But baseball -- more than the other sports -- often is unfair. In the top of the second, the Dodgers scored four runs, including a three-run home run by Roseboro. amzn_assoc_title = "Related Reading"; By the way, Hendley allowed just one walk. Koufax, a Jew, refused to pitch. The end can come any day or 10 years from now. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? We were like Cubs fans who wouldn't go see the White Sox if you paid us. WebHas anyone ever hit a 600 foot home run? In 114 career at-bats against him, Aaron hit .368, with an on-base percentage of .433. His column ended thusly: "Today he turns 75. He had thrown a no-hitter in each of the preceding three seasons. Out of those two transitionary years, 1961-62, Sandy Koufax the master-of-all-time, baseballs Leonardo, arrived. Koufaxalso talked about his responsibility to pitch well enough during pennant races to help the Dodgers get into and win the World Series, thereby helping his teammates boost and even double their incomes by adding World Series bonus money. Click for card. And to add class and a coating of brilliance to their tandem achievement, the game was narrated by a man who has risen to the level of national icon because of his genius in the booth, Vin Scully. Web> Sandy Koufax. And even then his arm would swell an inch. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. (FYI: The lone run Hendley allowed in that one was driven in by the man who pinch-hit for Koufax in the seventh inning -- Don Drysdale. "We both gave up two runs, we both allowed five hits. amzn_assoc_asins = "B074VDVW98,0062360574,1476669422,0803286902"; Sandy Koufax, Life magazine August 2, 1963 The Mostest Pitcher: Most Wins, Most Shutouts, Most Strike-outs. Click for copy. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Only perfection beat him. And to add class and a coating of brilliance to their tandem achievement, the game was narrated by a man who has risen to the level of national icon because of his genius in the booth, Vin Scully. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Seldom has a person & pitcher pairing produced such excellence on both sides of the ampersand. . Frank Finch, Koufaxs Sore Finger Cause of Concern, Says Dodgers Bavasi,Los Angeles Times, July 10, 1962, p. B-1. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. "He was great," Hendley said. "What a nice man! He had allowed eight walks combined in his three, earlier no-hitters. But he still no-hit the Giants, as the Dodgers won, 8-0. "I knew it was going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to beat him. . Koufax, however, kept Kerlans advice to himself and went out every fourth day to pitch. Frank Finch; Koufax Wins, Shelved by Injury,Los Angeles Times, Jul 13, 1962, p. C-1. This series was also the first meeting between teams from New York City and Los Angeles for a major professional sports championship. Sandy Koufax makes final pitch of 63 World Series. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 1987: Year of the Smiths, Ozzie and J.T., forCardinals, Harry Parker: Best selection of Cardinals firstdraft. On that night, Sept. 9, 1965, with both pitchers and Scully at their bests, Hendley was nearly the equal of Koufax. In a single game Mantle hit two homers that were longer than most major league players hit in a career! You never told us who you were. Pitcher Carl Erskine is shown in his Brooklyn uniform. James swung and launched a shot onto the pavilion roof in right for a grand slam. Video: 9/9/65 [emailprotected]: Koufax fans 14 in perfect game. The next delivery was high and away. WebSandy Koufax gave up 204 home runs in his career. And Drysdale, so mean, so precise, pitched a three- hit shutout. Koufax would hold that record until 1981 when Nolan Ryan threw his fifth no-hitter. Writing for CBSSports.com, Doyel blew Hendley's cover in a column on April 30, 2015, the coach's 75th birthday. And you still couldnt hit it. Pete Rose, baseballs all-time hit leader, also had trouble hitting Koufax, batting an anemic .175 against him. He was born Sanford Braun, but took the name of his stepfather after his parents divorced and his mother remarried. Frank Howard homered into the second deck down the left-field line, a feat that went unmatched at Dodger Stadium for years. "To be beaten by class, beaten by the guy who is one of the best, if not the best ever. Consider that great fastball pitchers are tiny increments ahead of one another, and that the great Koufax was never timed faster than 93.2; the notion that Feller threw more than 7 mph faster than Ryan is dazzling. Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax (cover story). At the time Koufax was only the sixth pitcher of the modern era to throw a perfect game. Rookie Status: Video: Doddgers Retired Number: No. We'll miss departed Warrior broadcaster Steve Albert as a person; he always seemed to have a kind word for everyone. A number of his former players contacted him after Doyel's story appeared. No one has won a Triple Crown in National League hitting since 1937 when Joe Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals last did it. Jim Bouton, making his first World Series start, dueled Drysdale throughout, permitting only four hits in seven innings for a losing cause. Gibson was 15-13 with a 2.85 ERA. Dan Quisenberry was certain of the game's inequities, based on the layout of the field. Indeed, Koufax's overall record, beginning with the 1962 season and running through 1965, was 84-25, three of the losses coming at the hands of Hendley (Curt Simmons beat Koufax three times as well). The next delivery was high You could tell how much he wanted it. Sandy Koufax in what appears to be an impromptu locker room press conference following his no-hitter against the New York Mets of June 30, 1962. In the second game of a doubleheader, Koufax faced off against the Phillies ace, Jim Bunning in a first-ever match-up between perfect-game winners. With one out, right fielder Frank Howard doubled into left center field. But in the final game of the regular season, the Dodgers had to beat the Phillies to win the pennant. Advertisement (Original Caption) Sandy Koufax of the A tremendous blast by any standards. "To be beaten by class, beaten by the guy who is one of the best, if not the best ever. He had also thought about going into the electronics business. Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers making a pitch, 1960s. In the decades that have passed, the legend of that game has grown. Over the years, Hendley's appreciation of Koufax has grown. We didn't get American League baseball until 1961 during my youth in Southern California, and even then, for most Dodger fans, the Angels were a joke. According to base-stealing threat Lou Brock of the St. Louis Cardinals, Koufax couldnt field bunts well or hold runners on base too well. WebSandy Koufax hit 2 home runs during his career, 0 while playing at home, 2 while on the road. Sandy Koufax, 1st Cy Young, Detroit Free Press, October 25, 1963. background-image:unset; Posted in Games, Opponents, Pitchers | Leave a Comment. Greenwald doesn't do TV because he feels, correctly, that radio is the purest broadcaster's medium. But to his and baseballs good fortune, he did not quit, but rather persevered, to become one of baseballs all-time greats. Famous Dodgers who played in that same era included Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Jim Gilliam, Gil Hodges, Don Newcombe, Gino Cimoli, John Roseboro, among others. He needed The Dodgers faltered that season, going 80 and 82 for the year, finishing sixth in the ten-team National League. . And Sandy needed to be perfect to gain that one victory. I could hear it and feel it tear.. The hard-throwing left-hander was the most dominant pitcher in baseball until elbow arthritis forced an early retirement at age 30. Who has the highest batting average against Bob Gibson? Hendley was a spot starter in 1965. Sandy Koufax about to autograph a baseball for the late TV newsman, Tim Russert, at social gathering. Koufax was named the World Series Most Valuable Player. By 1958,meanwhile, the Dodgerss organization leftBrooklyn for the promised land of Los Angeles, breaking the hearts ofmillions of New Yorkers as they went. After blowing a four-game lead with seven to play in 1962, the Dodgers again built a lead in 1963. A young Sandy Koufax in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "thpohidill-20"; We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. It may have been a surprise to many fans when Koufax retired, but in 1965-1966, he was having regular and severe arm pain and had adopted various remedies to keep pitching. And that loss was in his only career one-hitter. Hendley beat him three times and lost but once. Paul Richards, who managed ball clubs in both leagues, said of Koufax, This man has a sense of responsibility beyond gain and glory. Once in1966 whena television network offered him $25,000 to allow their cameras to follow him around, Koufax agreedto do it for $35,000, and then only if the money was divided so that every Dodger player, coach, and trainer received $1,000. "I was just getting people out. vs. PHI 9.0 IP, 7 H, 10 SO, 1 BB, 2 ER, W. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1972. Hendley never had told his players of his baseball past. Years later, James told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, You couldnt hit Koufaxs 100 mph fastball, but if the ball started at the knees, it would rise to belt high by the time it got to the plate. Charles Maher, Frank Finch, Bavasi Doubts Koufax and Drysdale Will Sign, Los Angeles Times, March 23, 1966, p. B-1. Howard added a home run in the seventh. Since 1933, it has been the summer showcase for the greatest athletes to ever play the game. ", Hendley has regained a small measure of celebrity. Click for photo plaque. He walked In a 12-year big-league career, Koufax yielded 204 home runs, including six grand slams. Even Wilt, Whitey and Yogi seldom were identified in their city's newspaper reports in such an informal manner. What was the score of the Sandy Koufax game? . For our purposes today, though, the dazzling Koufax is merely half the story. Catcher Elston Howard (.287 BA, 28 HRs, 85 RBI) won the MVP Award, while Joe Pepitone, Roger Maris, and Tom Tresh also topped the 20 home run mark. Yankee starter Al Downing, who would take the loss, went only five innings and charged with three runs. Who is the real home run king? Charles Maher, Frank Finch, Koufax, Drysdale Reject $210,000, Los Angeles Times, March 30, 1966, p. B-1. L.A. rightfully claimed him as its own. Koufax struck out the side. ", "Hitting would be a lot more rewarding," Quiz reasoned, "if you could hit the ball in any direction. ", "Hitting would be a lot more rewarding," Quiz reasoned, "if you could hit the ball in any direction. Is that coincidence, or are we being punished (after the strike) for doing the wrong thing?". - AP photo. Koufax was routinely identified in Los Angeles newspapers as Sandy, no surname necessary. For Martin, it nearly became more important than the ballgame. This year's awards dinner, to be hosted by Gary Radnich, will be June 29 at the Nikko Hotel in S.F. Their pitching was anchored by Whitey Ford (24 wins, 2.74 ERA) and Jim Bouton (21 wins, 2.53 ERA). Frank Finch, Sandys Finger, Arm Okand How! More remarkable was that Koufax was the losing pitcher in each of the other instances. Sandy Koufax baseball stats, biographical data, history, trivia, and research by Baseball Almanac. No estimate has ever been given for its length, although it is safe to say it was easily over 500 feet, and may have approached 600 feet. He did have two home runs. You could tell how much he wanted it. 097 in his career. Haddix carried a perfect game into the 13th against a most formidable Braves lineup. Current Greats: 2023 MLB Batting, 2023 MLB Pitching, Career WAR Leaders, Single-Season Home Run Leaders, Active Strikeout Leaders, Upcoming Player Milestones, MLB Scores. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Dodger manager Walt Alston went with #3 starter Johnny Podres over #2 starter Don Drysdale because he was left-handed and Yankee Stadium was favorable to left-handed pitchers. WebAces were on the mound again in a game 1 rematch between Whitey Ford and Sandy Koufax. Mickey Mantle, Tom Tresh and Tony Kubek each struck out twice, and Bobby Richardson struck out three timeshis only three-strikeout game in 1448 regular season or World Series games. James hadnt hit a home run or driven in a run all month. In any case, to be the one best player in all three categories in a single season, whether for hitting or pitching, is a rare and distinctive honor, marking accomplished play. "Sandy always has been gracious toward me," he said. He had thrown a no-hitter in each of the preceding three seasons. Mays' home run came on Spahn's 201st pitch. But Marichal and Spahn had surrendered eight hits each before a home run by Willie Mays ended the 16-inning, 1-0 game. Sandy Koufax in the 1960s no doubt, thinking about a strikeout. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. Heres a little bit of his story and his contributions to the baseball record books. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Mickey Mantle, who was called out on strikes taking a Koufax curveball, walked away muttering expletives, unhappy with his Koufax experience. Thus began, in June of 1955,theprofessional baseball career of Sandy Koufax with the Brooklyn Dodgers. BRUCE JENKINS -- Mantle vs. Koufax: A Homer to Remember, Dubs fans picking apart video of possible Poole-Draymond incident, Bay Area preschool teacher suspected of dumping body along road, Bay Area mom influencer found guilty of lying about kidnapping, More rain, 'unseasonably chilly' temperatures coming to Bay Area, 'Horrible': Oakland rapper dumps on Chase Center Warriors fans, Destructive landslide closes historic California institution, 49ers out in full force at Warriors-Kings Game 7, Sold-out Berkeley crowd gets rowdy at country star's concert, Shock, fear as 2 killings in 3 days rock quiet Davis. 32, Sandy Koufax. Frank Finch, Koufax, Drysdale Eye $1 Million Pact, Los Angeles Times, February 23, 1966, p. B-1. Mays or Koufax?, Los Angeles Times, April 3, 1966, p. C-3. Is the Stanley Quencher tumbler worth its TikTok hype? Brooklyn had dibs on Duke Snider, Gil Hodges and the other Boys of Summer. For there was a time in his career, at one seasons end in 1960, when he threw his glove and spikes into the trash can, believing he was through with baseball. Dodgers starting pitchers Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and Johnny Podres, and ace reliever Ron Perranoski combined to give up only four runs in four games. The connection between Koufax and the other gentleman, the pitcher who made that game perfection-plus, is long distance and infrequent. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Associated Press, Finally, Brilliance Succumbs to Pain, New York Times, November 18, 1966. He struck out his final six batters and eight of the final 10. Koufax was obviously one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history, but his breaking balls were what was so devastating. After the World Series, in November, Sandy Koufax announced his retirement from baseball due to his arthritic condition. Koufax University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH). December 20, 1965 Sports Illustrated cover honoring Sandy Koufax. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; A 1955 Sandy Koufax rookie year card by the Topps card company, said to be a desirable card among collectors. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Koufax pitched two relief innings in Game 1 of that series and started Game 5 at the Los Angeles Coliseum before more than 92,000 fans. His elbow was shot full of cortisone several times a season. Sandy Koufax on Friday avenged the previous Sundays loss in Houston by striking out 14 Colt .45s in a shutout win at Dodger Stadium. Gibson was replaced by Curt Simmons, a left-hander who had made one start since late August. What would come the next day? Hank Aaron, it seemed, was among the few hitters that had Koufaxs number. He has covered 27 World Series, 19 Wimbledons and many other major events, including the Super Bowl, World Cup soccer, NBA Finals, four major golf tournaments and U.S. Open tennis championships. Click for copy. However, that day happened to be Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in the Jewish religion. As well as he was throwing and setting people down, there was very little chance of overcoming him. Sandy Koufax with Ed Linn, Sandy Koufax, New York: Viking Press, August 30, 1966, 299 pp. He struck out his final six batters and eight of the final 10. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. But first baseman Joe Pepitone lost Boyer's peg in the white-shirted crowd background; the ball struck Pepitone in the arm and rolled down the right field line, allowing Gilliam to scamper all the way to third base. Paul Zimmerman, Koufax Best in Baseball, Los Angeles Times, June 27, 1962, p. B-2. He couldnt go on like this, not when his doctors could not rule out the possibility that he was risking permanent damage to his arm. He also played some local baseball in a youth league, and later as a 17-year old pitcher, in a Coney Island league. He told Life reporter Tommy Thompson: I want to enjoy all this while it lasts. Koufaxs career spanned a period from 1955 to 1966 from the end of the Brooklyn Dodgers era in New York, to their early years in Los Angeles. Koufax Peddles His Biography for Tidy Advance of $110,000, Los Angeles Times, March 19, 1966, p. A-1. The Drysdale-Jim Bouton duel in Game 3 (a 1-0 final) was the greatest single day of pitching I've ever seen. Clete Boyer was the only Yankees regular not to strike out.
