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. How overwhelming was Koufax in those last six seasons? Koufax briefly held the Dodgers records for career strikeouts and shutouts until longtime teammate Don Drysdale passed him in 1968. I can't pitch. [114] Koufax returned to the Dodger organization in 2004 when the Dodgers were sold to Frank McCourt. Born on Dec. 30, 1935 in Brooklyn, N.Y., Koufax impressed a scout who saw him throw for his college baseball team. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Alston gave him the start in Game 5, at the Los Angeles Coliseum in front of 92,706 fans. In June 1959, Koufax set the record for a night game with 16 strikeouts. Best of his ERA: Five NL titlesIn each of his final five seasons, Koufax led the NL in ERA, making him the only pitcher in history to finish first in his league (AL or NL) in that category so many years in a row. By the end of the year, after going 813, Koufax was thinking about quitting baseball to devote himself to an electronics business in which he had invested. 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). Family (1) Spouse Kimberly Francis (1985 - [127], Koufax has been described by Sports Illustrated writer John Rosengren as a secular Jew. 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? [24] After seeing Koufax pitch for Lafayette, Campanis invited him to an Ebbets Field tryout. Sandy Koufax Position: Pitcher Bats: Right Throws: Left 6-2 , 210lb (188cm, 95kg) Born: December 30, 1935 (Age: 87-073d) 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. WebHall of Fame Explorer Koufax, Sandy About Stats Stories Related Hall of Famers Enlarge Plaque Originally a basketball star with dreams of being an architect, Sandy Koufax became one of the most dominating pitchers of all time.

After making adjustments prior to the 1961 season to improve his control and getting more regular playing time, Koufax quickly rose to become the most dominant pitcher in Major League Baseball before arthritis in his left elbow ended his career prematurely at age 30.[1]. '65, when he pitched two shutouts . Koufax tried all sorts of treatments, but medicine was hardly as advanced as it is today, and there was little he could do to escape the pain. Koufax's role includes attending a portion of Spring Training to work with Dodger pitchers and He was just 30 years old, and he was retiring after a 397 397 Games 1935 1935 Birth year About Sandy Koufax WebHall of Famer Sandy Koufax returned to the Dodgers in January 2013 to serve as Special Advisor to Dodgers' Chairman Mark Walter . Whats amazing about Koufax is that he played for one team the Dodgers but he had two entirely different careers. They demanded $1 million (equivalent to $8.4million in 2021), divided equally over the next three years, or $167,000 (equivalent to $1.39million in 2021) each for each of the next three seasons. 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. From 1962-66, Koufax led the National League in earned run average and shutouts . Or write about sports? Obama continued: "He can't pitch on Yom Kippur. With Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing. December 30, 1935 award was presented to one pitcher, rather than one in each league . [23] Dodgers scout Al Campanis heard about Koufax from Jimmy Murphy, a part-time scout. Owning October: 0.95 postseason ERAKoufax still boasts one of the most impressive postseason rsums in Major League history. and to strike out more than nine batters (9 .28) per nine innings . [7] Drysdale pitched the opener, but was hit hard by the Minnesota Twins. was a member of Dodgers' world championship teams in 1955, '59, '63 and '65, earning MVP honors in 1963 and [55] 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. He is an actor, known for 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Shotgun Slade (1959) and Michael Shayne (1960). After joining the major leagues at age 19, having never pitched a game in the minor leagues, the first half of his career was marred with inconsistancy and control problems, posting a record of just 3640 with a 4.10 ERA; he was a member of World Series champions in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles, though he did not appear in any of the team's Series wins despite pitching brilliantly in the 1959 series. honors Steinbrenner, Clemens at 15th annual dinner", "Sandy Koufax: Pitcher Nonpareil and Perfect Gentleman", "Close-Up: Good Life of Baseball's Number 1 Hero", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sandy_Koufax&oldid=1148143834, October 2,1966,for theLos Angeles Dodgers. Major Leaguer to pitch four no-hitters, including a perfect game . [107] It not only appeared to move very late but also might move on multiple planes. He then walked Hank Aaron on four pitches to load the bases, but struck out Bobby Thomson on a 32 fastballan outcome Koufax later came to view as "probably the worst thing that could have happened to me," leading, as it did, to five seasons spent "trying to get out of trouble by throwing harder and harder and harder. in Brooklyn, NY In a start in Cincinnati his finger split open after one inning. Show your love of the game and play a part in preserving past and ensuring the future of the Baseball Hall of Fame. [122], In 1990 Koufax was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. A vascular specialist determined that Koufax had a crushed artery in his palm. Lowest career ERA at any ballparkMin. A history of the Sports Reference Sponsorship System. Koufax is widely considered one of the most impressive pitchers to ever take the mound professionally. 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. [54][55] It would be the only time in his career he earned this distinction. The king: Three MLB Triple CrownsThe Triple Crown is most famous with regard to hitters (batting average, home runs, RBIs), but theres one for pitchers, too (wins, ERA, strikeouts). However, the morning after his 19th win, a shutout in which he struck out 13 batters, he could not straighten his arm. He made eight career playoff appearances, including seven starts (all in the World Series, which back then was the only round), and threw 57 innings with a 0.95 ERA. He was awarded Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year award. The only pitchers in the Live Ball Era to do better over any four-season span are Lefty Grove (1929-32 and 30-33), Randy Johnson (1999-2002) and Pedro Martinez (1997-2000). Koufax also won the Hickok Belt a second time, the first time anyone had won the belt more than once. Koufax pitched two perfect relief innings in the Series opener, though they came after the Dodgers were already behind 110. Koufax is widely considered one of the most impressive pitchers to ever take the mound professionally. [75], 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 and Oscar Robertson are neck-and-neck in the debate over the greatest UC athlete of all time.

first pitcher inducted into the Hall of Fame (1972) who had more strikeouts than innings pitched . He had two wins in 1955, which were both shutouts. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. 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. [130], 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. He was previously married to Kimberly Francis and Anne Heath Widmark. [87][88] At the time, Willie Mays was the highest paid player in the major leagues at $125,000 (equivalent to $1.04million in 2021) per year, and multi-year contracts were extremely unusual. He started out as a left-handed catcher before moving to first base. [51] In the first game he faced only one batter, giving up a hit to Al Kaline in the ninth inning. [44], In early 1960, Koufax asked Dodgers general manager Buzzie Bavasi to trade him because he was not getting enough playing time. His mother was remarried when he was nine, to Irving Koufax. 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. WebSandy Koufax. He walked Ed Bailey on a 3-and-2 pitch in the eighth, and pinch-hitter McCovey on four pitches in the ninth, before closing out the game. Sandy Koufax Position: Pitcher Bats: Right Throws: Left 6-2 , 210lb (188cm, 95kg) Born: December 30, 1935 (Age: 87-073d) 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. See. [77][78] The game was Koufax's fourth no-hitter,[78] setting a major league record (subsequently broken by Ryan in 1981),[79] and the first by a left-hander since 1880. (He also led in FIP in each of those five, not that anyone knew what FIP was at the time). Every single product on this site has been approved and licensed by Sandy Koufax. One of the most dominating pitchers in the game's history, Koufax was the first Koufax finally was able to pitch again in September, when the team was locked in a tight pennant race with the Giants. 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." "[105], Koufax threw with a pronounced straight-over-the-top arm action. Legendary Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax thanks 46 people during a 10-minute speech at the unveiling of his statue at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. I LOVE NEW YORK is a registered trademark and service mark of the New York State Department of Economic Development; used with permission. On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. In the second game of a doubleheader, Koufax faced Jim Bunning for the second time that season,[91] in a match-up between perfect game winners. [70][71], Koufax's 1964 season started with great expectations. Koufax won the Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965 and 1966 by unanimous votes, winning the Triple Crown[3][4][5][6] 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. Nearly 200 have racked up more wins. He managed to pitch and win two more games. The lefty joins Cy Young himself as the only hurlers to include a perfect game among a group of at least three no-nos. Explore the archives and go deep into the lives, careers, and stories of the Hall of Fame's honorees. Traumatic arthritis in his elbow ended Koufaxs career early due to a threat of permanent disability. Exceeded rookie limits during 1956 season, View Player Bio Koufax spent his entire career with the Dodgers, first in Brooklyn and then continuing Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Koufax was the MVP and Cy Young Award winner in 1963 and also won Cy Young Awards in 1965 and '66 . University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH). His life should be an inspiration for us all. Mr. [11] He later earned a partial scholarship. [60] 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. Tickets. 500 IP, 1920-20221) Sandy Koufax: 1.37 (Dodger Stadium)2) Jacob deGrom: 2.12 (Citi Field)3) Don Drysdale: 2.19 (Dodger Stadium)4) Clayton Kershaw: 2.22 (Dodger Stadium)5) Dean Chance: 2.24 (Dodger Stadium). WebSanford Sandy Koufax, one of the greatest pitchers in baseball, was referred to as the man with the golden arm.. I started running more. Koufax was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues on June 24, 1955, with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was the first pitcher to win in back-to-back years, a club that has now grown to 11. Sandy Koufax weighed 210 lbs (95 kg) when playing. That 0.85 mark is a Live Ball Era record at any ballpark (minimum 100 innings), and all five seasons rank in the top 100. His postseason record was 4-3 with a 0 .95 ERA . He was previously married to Kimberly Francis and Anne Heath Widmark. He has since worked for the Dodgers organization in a variety of capacities. [12] Koufax attended Brooklyn's Lafayette High School, where he was better known for basketball than for baseball. Kerlan also told Koufax that he would eventually lose full use of his arm. October 2, 1966 The performance earned him his second World Series MVP award, making him the first player to win the award twice. He was selected as an All-Star for six consecutive seasons[2] 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). After four weeks, Koufax gave Drysdale the go-ahead to negotiate new deals for both of them. Koufax was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues on June 24, 1955, with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Free shipping for many products! [92] 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.[93]. 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. Family (1) Spouse Kimberly Francis (1985 - View Sandy Koufax's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). 10929 Sandy Koufax Dr is located in El Paso, the 79934 zipcode, and the WebHall of Fame Explorer Koufax, Sandy About Stats Stories Related Hall of Famers Enlarge Plaque Originally a basketball star with dreams of being an architect, Sandy Koufax became one of the most dominating pitchers of all time. Family (1) Spouse Kimberly Francis (1985 - Zero: Four no-hittersThe indestructible Ryan is the all-time record holder with seven no-hitters, the last of which came when he was 44 -- 14 years older than Koufax was in his final game. Cy collector: Three awards in four yearsKoufax is one of 11 pitchers in Major League history to claim at least three Cy Young Awards, and he is the only one of the 10 to do so in the era when there was just one award (1956-66), instead of separate awards for the AL and NL. Day trip or a week-long adventure. A version of this story first ran in January 2022. [30] 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. 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 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. 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. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. throughout the year . Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 4 April 2023, at 10:13. We lost them for him. For the first time in his career, he was in the starting rotation, but only for two weeks. Instead, Koufax made a living on a baseball diamond, becoming one of the most dominating left-handers of all time. He WebSandy Koufax was born on December 30, 1935 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Allen, who was thrown out trying to steal second, was the only Phillie to reach base that day. When Sandy Koufax was awarded a basketball scholarship to the University of Cincinnati in 1953, his plans included a career in architecture. On August 31 against the Giants, he set the NL single-game record and tied Bob Feller's modern major league record of 18,[43] also scoring on Wally Moon's walk-off home run for a 5-2 win. Nearly 200 have racked up more wins. WebSandy 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. But few have crafted a legacy as respected and enduring as the Dodgers left-hander, especially in so short a time. 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 remains, over half a century later, on the very short list of pitchers who retired with more career strikeouts than innings pitched. Facing the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, Koufax struck out 13 while pitching his first complete game in almost two years. 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). 2023 Season Tickets Single Game Tickets Special Event Ticket Packages Promotions & Giveaways Parking Premium Seating Group Tickets Digital Ticketing Assistant My Dodgers Tickets 3D Seat Map Current Member Portal SeatGeek. [104], "I knew every pitch he was going to throw and still I couldn't hit him. WebSandy Koufax was born on December 30, 1935 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. To make room for him, the Dodgers optioned their future Hall of Fame manager, Tommy Lasorda, to the Montreal Royals of the International League. In 1972, Sandy Koufax was officially voted into the Hall of Fame, alongside Yogi Berra and Early Wynn. Jackie Robinson, in his final season, clashed with Alston on Koufax's usage. Koufaxs total ERA over those five seasons was 1.95, and he is the only pitcher in the Live Ball Era to post an ERA under 1.90 in three different qualifying seasons. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, April 5, 11:12AM. On June 30 against the expansion New York Mets, he threw his first no-hitter. He is also the first pitcher to win the award by a unanimous votea recognition which he accomplished twice more. 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", "John Clem Clarke, a Pop Art Perennial in SoHo, Dies at 83", "B.A.T. He has been hailed as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. He was also named the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1963, and was runner-up for the award the other two years. His decision garnered national headlines, raising the conflict between professional pressures and personal religious beliefs to front-page news. Self-guided tour or VIP experience. [120], In 1999, The Sporting News placed Koufax at number 26 on its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players". [34], The year 1956 was not very different from 1955 for Koufax. 2023 Season Tickets Single Game Tickets Special Event Ticket Packages Promotions & Giveaways Parking Premium Seating Group Tickets Digital Ticketing Assistant My Dodgers Tickets 3D Seat Map Current Member Portal SeatGeek. Then there's today, Dec. 30, the birthday of three American athletes of whom you may have heard: Tiger Woods, LeBron James and Sandy Koufax . [82] Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. Ruttman, "Sandy Koufax: Pitcher Nonpareil and Perfect Gentleman". Legendary Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax thanks 46 people during a 10-minute speech at the unveiling of his statue at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. Hello, Hall: Inducted at 36Koufaxs peak was so impressive that even though he hung up his spikes at age 30, there was no doubt that he was Hall of Fame-worthy. Nearly 200 have racked up more wins. He won both the Cy Young Award and NL Most Valuable Player Award that season. [124][125], 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. Only St. Louis Cardinal Bob Gibson, with 13 in his iconic 1968 season,[64] "the year of the pitcher", has thrown more.[65]. Rookie Status: Welcome sports fans and collectors to SandyKoufax.com, the first and only authorized and approved website by Sandy Koufax. [3][67][85], Before the 1966 season began, Koufax and Drysdale met separately with general manager Buzzie Bavasi to negotiate their contracts for the upcoming year. He established one record after another as he went through an 11-year career as a pitcher with the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the first inning of that game he struck out all three batters on nine total pitches to become the sixth recorded National League pitcher and the 11th recorded pitcher in major league history to accomplish an immaculate inning. Free shipping for many products! Koufax played 12 years at the MLB level, all with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. [16] In his only season, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings. (Voted by BBWAA on 344/396 ballots) A trip to Cooperstown has something for baseball fans and everyone else. "[110][111], 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. percentage . SUMMARY (2000). He is an actor, known for 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Shotgun Slade (1959) and Michael Shayne (1960). Sandy Koufax had 2,396 strikeouts over his career. Tickets. With an overworked pitching staff there was no one else, as Drysdale and Johnny Podres had pitched the prior two days. Koufax is the stepfather of Clarke's daughter from her prior marriage to artist John Clem Clarke. Koufax carried a perfect game into the eighth inning against the powerful Giants lineup, including Mays and fellow future Hall of Famers Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda. Robinson saw that Koufax was talented and had flashes of brilliance, and objected to him being benched for weeks at a time. Catcher Norm Sherry advised him to throw slightly less hard in order to improve his control. Koufax's role includes attending a portion of Spring Training to work with Dodger pitchers and Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. [11] Shortly after his mother's remarriage, the family moved to the Long Island suburb of Rockville Centre. [106], At the beginning of his career Koufax fought a tendency to "tip" pitches to the opposing team through variations in his wind-up, which included the position in which he held his hands at the top of the wind-up. WebSanford 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. 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. On November 18, 1966, Sandy Koufax, the ace pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, retires from baseball. Most of his velocity came from his strong legs and back, combined with a high leg kick during his wind-up and long forward extension on his release point toward home plate. Johnny Logan, the first batter Koufax faced, hit a bloop single. [96] 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. Koufax jammed his pitching arm in August while diving back to second base to beat a pick-off throw. The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball, Salaries may not be complete (especially pre-1985) and may not include some earned bonuses, Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. Home sweet home: Dominant at Dodger StadiumDodger Stadium didnt open until 1962, and its not a complete coincidence that Koufaxs career took off at about that point. [22] The Pirates, however, failed to offer Koufax a contract until after he was already committed to the Dodgers. Instead, the Dodgers were swept in four games, not scoring a single run in the last three. Nearly 300 pitchers in AL/NL history have started more games than Koufax. Despite the constant pain in his pitching elbow, he pitched a major league-leading 335+23 innings and led the Dodgers to another pennant. WebSanford 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. Nearly 300 pitchers in AL/NL history have started more games than Koufax. The game was not televised. What I don't understand is how he lost five,"[68] to which Dodger shortstop Maury Wills responded, "He didn't. He ended up with a third pitcher's Triple Crown, pitching 323 innings, posting a 279 record, and recording a 1.73 ERA.