way out the door in 1966, Koufax finished 27-9, the most victories in any of his 12 seasons. Sandy Koufax Position: Starting Pitcher Bats: Right Throws: Left 6-2 , 210lb (188cm, 95kg) Born: December 30, 1935 (Age: 87-063d) 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. He won an ERA title in 1962 when he only pitched half a season due to injury and led the league in strikeouts in 1961 with 269. . But thank you to all the fans who treated me so well, and tell them how lucky they are to have had competitive teams to root for, for so many years. Allen, who was thrown out trying to steal second, was the only Phillie to reach base that day. of 27, 26 and 25 . 42 and Roy Campanellas No. It's on today's date in 1965 that Sandy Koufax capped an amazing World Series with a Game 7 pitching performance of such stylish fortitude that baseball fans who remember it are still in awe. Despite the constant pain in his pitching elbow, he pitched a major league-leading 335+23 innings and led the Dodgers to another pennant. A left-handed pitcher, he played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, from 1955 to 1966. The greatest of all time, Sandy Koufax. It really is such an honor for me to get to speak today, Kershaw said. October 6, 1965, was the most important day of the year for this 29-year-old native of Brooklyn. 4. He struck out the last six consecutive batters. On June 30 against the expansion New York Mets, he threw his first no-hitter. [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. Out of his 41 starts, 27 of them were complete games. 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. [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. One of the most dominating pitchers in the game's history, Koufax was the first He managed to pitch and win two more games. Year Team . Koufax was a two-time World Series MVP with the Dodgers. [57], In 1963 Major League Baseball expanded the strike zone. [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. The 1965 season brought more obstacles for Koufax. Koufaxs four-year run from 1963-66 is one of the best ever. Koufax agreed not to throw at all between gamesa resolution that lasted only one start. And today, it still is. Koufax joined Robinson, who received the first statue in Dodger Stadium history back in 2015. 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. On May 23, he pitched a 1-0, one-hit shutout in Pittsburgh, allowing only a second-inning single by pitcher Bennie Daniels. Red Sox exec Chaim Bloom says hes received antisemitism over teams woes, The Jewish Sport Report: Talking Jews in baseball with ESPNs Jeff Passan, ESPNs Jeff Passan opens up on his Hebrew school upbringing, interviewing Sandy Koufax and Jewish baseball history, Catholic school soccer team that brawled with Miami Jewish school forfeits state semifinal, Connecticut College students are in revolt after presidents planned talk at Florida club with antisemitic and racist past, March comes in with a roar of new Yiddish music, Converting to Judaism has defined my high school experience, 10 months into leadership crisis, fighting has renewed over German rabbinical schools future, Albania to build museum to citizens who saved Jews during Holocaust. [126], Koufax has been described by Sports Illustrated writer John Rosengren as a secular Jew. It was a six-year run that took him straight to Cooperstown. shutouts . If you order today, this is the estimated delivery date and is based on the seller's processing time and location, carrier transit time, and your inferred shipping address. And here is, Feds arrest Michigan man who plotted to kill Jewish elected officials in the state, American citizen killed in latest West Bank shooting amid escalating violence. The date, September the ninth, 1965, and Koufax working on veteran Harvey Kuenn.), reminding fans that they were witnessing history. [119], In 1999, The Sporting News placed Koufax at number 26 on its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players". Koufax, though, dominated pretty much everybody else in his time. During this stretch, Koufax won three Cy Young Awards (1963, '65, '66) and an NL MVP (1963). Answer (1 of 15): I think he'd be a top-tier pitcher today. Palmer was the winning pitcher in a 6-0 Orioles victory. Koufax's role includes attending a Here is the end of Vin Scullys call that night, one legend talking about another: On the scoreboard in right field, it is 9:46 p.m. in the City of the Angels, Los Angeles, California. When he first joined the team in 1955 they were called the Brooklyn Dodgers. I once asked Hank Aaron about what it was like facing Koufax. He was awarded Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year award. I tried to set an excellence that he lived up to, and I think it made us both better.. In April 1966, Kerlan told Koufax it was time to retire and that his arm could not take another season. 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. And what a time it was: a record of 97-27 across his final four seasons, when he was at his best. He has since worked for the Dodgers organization in a variety of capacities. Koufax was the MVP and Cy Young Award winner in 1963 and also won Cy Young Awards in 1965 and '66 . A recording of the final inning made its way around the internet, as baseball fans celebrated the soft-voiced broadcasting icon for his poetic knack for bringing fans into the game. On June 4, 1972, Koufax's uniform No . The best way to describe Woods in those years is to say that he was Koufax. In 1966, his final season, he went 27-9 with a 1.73 ERA and 27 complete games.\n\nIn the postseason, Koufax also shined, winning two World Series MVP Awards.\n\nI have to be careful how I word things because I say I hit against Sandy Koufax, but I have to take that back because I only faced Sandy Koufax, said former Dodgers manager Joe Torre. But the injury made him realize that greatness can be fleeting. 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. . The advice worked, Koufax struck out the side, and then went on to pitch seven no-hit innings. [2][75], On September 9, 1965, Koufax became the sixth pitcher of the modern era, and eighth overall, to throw a perfect game. Koufax planned to use the money as tuition to finish his university education, if his baseball career failed. A vascular specialist determined that Koufax had a crushed artery in his palm. Come view this home today as it is ready for immediate move in! OLDENBURG - Some of the people in this story, the strangest Sandy Koufax story ever told, are dead . Sandy Koufax's home in Vero Beach, Florida. The legendary voice of the Dodgers, who died Tuesday at 94, helped generations of fans fall in love with baseball, from his first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950 to his final call in Los Angeles in 2016. Koufax's seasonal W-L record during that period was. It would be easy to argue that hes the best pitcher to ever wear Dodger Blue. Nobe Kawano, the clubhouse supervisor, retrieved the equipment in case Koufax returned to play the following year. Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully wasnt in attendance, but Koufax made sure to include during his speech that Scully is the greatest of all time.. Find the US States - No Outlines Minefield. 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. Drysdale's wife Ginger suggested that they negotiate together to get what they wanted. Fifty years ago on October 6, at the tender age of 30, Sandy Koufax bowed out of baseball. Another integral part of the audience was Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw. I can't pitch. Only St. Louis Cardinal Bob Gibson, with 13 in his iconic 1968 season,[63] "the year of the pitcher", has thrown more.[64]. Well, Sandy Koufax's age is 87 years old as of today's date 26th February 2023 having been born on 30 December 1935. [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. . [56], The night before the playoffs began, manager Alston asked Koufax if he could start the next day. 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. On Saturday, Koufax and his famous leg kick were forever immortalized at Dodger Stadium as he became the second player to get a statue in the center-field plaza. [81] Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. Heres what to watch for. [128] Regardless, his decision to not pitch on Yom Kippur in 1965 was highly significant for Jewish-Americans. [33], The year 1956 was not very different from 1955 for Koufax. [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. 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. Front & back yards are professionally landscaped. 3. Sandy Koufax Hall-of-Fame Teammates Quiz - By adubbdubb. However, the morning after his 19th win, a shutout in which he struck out 13 batters, he could not straighten his arm. Topps created three different sets to be distributed in Venezuela and, as Koufax had retired after the 1966 season, he was included in the 50-card set featuring former stars from the 20th century. On Saturday, Koufax and his famous leg kick were forever immortalized at Dodger Stadium as he became the second player to get a statue in the center-field plaza. Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family and was raised in Borough Park. 1963 Topps #210 HOF SANDY KOUFAX Los Angeles Dodgers KSA 5 EX graded $299.99 Free shipping or Best Offer 1959 Topps Sandy Koufax #163 PSA 5 ++ Centered, looks NM, Pack $295.00 18 watching Sandy Koufax Don Drysdale 1962 Topps NL Strikeout Leaders PSA 5 EX $29.00 $5.60 shipping or Best Offer 1963 Fleer #42 Sandy Koufax PSA 5 01287001 $71.00 14 bids Advertisement Sandy Koufax, pitcher of Los Angeles Dodgers on March 18, 1964 at . Top right: Koufax at the 2014 BBWAA . 11 y/o me started collecting him as soon as he got drafted. SUMMARY Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Evelyn and Jack Braun. [48], 1961 was Koufax's breakout season. Returning to Chicago, the Dodgers won Game 6 and the Series. Like |. Koufax had 11-game winning streaks in both 1964 and 1965. Sandy Koufax, the ace. Today's equivalent is Ibuprofen. 4.15. Koufax's pitching prowess aside, Passan praised the principled stance the former Dodger took all those years ago. See. Sandy Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 30, 1935. Campanis later said, "There are two times in my life the hair on my arms has stood up: The first time I saw the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the second time, I saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball. Jane Purucker Clarke. 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. "[68] In Game 4, Koufax completed the Dodgers' series sweep with a 21 victory over Ford, clinching the Series MVP Award for his performance. Sandy was a three-time World Series champion with a lifetime World Series ERA . 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. During his speech, Koufax thanked a litany of former teammates and coaches who helped him throughout his career. I like to say hes one of a kind.","type":"markdown"},{"__typename":"ExternalEmbed","data":{"__typename":"ExternalEmbedContent","html":", A day to remember for No. His mother was remarried when he was nine, to Irving Koufax. [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 won 25 or more games in three of the four seasons, winning the Cy Young Award in each of those three seasons. 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 similarities between Kershaw and Koufax are obvious. In June, the Dodgers honored the 86-year-old Koufax with a statue outside Dodger Stadium. Learn about his age, height, weight, dating, wife, girlfriend, kids and more. But only one of the four runs Koufax gave up that day was earned, as Willie Davis managed to make three errors in the outfield on a day when the Dodgers made six errors in all. . Koufax authorized the book but declined to be interviewed; thus, Leavy . [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. His second marriage, to personal trainer Kimberly Francis, lasted from 1985 to 1998. Though, he is 6 1 in feet and inches and 188 cm in Centimetres tall, he . 50. r/footballcards. Branch Rickey, then the general manager of the Pirates, told his scout Clyde Sukeforth that Koufax had the "greatest arm [he had] ever seen". He His ERA was 1.74. And by the way, he and the Dodgers reached the World Series in all three of those award-winning seasons. [35], To prepare for the 1957 season, the Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball. During his speech, Koufax thanked a litany of former teammates and coaches who helped him throughout his career. 1 / 2. I like to say hes one of a kind., Given everything he has meant to the Dodgers organization over decades, Koufaxs statue unveiling drew a big crowd. [11] Koufax attended Brooklyn's Lafayette High School, where he was better known for basketball than for baseball. 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. Sandy Koufax, also known as the Left Hand of God, wed Anne Koufax, formerly Anne H. Widmark, on January 1, 1969. Lasorda would later joke that it took Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching staff. And breathtaking. 32 was one of the first retired by the organization, along with Jackie Robinsons No. honors Steinbrenner, Clemens at 15th annual dinner", "Sandy Koufax: Pitcher Nonpareil and Perfect Gentleman", "Close-Up: Good Life of Baseball's Number 1 Hero", National League Most Valuable Player Award, Major League Baseball combined Cy Young Award, National League Pitcher of the Year Award, Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, Major League Baseball pitchers who have pitched a perfect game, Bums: An Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Orel Hershiser's scoreless innings streak, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sandy_Koufax&oldid=1141250131, International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame inductees, National League Most Valuable Player Award winners, World Series Most Valuable Player Award winners, National League Pitching Triple Crown winners, Major League Baseball players with retired numbers, Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball players, Columbia University School of General Studies alumni, Lafayette High School (New York City) alumni, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, October 2,1966,for theLos Angeles Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/udkMRcWR29, The legendary life and career of Sandy Koufax. Koufax was 30 when he pitched his final game for the Dodgers, Game 2 of the 1966 World Series. [43], In early 1960, Koufax asked Dodgers general manager Buzzie Bavasi to trade him because he was not getting enough playing time. Because the standard was set of excellence that I tried to live up to. . portion of Spring Training to work with Dodger pitchers and consulting with the team He was the youngest player (age 36) and the Paid $15 to get my first auto of his and ngl it put a big dent in my funds lol. (Harry How/Getty Images). His postseason record was 4-3 with a 0 .95 ERA . 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. "[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. (39) and Jackie Robinson (42). He went 25-5 that season, with the team going 34-6 in his starts. I think my only regret today is that so many are no longer with us, and Im unable to let them know how much I thank them and how much I appreciated them, Koufax said. First published August 30, 1966. May 6, 2022 3:38 PM PT. By jacob gurvis 22 June 2022, 11:43 am. [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. And a crowd of 29,139 just sitting in to see the only pitcher in baseball history [at the time] to hurl four no-hit, no-run games. One of the rarest Koufax cards can be found in a set made by Topps for the Venezuelan market in 1967. BREATHTAKING. [88], Koufax and Drysdale did not report to spring training in February. 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. I then took Koufax's stats for his 28.62 starts and multiplied everything with 0.9085 to arrive at Koufax's final projected stats. Koufax finished with a 14-7 slate, and led the NL in ERA (2.54) for the first of five consecutive seasons. In 1966, his final season, he went 27-9 with a 1.73 ERA and 27 complete games. 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. Award by a unanimous vote . But over the course of a 67-year broadcasting career with the Dodgers, one that spanned from Jackie Robinson to current Dodger great Clayton Kershaw, the Hall of Famer covered the entire career of Jewish superstar pitcher Sandy Koufax. "Now, 67 years ago, Jackie Robinson became my teammate and friend," Koufax said Friday. Koufax's most memorable moments 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. history to have two games with 18 or more strikeouts, and the first to have eight games with 15 or more "[85] Drysdale responded that Bavasi had done the same thing with him, in reverse. Popular Quizzes Today. Less than six weeks after the series, on Friday, November 18,[96][97] Koufax announced his retirement due to an arthritic elbow. Police, security agencies advise Jews to be on alert ahead of planned National Day of Hate on Shabbat, The Jewish Sport Report: Your guide to Team Israel and the World Baseball Classic. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. [61] From July 3 to July 16, he pitched 33 consecutive scoreless innings, pitching three shutouts to lower his ERA to 1.65. Sandy Koufax, standing in the center, during a ceremony honoring Vin Scully at Dodger Stadium, May 3, 2017. He is also the first pitcher to win the award by a unanimous votea recognition which he accomplished twice more. Then he added this, just for fun, and with a Scully twinkle: Pretty good. [46], A day later, Koufax was pitching for the "B team" in Orlando. Matthew Moreno. Even recently, Koufax shared some wisdom with Kershaw, who said he was struggling with his mechanics. He was knocked out in the second inning, after giving up home runs to future Hall of Famer Willie Mays and Jim Davenport. Koufax jammed his pitching arm in August while diving back to second base to beat a pick-off throw. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. Baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax pitched for UC in the 1950s and also played on the. Koufax allowed only one run in seven innings, but lost the 10 game when Nellie Fox scored on a double play. Koufax has served as a mentor for Kershaw. In the final game of the regular season, the Dodgers had to beat the Phillies to win the pennant. "[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." Koufax ultimately landed on the DL in mid-July and missed nine weeks. He won three Cy Young Awards, one MVP and three World Series titles with the Dodgers. Koufax was coming off the best season of his . Kimberly was a personal trainer. Throughout his career, Koufax relied heavily on two pitches. He posted 15 complete games (seven shutouts) and punched out 223 batters in as many innings. [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. Sandy Koufax, one of the greatest Jewish players in MLB history, once refused to play in the World Series. In a start in Cincinnati his finger split open after one inning. That Sandy Koufax was a talented basketball player in Brooklyn before becoming a baseball Hall of Famer gives the Nets' arrival in the borough just a little more heft.