It's also available for football, basketball and hockey. Eddie Mathews bunted, and Koufax threw the ball into center field. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. The Dodgers fought back in Games 3 and 4, with wins by Claude Osteen and Drysdale. "[85] Drysdale responded that Bavasi had done the same thing with him, in reverse. Branch Rickey, then the general manager of the Pirates, told his scout Clyde Sukeforth that Koufax had the "greatest arm [he had] ever seen". Good hitters could often predict what pitch was coming, but were still unable to hit it. Sanford Braun Age and Birth Information You must have idea about Sanford Braun age! [125], Koufax was included among a group of prominent Jewish Americans honored at a May 27, 2010, White House reception for Jewish American Heritage Month. He [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. [26], Because Koufax's signing bonus was greater than $4,000 ($40,000 today), he was known as a bonus baby. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. His nationality is American by birth. Koufax obliged. 2020 Topps Stadium Club #290 Sandy Koufax Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Card. Once alerted, he made an effort to better disguise his deliveries. [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. Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax returned to the Dodgers in January 2013 to serve as He has since worked for the Dodgers organization in a variety of capacities. His reputation was marred, however, by the university's child abuse sex scandal in 2011, which resulted in his dismissal. Koufax was an All-Star in each of his last six seasons,[1] leading the National League (NL) in ERA each of his last five years, in strikeouts four times, in wins and shutouts three times each, and in winning percentage, innings pitched and complete games twice each; he was the first NL pitcher in 20 years to post an ERA below 2.00, doing so three times. Sandy Koufax Autographed Authentic Mitchell & Ness 1963 Replica Jersey - Grey. On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. 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. He is the inspiration for my site's whimsical "Sabbathmetrics" series (examining whether Jewish ballplayers do better or worse on the Sabbath). THE CARD; THE PLAYER; ARTICLES; In the case of Koufax, there is no doubting the fact that his 1955 Topps #123 rookie card stands above the rest as the clear card to own of the baseball icon. Still, his accomplishments on the field led to his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. See. As one of the few Jewish players in baseball, he encountered bigotry from opposing players and even within his own clubhouse. 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. "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. 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. [2][66][84], Before the 1966 season began, Koufax and Drysdale met separately with general manager Buzzie Bavasi to negotiate their contracts for the upcoming year. Represent the all-time greats and know your purchase plays a part in preserving baseball history. Koufax briefly held the Dodgers records for career strikeouts and shutouts until longtime teammate Don Drysdale passed him in 1968. Despite winning three of his next five with a 2.90 ERA, Koufax did not get another start for 45 days. He returned and lost the following day, but won Games 5 and 7 to clinch the championship for his team, further cementing his status as an icon to both his religious community and Dodgers fans. $23.95. Years later he recalled, "That winter was when I really started working out. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Koufax had an older stepsister, Edith, who died in November 1997. Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan established records with his 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters during his 27-year Major League Baseball career. Koufax won the Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965 and 1966. Sandy Koufax was born as Sanford Braun on December 30, 1935. [118] In 2022, a statue of Koufax was unveiled at Dodger Stadium. In 1954, he signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers that contained a bonus which required at the time for Koufax to report to the major league team for two years. The problem is not to figure out why Sandy Koufax was a great pitcher. vs. PHI 9.0 IP, 7 H, 10 SO, 1 BB, 2 ER, W. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1972. Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports. 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. 5. 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. A history of the Sports Reference Sponsorship System, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Tuesday, January 17, 11:08PM. Actually, he would let you look at it. 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 . For Sandy Koufax, his faith came before his career. Koufax served as a minor league instructor for the Dodgers in the 1970s, but largely remained out of the baseball spotlight. Koufax's numbers were that of a struggling lefty trying to find his way. 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. He won both the Cy Young Award and NL Most Valuable Player Award that season. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. in Psychology, West Chester University of Pennsylvania (Graduated 2020) 1 y The only time anyone ever tried to measure how fast Sandy Koufax could throw was during spring training of 1960 as part of a test set up by This Week magazine. In the second game, he pitched two scoreless innings. [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. https://www.biography.com/athlete/sandy-koufax. 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. He was the first pitcher to average fewer than seven hits allowed per nine innings pitched in his career (6 .79) Koufax also won the Hickok Belt a second time, the first time anyone had won the belt more than once. (Age 19-176d, When Koufax allowed baserunners, he was rarely permitted to finish the inning. In the final game of the regular season, the Dodgers had to beat the Phillies to win the pennant. With Game 1 of the 1965 World Series slated to fall on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, Koufax famously sat out the game in observance. Koufax has always been known for living a very private life and that nature carried over into the hobby for a long time, leaving collectors without nearly enough autographs to meet the demand. The advice worked, Koufax struck out the side, and then went on to pitch seven no-hit innings. In spring 1954, he made the college baseball varsity team, which was coached by Jucker at that time. vs. MLN 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO, 1 BB, 0 ER, Last Game: Nobe Kawano, the clubhouse supervisor, retrieved the equipment in case Koufax returned to play the following year. 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. [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). Privacy Statement/Your California Privacy Rights. He ended up with a third pitcher's Triple Crown, pitching 323 innings, posting a 279 record, and recording a 1.73 ERA. By JOE REEDY June 18, 2022. What I don't understand is how he lost five, said Hall of Famer Yogi Berra in 1963. [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. 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). Koufax kept Kerlan's advice to himself and went out every fourth day to pitch. Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 11 January 2023, at 01:19. Koufax won . The Koufax years of 1963 to 1966 are the finest four-year stretch of pitching. 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. [79][114] The Dodgers again hired Koufax in 2013 as a special advisor to team chairman Mark Walter to work with the pitchers during spring training and consult during the season. 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. His postseason record was 4-3 with a 0 .95 ERA . After a slow start, his baseball career was cut short by problems with his pitching arm. Pietrusza, David; Silverman, Matthew & Gershman, Michael, ed. On June 13 in Milwaukee, Koufax hit the first home run of his career off Warren Spahn, providing the winning margin in a 2-1 victory in Milwaukee. Born on Dec. 30, 1935 in Brooklyn, N.Y., Koufax impressed a scout who saw him throw for his college baseball team. While batting in April, he had been jammed by a pitch from Earl Francis. Let scroll the below table. MLB Debut Koufax made his major league debut on June 24 1955 against the Milwaukee Braves, with the Dodgers trailing 7-1 in the fifth inning.Johnny Logan, the first batter Koufax faced, hit a bloop single. The six-time All-Star would go on to win two more Cy Young Awards in 1965 and 1966, finishing second in MVP voting and leading the league in wins both seasons. [112] Neither marriage produced children. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Koufax was pitching better than ever, however, so he ignored the problem, hoping that the condition would clear up. There were thirty-three bidders that were interested enough to pay top dollar for this card, but . Jewish American baseball pitcher Sandy Koufax was a star player for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers before elbow arthritis forced him into early retirement. You don't have to ask anyone or play politics. Lasorda would later joke that it took Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching staff. He was previously married to Kimberly Francis and Anne Heath Widmark. Less than six weeks after the series, on Friday, November 18,[96][97] Koufax announced his retirement due to an arthritic elbow. 99. What I don't understand is how he lost five. When Sandy Koufax was awarded a basketball scholarship to the University of Cincinnati in 1953, his plans included a career in architecture. Traumatic arthritis in his elbow ended Koufaxs career early due to a threat of permanent disability. 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. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. [33], The year 1956 was not very different from 1955 for Koufax. The Dodgers went on to face the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series, and Game 2 marked Koufax's third start in eight days. [32], During the fall, he enrolled in the Columbia University School of General Studies, which offered night classes in architecture. University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH). Gilbert marveled at what his friend accomplished. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. first pitcher inducted into the Hall of Fame (1972) who had more strikeouts than innings pitched . Koufax was a notable player for the Dodgers together with Don Drysdale, and the two of . He had two wins in 1955, which were both shutouts. [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. Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente became the first Latin American player to collect 3,000 career hits before his death in a plane crash. The hard-throwing left-hander was the most dominant pitcher in baseball until elbow arthritis forced an early retirement at age 30. us, High School: Lafayette HS (Brooklyn, NY), Schools: Columbia University (New York, NY), University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH), Debut: 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. Look at the box score of that game today. With Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing. He started out as a left-handed catcher before moving to first base. Tired of constantly taking medication and concerned about his future health, Koufax stunned the baseball world by announcing his retirement on November 18, 1966. 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. 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=1132877459, October 2,1966,for theLos Angeles Dodgers. [81] Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. The name of his home town is Brooklyn, New York. 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. The hard-throwing left-hander was baseball's most dominant pitcher until elbow arthritis forced him to retire at the age of 30. [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. 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. [25] Koufax planned to use the money as tuition to finish his university education, if his baseball career failed. Koufax ended up getting $125,000 and Drysdale $110,000 (equivalent to $0.92million in 2021). 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 . Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, as well as the first pitcher to win a Cy Young 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. He was diagnosed by Dodgers team physician Robert Kerlan with traumatic arthritis. Koufax, who has been married twice and, according to Leavy, now "shares his life" with a woman, not that there's anything wrong with that, didn't show up last week at spring training in Vero. [82], Koufax declined to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series in order to observe the Jewish religious holiday of Yom Kippur. Sandy Koufax was the first pitcher in major league baseball to earn multiple Cy Young Awards. Famously private, he renounced his ties to the Dodgers when a New York Post article insinuated that he was gayNews Corporation owned both the Dodgers and the Post at the timebut he returned to the team as a spring training instructor in 2013 following a change in ownership. [35], To prepare for the 1957 season, the Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball. Sandy Koufax Career Stats Leagues Statistics including batting, fielding, prospect rankings and more on Baseball-Reference.com Jackie Robinson, in his final season, clashed with Alston on Koufax's usage. In 1959, the Dodgers won a close pennant race against the Braves and the Giants, then beat the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. Koufax also made headlines for adhering to his faith. Koufax later said, "I had nothing at all." [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. throughout the year . The game also set a record for the fewest hits ever in a major league contest,[79][80] thanks to a one-hitter thrown by the opposing pitcher, Bob Hendley of the Cubs, who only allowed only two batters to reach base. 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. [113] Koufax returned to the Dodger organization in 2004 when the Dodgers were sold to Frank McCourt. He started playing basketball for the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst local community center team. Welcome sports fans and collectors toSandyKoufax.com, the first and only authorized and approved website by Sandy Koufax. June 24, 1955 Johnny Logan, the first batter Koufax faced, hit a bloop single. When Sandy Koufax was awarded a basketball scholarship to the University of Cincinnati in 1953, his plans included a career in architecture. By July, though, his entire hand was becoming numb and he was unable to complete some games. Family (1) Spouse Kimberly Francis (1985 - 9 December 1998) (divorced) Instead, the Dodgers were swept in four games, not scoring a single run in the last three. However, the morning after his 19th win, a shutout in which he struck out 13 batters, he could not straighten his arm. LeBron James became an immediate star after skipping college to join the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. 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. Topps Sandy Koufax 1961 Season Baseball Sports Trading Cards & Accessories, Topps Sandy Koufax Baseball Cards 1942-1980, Topps Sandy Koufax Ungraded Baseball Sports Trading Cards, Topps Sandy Koufax Baseball Sports Trading Card Singles, Topps Sandy Koufax Baseball Sports Trading Cards & Accessories, Sandy Koufax Baseball Trading Cards, 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? [2][75], On September 9, 1965, Koufax became the sixth pitcher of the modern era, and eighth overall, to throw a perfect game. He has been hailed as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. (39) and Jackie Robinson (42). Proud to support B-R.COM, and to sponsor the page of a tremendous athlete and person. 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. I can see how he won 25 games. 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. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. About Sandy Koufax. When throwing a fastball with baserunners, his hand position in the stretch would be higher than when he threw a curveball. A trailblazing player in the Negro Leagues, baseball pitcher Satchel Paige also became the oldest rookie in Major League history and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. (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. The performance earned him his second World Series MVP award, making him the first player to win the award twice. [106] It not only appeared to move very late but also might move on multiple planes. Koufax's role includes attending a "[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." LOS ANGELES (AP) When Sandy Koufax joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955, he was in awe of being on the same team with Jackie Robinson. [103], "I knew every pitch he was going to throw and still I couldn't hit him. Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax returned to the Dodgers in January 2013 to serve as Special Advisor to Dodgers' Chairman Mark Walter . Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. by Jane Leavy. [9][12] In 1951, at the age of 15, Koufax also joined a local youth baseball league known as the "Ice Cream League". 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. Nothing else matters, and nothing else will do." Sandy Koufax I can't picture people talking about me 50 years from now. Join our linker program. He posted an 1813 record and led the league with 269 strikeouts, breaking Christy Mathewson's 58-year-old NL mark of 267. [53][54] It would be the only time in his career he earned this distinction. 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. Sandy Koufax is a legendary figure in baseball history He was a left-handed pitcher who played for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955-1966. Koufax jammed his pitching arm in August while diving back to second base to beat a pick-off throw. Why Sandy Koufax is an important figure in baseball history. The highly favored Los Angeles Dodgers had dropped the first game of the World Series. After the final out of Game 7, Koufax drove to Columbia to attend class. Jewish American baseball pitcher Sandy Koufax was a star player for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers before elbow arthritis forced him into early retirement. 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. The Dodgers won the 1955 World Series for the first title in franchise history, but Koufax did not appear in the series. 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. The former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher undoubtedly had a far higher net worth because players were not paid as richly as they are today. Drysdale's wife Ginger suggested that they negotiate together to get what they wanted. Former. [16][17] Bill Zinser, a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, sent the Dodgers front office a glowing report that apparently was filed and forgotten. In that start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision. One of the greatest baseball players in history, Willie Mays thrilled fans over a 22-year big league career with his powerful bat and astonishing defensive skills. You don't have to wait for the reviews.
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