Koufax's most memorable moments [57], In 1963 Major League Baseball expanded the strike zone. 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. [123][124], Before the 2015 MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati, Koufax was introduced as one of the four best living players (as selected by fans), along with Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Johnny Bench. Koufax played his entire MLB career with the Dodgers. 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. [27] Koufax made his major league debut on June 24, 1955, against the Milwaukee Braves, with the Dodgers trailing 71 in the fifth inning. The Dodgers fought back in Games 3 and 4, with wins by Claude Osteen and Drysdale. This Date in Baseball: Sandy Koufax Throws Perfect Game AP 0:00 0:44 Sept. 9 1914 George Davis of the Boston Braves pitched a 7-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second. Sandy Koufax Position: Pitcher Bats: Right Throws: Left 6-2 , 210lb (188cm, 95kg) Born: December 30, 1935 (Age: 87-060d) 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. . pic.twitter.com/Jq2MP88ZgL. Front & back yards are professionally landscaped. Palmer was the winning pitcher in a 6-0 Orioles victory. [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. strikeouts . The best way to describe Woods in those years is to say that he was Koufax. He started playing basketball for the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst local community center team. No discussion, its him.. In June 1959, Koufax set the record for a night game with 16 strikeouts. One of the most dominating pitchers in the game's history, Koufax was the first He threw the ceremonial first pitch to Bench from in front of the base of the mound. He was the youngest player (age 36) and the 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. To make room for him, the Dodgers optioned their future Hall of Fame manager, Tommy Lasorda, to the Montreal Royals of the International League. Award by a unanimous vote . Sandy Koufax, also known as the Left Hand of God, wed Anne Koufax, formerly Anne H. Widmark, on January 1, 1969. [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. Scully was not Jewish. Koufax had 11-game winning streaks in both 1964 and 1965. And what a time it was: a record of 97-27 across his final four seasons, when he was at his best. 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". Babe Ruth and Elvis Presley both passed away on Aug. 16. Special Advisor to Dodgers' Chairman Mark Walter . 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. Start Your Set Today . Over the next three seasons, Koufax was in and out of the starting rotation due to injuries. This area is served by the El Paso Independent attendance zone. pic.twitter.com/JgMKllrYBN. [15] In his only season, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings. Koufax, who grew up in Brooklyn playing in the city's "Ice Cream League" before heading to the University of Cincinnati to play basketball, debuted with his hometown Dodgers in 1955 after signing as a "bonus baby" in 1954. [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. [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. On April 22 he lasted only one inning. [131], Koufax serves as a member of the advisory board of the Baseball Assistance Team, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping former major league, minor league, and Negro league players through financial and medical difficulties.[132]. Sandy Koufax. [6] Drysdale pitched the opener, but was hit hard by the Minnesota Twins. Actually, he would let you look at it. Awesome once. Ruttman, "Sandy Koufax: Pitcher Nonpareil and Perfect Gentleman". Allen, who was thrown out trying to steal second, was the only Phillie to reach base that day. [91] He started 41 games (for the second year in a row); only two left-handers have started more games in any season over the ensuing years through 2021.[92]. Answer (1 of 15): I think he'd be a top-tier pitcher today. 1953-12-14 Brooklyn Dodgers sign pitcher Sandy Koufax; 1955-06-08 L.A. Dodgers option pitcher (and future Baseball Hall of Fame manager) Tommy Lasorda to make room on roster for future Hall of Famer, pitcher Sandy Koufax; 1955-08-27 Sandy Koufax fans 14 Reds, both teams combine for record 23 strikeouts; 1959-06-22 Most Phillies strike out in a game (16 by Sandy Koufax) 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. He also took Butazolidin for inflammation, applied capsaicin-based Capsolin ointment (also sold by the brand name "Atomic Balm") before each game, and soaked his arm in a tub of ice afterwards. What I don't understand is how he lost five,"[67] to which Dodger shortstop Maury Wills responded, "He didn't. Richard Belzer was a Jewish comedian. [112] His third wife is Jane Dee Purucker Clarke, a college sorority sister of First Lady Laura Bush. Find your new home at 10929 Sandy Koufax Dr located at 10929 Sandy Koufax Dr, El Paso, TX 79934. [20] During his Pirates tryout, his fastball broke the thumb of Sam Narron, the team's bullpen coach. Despite the constant pain in his pitching elbow, he pitched a major league-leading 335+23 innings and led the Dodgers to another pennant. Below is the final inning of Koufaxs lone career perfect game, delivered by Vin Scully. His second marriage, to personal trainer Kimberly Francis, lasted from 1985 to 1998. Koufax turns 86. Home is located close to parks, schools, shopping, freeway access & Fort Bliss. You really have, left-handed pitcher or not. Koufax has served as a mentor for Kershaw. [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. In April 1966, Kerlan told Koufax it was time to retire and that his arm could not take another season. [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. 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. [111][112], The Dodgers hired Koufax to be a minor league pitching coach in 1979. Together, they started more than half of the Dodgers' games and pitched 44 percent of the team's innings. 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. His No. [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. Kershaw is not the greatest Dodgers pitcher of all time, Sandy Koufax is. His no-hitter, along with a 42 record, 73 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA, earned him the Player of the Month Award for June. I tried to set an excellence that he lived up to, and I think it made us both better.. It really is such an honor for me to get to speak today, Kershaw said. Nicknamed The Left Arm of God, Sandy Koufax is a four-time World Series champion (1955, 1959, 1963, 1965) and in 1972 he became the youngest player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Sandy was a three-time World Series champion with a lifetime World Series ERA . Well, Sandy Koufax's age is 87 years old as of today's date 26th February 2023 having been born on 30 December 1935. The 1965 season brought more obstacles for Koufax. In the pantheon of beloved sports broadcasters, Vin Scully stands alone. He remains, over half a century later, on the very short list of pitchers who retired with more career strikeouts than innings pitched. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. It would be easy to argue that hes the best pitcher to ever wear Dodger Blue. Out of his 41 starts, 27 of them were complete games. At that time, sharing this space with him would have been absolutely unimaginable. During his speech, Koufax thanked a litany of former teammates and coaches who helped him throughout his career. Drysdale was to play a TV commentator and Koufax a detective. VERO BEACH, Fla. For one brief, shining moment, it appeared to be another era, say 1959. . See. In 1963, Koufax was 25-5, with a 1.88 ERA. So when he wrote his name in capital letters in the record books, that 'K' stands out even more than the O-U-F-A-X.. He managed to pitch and win two more games. [121], In 1990 Koufax was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. But off the field, Koufax and Kershaw have developed an even bigger friendship. And breathtaking. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. consecutive All-Star Games from 1961-66 . Baltimore's 20-year-old future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer pitched a four-hitter, and the Orioles won 60. Koufax planned to use the money as tuition to finish his university education, if his baseball career failed. 1 / 2. His postseason record was 4-3 with a 0 .95 ERA . "[109][110], In 1967, Koufax signed a 10-year contract with NBC for US$1million (equivalent to $8.1million in 2021) to be a broadcaster on the Saturday Game of the Week. 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). . 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. And I got him sometimes. In truth, Aaron did a little better than that. outside Dodger Stadium. From 1962-66, Koufax led the National League in earned run average and shutouts . Home is located close to parks, schools, shopping, freeway access & Fort Bliss. He struck out 306 batters in 311 innings. Considered not only one of the greatest Dodgers players ever, but one of the greatest players in baseball history, Koufax's legacy . In his 12-season major league career, Koufax had a 16587 record with a 2.76 ERA, 2,396 strikeouts, 137 complete games, and 40 shutouts. Now, 57 years after the Hall of Fame pitcher sat out a World Series. Even recently, Koufax shared some wisdom with Kershaw, who said he was struggling with his mechanics. Only St. Louis Cardinal Bob Gibson, with 13 in his iconic 1968 season,[63] "the year of the pitcher", has thrown more.[64]. 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. In a start in Cincinnati his finger split open after one inning. After the final out of Game 7, Koufax drove to Columbia to attend class. [128] Regardless, his decision to not pitch on Yom Kippur in 1965 was highly significant for Jewish-Americans. On his fourth no-hitter, he made it a perfect game! "[24] The Dodgers signed Koufax for a $6,000 ($61,000 today) salary, with a $14,000 ($141,000 today) signing bonus. Koufax, though, dominated pretty much everybody else in his time. 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. Join. 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. He has since worked for the Dodgers organization in a variety of capacities. In the second game, he pitched two scoreless innings. portion of Spring Training to work with Dodger pitchers and consulting with the team OLDENBURG - Some of the people in this story, the strangest Sandy Koufax story ever told, are dead . Finally, on his way out the door in 1966, Koufax finished 27-9, the most victories in any of his 12 seasons. [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. 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. With an overworked pitching staff there was no one else, as Drysdale and Johnny Podres had pitched the prior two days. 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. [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 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. [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. MLB Tonight celebrates Sandy Koufax's 87th birthday . In the final game of the regular season, the Dodgers had to beat the Phillies to win the pennant. We lost them for him. Despite the blazing speed of his fastball, Koufax continued to struggle with his control. [76][77] The game was Koufax's fourth no-hitter,[77] setting a major league record (subsequently broken by Ryan in 1981),[78] and the first by a left-hander since 1880. He was just 30 years old, and he was retiring after a great season-he'd led the Dodgers. And maybe Elvis, too. He started out as a left-handed catcher before moving to first base. He was also named the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1963, and was runner-up for the award the other two years. Koufax recovered fully, and in 1963 he had the first of possibly the four greatest consecutive seasons any pitcher ever produced. Historical Events. Koufax wed his second wife, Kimberly Francis, in 1985. Instead, the Dodgers were swept in four games, not scoring a single run in the last three. 299 pages, Hardcover. Come view this home today as it is ready for immediate move in! Koufax declined the offer. World Series Championship. Final Projected (1962): 14-7, 3.33 ERA, 0 SHO, 167.1 IP, 132 H . Sandy Koufax, the ace. 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. He had two wins in 1955, which were both shutouts. As noted, Mrs. Clarke is Koufax's wife number 3; back on January 1st, 1969, Sandy, known as the Left Hand of God . \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"Koufaxs four-year run from 1963-66 is one of the best ever. During 1964 Koufax's arthritis became exacerbated. On June 4, 1972, Koufax's uniform No . He celebrates his birthday on 30th Dec every year and his birth sign is Capricorn. [113] Koufax returned to the Dodger organization in 2004 when the Dodgers were sold to Frank McCourt. Memorably, Scully repeatedly makes note of the time on the scoreboards clock (The time on the scoreboard is 9:44. LOS ANGELES - Sandy Koufax officially took his exalted place in Dodger Stadium's center field plaza Saturday, and the biggest surprise . 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? Jane Purucker Clarke. $1,895.00. I thought it was so cool they referenced the famous video of him and his dad. His best was better than everybody elses best. He threw a ridiculous 311 innings, averaging nearly eight innings per start. [107] He also occasionally threw a changeup and a forkball. Off in a corner at Dodgertown, standing together behind a pitcher's mound and wearing Dodger uniforms,. Koufax played for the Dodgers first in Brooklyn and then Los Angles, from 1955-1966, putting together a breathtaking resume that included four World Series championships, three Cy Young Award wins for the games best pitcher and four no-hitters. [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 won three Cy Young Awards, one MVP and three World Series titles with the Dodgers. Kimberly was a personal trainer. "[85] Drysdale responded that Bavasi had done the same thing with him, in reverse. [30][31] Koufax threw 41+23 innings in 12 appearances that season, striking out 30 batters and walking 28. 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 [61] From July 3 to July 16, he pitched 33 consecutive scoreless innings, pitching three shutouts to lower his ERA to 1.65. Despite injuries ending his career prematurely, Koufax established himself as one of the most dominant pitchers of all time. If he's rested and ready to take the mound again, we want him on our team." [82], Koufax declined to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series in order to observe the Jewish religious holiday of Yom Kippur. Los Angeles Dodgers unveil the Sandy Koufax statue in the Centerfield Plaza to honor the Hall of Famer and three-time Cy Young Award winner prior to a MLB baseball game between the Cleveland . Then and now. 32 pic.twitter.com/DeDYaRAYY5, Living legends. 32 was retired alongside those of fellow Dodger greats Roy Campanella When he first joined the team in 1955 they were called the Brooklyn Dodgers. Kerlan also told Koufax that he would eventually lose full use of his arm. Koufax's seasonal W-L record during that period was. Eddie Mathews bunted, and Koufax threw the ball into center field. Another integral part of the audience was Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw. I decided I was really going to find out how good I can be. Sandy Koufax's House Vero Beach, Florida (FL), US Like Tweet Share Pin Sandy Koufax is a retired American baseball player. A statue of Sandy Koufax, arguably the most famous Jewish athlete in American sports, is set to be unveiled at Dodger Stadium this month. Posted by Ryan Gaeta. [21] The Pirates, however, failed to offer Koufax a contract until after he was already committed to the Dodgers. Since his retirement, Koufax has maintained that standard. In typical Koufax fashion, he centered his speech by thanking everyone that helped him get to this moment. Sandy Koufax made 40 starts in 1963, only one short of his career-high. In the first inning, Koufax walked the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches. Koufax kept Kerlan's advice to himself and went out every fourth day to pitch. Alston gave him a chance to justify his place on the major league roster by giving him the next day's start. Branch Rickey, then the general manager of the Pirates, told his scout Clyde Sukeforth that Koufax had the "greatest arm [he had] ever seen". Lasorda would later joke that it took Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching staff. The Dodgers went on to face the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series, and Game 2 marked Koufax's third start in eight days. 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. . [89] was a member of Dodgers' world championship teams in 1955, '59, '63 and '65, earning MVP honors in 1963 and Sandy Koufax, left, with sculptor Branly Cadet. Sandy Koufax Autographed Authentic Mitchell & Ness 1963 Replica Jersey - Grey. 190. Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, as well as the first pitcher to win a Cy Young