He went 25-5 that season, with the team going 34-6 in his starts. [105], 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. [89] first pitcher inducted into the Hall of Fame (1972) who had more strikeouts than innings pitched . The Dodgers won the 1955 World Series for the first title in franchise history, but Koufax did not appear in the series. [15] In his only season, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings. "[24] The Dodgers signed Koufax for a $6,000 ($61,000 today) salary, with a $14,000 ($141,000 today) signing bonus. Sandy Koufax's House Vero Beach, Florida (FL), US Like Tweet Share Pin Sandy Koufax is a retired American baseball player. of 27, 26 and 25 . He made 40 starts, half of which were complete games. On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. He was the pitching version of The Babe, once. Scully's reply via text message was all in capital letters, appropriately enough: AWESOME. His lifetime batting average against Koufax was .362 with seven home runs. Koufax, who played 12 seasons for the Brooklyn and then Los Angeles Dodgers, saw his statue unveiled in the same area as the one the Dodgers previously erected for his legendary teammate, Jackie. Nobe Kawano, the clubhouse supervisor, retrieved the equipment in case Koufax returned to play the following year. Koufax's role includes attending a Sandy Koufax Hall-of-Fame Teammates Quiz - By adubbdubb. 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. Instead, both signed to appear in the movie Warning Shot, starring David Janssen. He started playing basketball for the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst local community center team. 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. He was also named the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1963, and was runner-up for the award the other two years. Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, as well as the first pitcher to win a Cy Young [10] He later earned a partial scholarship. [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. Less than six weeks after the series, on Friday, November 18,[96][97] Koufax announced his retirement due to an arthritic elbow. The Dodgers won the pennant, and Koufax won the first of three pitchers' Triple Crowns, leading the league in wins (25), strikeouts (306) and ERA (1.88). 32 was one of the first retired by the organization, along with Jackie Robinsons No. Sandy Koufax, left, with sculptor Branly Cadet. honors Steinbrenner, Clemens at 15th annual dinner", "Sandy Koufax: Pitcher Nonpareil and Perfect Gentleman", "Close-Up: Good Life of Baseball's Number 1 Hero", National League Most Valuable Player Award, Major League Baseball combined Cy Young Award, National League Pitcher of the Year Award, Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, Major League Baseball pitchers who have pitched a perfect game, Bums: An Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Orel Hershiser's scoreless innings streak, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sandy_Koufax&oldid=1141250131, International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame inductees, National League Most Valuable Player Award winners, World Series Most Valuable Player Award winners, National League Pitching Triple Crown winners, Major League Baseball players with retired numbers, Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball players, Columbia University School of General Studies alumni, Lafayette High School (New York City) alumni, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, October 2,1966,for theLos Angeles Dodgers. 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. [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. 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. After joining the major leagues at age 19, having never pitched a game in the minor leagues, the first half of his career was unremarkable, posting a record of just 3640 with a 4.10 earned run average (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. He pitched the entire '65 and '66 seasons in extreme . In 1958, he began 73, but sprained his ankle in a collision at first base, finishing the season at 1111 and leading the NL in wild pitches. "[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. 32 pic.twitter.com/DeDYaRAYY5, Living legends. He 39. He celebrates his birthday on 30th Dec every year and his birth sign is Capricorn. 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. Sandy Koufax, Ed Linn. Now, 67 years ago, Jackie Robinson became my teammate and friend, Koufax said Friday. And breathtaking. By July, though, his entire hand was becoming numb and he was unable to complete some games. Koufax's pitching prowess aside, Passan praised the principled stance the former Dodger took all those years ago. His best was better than everybody elses best. Even recently, Koufax shared some wisdom with Kershaw, who said he was struggling with his mechanics. [16][17] Bill Zinser, a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, sent the Dodgers front office a glowing report that apparently was filed and forgotten. Kimberly was a personal trainer. In 1966, his final season, he went 27-9 with a 1.73 ERA and 27 complete games.\n\nIn the postseason, Koufax also shined, winning two World Series MVP Awards.\n\nI have to be careful how I word things because I say I hit against Sandy Koufax, but I have to take that back because I only faced Sandy Koufax, said former Dodgers manager Joe Torre. On his fourth no-hitter, he made it a perfect game! Come view this home today as it is ready for immediate move in! The Koufax years of 1963 to 1966 are the finest four-year stretch of pitching that major league baseball has ever seen - or likely will see. And you still couldn't hit it. He posted 15 complete games (seven shutouts) and punched out 223 batters in as many innings. Sandy Koufax Autographed Authentic Mitchell & Ness 1963 Replica Jersey - Grey. In 1966, his final season, he went 27-9 with a 1.73 ERA and 27 complete games. As another answer pointed out, his big 12-6 curveball isn't seen often in MLB today, which would give him an advantage of having a pitch that guys don't see often. Babe Ruth and Elvis Presley both passed away on Aug. 16. He is also the first pitcher to win the award by a unanimous votea recognition which he accomplished twice more. Good hitters could often predict what pitch was coming, but were still unable to hit it. The next season, baseball went on without Koufax. [46], A day later, Koufax was pitching for the "B team" in Orlando. He had special praise for his broadcaster. Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully wasnt in attendance, but Koufax made sure to include during his speech that Scully is the greatest of all time.. [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]. I thought it was so cool they referenced the famous video of him and his dad. He was selected to seven (Jacob Gurvis via JTA) LOS ANGELES (JTA) For Jewish sports fans around the world, Sandy Koufax has for . I decided I was really going to find out how good I can be. In his last 10 seasons, batters hit .203 against him with a .271 on-base percentage and a .315 slugging Nobody today pitches 311 innings . 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. The left-hander went 165-87 with a 2.76 ERA over his Hall of Fame career. Koufax later said, "I had nothing at all." [30][31] Koufax threw 41+23 innings in 12 appearances that season, striking out 30 batters and walking 28. In the immediate aftermath of Scullys death this week, one particular broadcast stood out: Scullys call of Koufaxs perfect game on Sept. 9, 1965. strikeouts . He also became the second pitcher in baseball Koufax recovered fully, and in 1963 he had the first of possibly the four greatest consecutive seasons any pitcher ever produced. Posted by Ryan Gaeta. In a start in Cincinnati his finger split open after one inning. 1965 Topps Sandy Koufax #300 (2.50) 1966 Topps Sandy Koufax #100 (3.00) Take a look at each of these cards in the PSA Set Registry. This aided in his devastating curveball and may have increased his velocity, but reduced the lateral movement on his pitches, especially movement away from left-handed hitters. Meanwhile, the Dodgers waged a public relations battle against them. 1. Koufax ultimately landed on the DL in mid-July and missed nine weeks. On May 23, he pitched a 1-0, one-hit shutout in Pittsburgh, allowing only a second-inning single by pitcher Bennie Daniels. However, the morning after his 19th win, a shutout in which he struck out 13 batters, he could not straighten his arm. [2] The top pitchers of the era future Hall of Famers Drysdale, Juan Marichal, Jim Bunning, Bob Gibson, Warren Spahn - and above all Koufax significantly reduced the walks-given-up-to-batters-faced ratio for 1963 and subsequent years. 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". Koufax's seasonal W-L record during that period was. "Now, 67 years ago, Jackie Robinson became my teammate and friend," Koufax said Friday. 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. [101], Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, an especially impressive feat because it was during the era when only one was given out for both major leagues. He held batters to 5.79 hits per nine innings, and allowed the fewest baserunners per nine innings in any season ever: 7.83, breaking his own record (set two years earlier) of 7.96. Jim Alexander, Los Angeles Daily News 6/19/2022. But after making adjustments prior to the 1961 season, and benefitting from the team's move into expansive Dodger Stadium a year later, Koufax quickly rose to become the most dominant pitcher in the major leagues before arthritis in his left elbow ended his playing days prematurely at age 30. In 1963, Koufax was 25-5, with a 1.88 ERA. 3. Koufax was the first major league pitcher to hurl four no-hitters, and in 1965 became the eighth pitcher and the first left-hander since 1880 to pitch a perfect game. He started out as a left-handed catcher before moving to first base. But over the course of a 67-year broadcasting career with the Dodgers, one that spanned from Jackie Robinson to current Dodger great Clayton Kershaw, the Hall of Famer covered the entire career of Jewish superstar pitcher Sandy Koufax. [32] During the fall, he enrolled in the Columbia University School of General Studies, which offered night classes in architecture. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. As noted, Mrs. Clarke is Koufax's wife number 3; back on January 1st, 1969, Sandy, known as the Left Hand of God . LOS ANGELES - Sandy Koufax officially took his exalted place in Dodger Stadium's center field plaza Saturday, and the biggest surprise . Baltimore's 20-year-old future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer pitched a four-hitter, and the Orioles won 60. Dec 30, 2021 11:27 AM EST CINCINNATI A Bearcats legend is celebrating their 86th birthday today. [129], 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. When he first joined the team in 1955 they were called the Brooklyn Dodgers. 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. [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. Education Special Advisor to Dodgers' Chairman Mark Walter . [30] He did not start again for almost two months, but on August 27, Koufax threw a two-hit, 70 complete game shutout against the Cincinnati Reds for his first major league win. His decision garnered national headlines, raising the conflict between professional pressures and personal religious beliefs to front-page news. 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 MLB Tonight celebrates Sandy Koufax's 87th birthday . He was raised in Borough Park, in a Jewish family. Eddie Mathews bunted, and Koufax threw the ball into center field. Because for four historic seasons -- the last four of his dazzling career in the 1960s before elbow pain forced him into early retirement -- Koufax, out of Lafayette High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., was the greatest starting pitcher of them all. Today's Paper 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. Starting Game 7 on just two days of rest, Koufax pitched through fatigue and arthritic pain. He chuckled and said, We had an understanding. Top left: Sandy Koufax's number 32 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1972. 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 . [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. He was knocked out in the second inning, after giving up home runs to future Hall of Famer Willie Mays and Jim Davenport. Autobiography of the great Dodgers pitcher, assisted by a noted sportswriter. Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family and was raised in Borough Park. He struck out the last six consecutive batters. 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. That year, 1965, Koufax and Drysdale carried the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series almost by themselves. The mention of his name brought the biggest cheer at the event. "[45] During spring training, Dodger scout Kenny Myers discovered a hitch in Koufax's windup, where he would rear back so far he would lose sight of the target. [11] Koufax attended Brooklyn's Lafayette High School, where he was better known for basketball than for baseball. Today, Sandy Koufax will be celebrating his 83 rd birthday. The Dodgers went on to face the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series, and Game 2 marked Koufax's third start in eight days. His second marriage, to personal trainer Kimberly Francis, lasted from 1985 to 1998. He won three Cy Young Awards, one MVP and three World Series titles with the Dodgers. With the state of relief pitching in baseball today, six innings are considered a long start for a pitcher, let alone Koufax . award was presented to one pitcher, rather than one in each league . Then and now. And today, it still is. Palmer was the winning pitcher in a 6-0 Orioles victory. The statue's unveiling will take place before the . They rejoined the team in the last week of spring training. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. To get himself through the games he pitched, Koufax resorted to Empirin with codeine for the pain, which he took every night and sometimes during the fifth inning. Come view this home today as it is ready for immediate move in! Sandy Koufax, the ace. [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. Allen, who was thrown out trying to steal second, was the only Phillie to reach base that day. It's on today's date in 1965 that Sandy Koufax capped an amazing World Series with a Game 7 pitching performance of such stylish fortitude that baseball fans who remember it are still in awe. [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. Sandy was a three-time World Series champion with a lifetime World Series ERA . To make room for him, the Dodgers optioned their future Hall of Fame manager, Tommy Lasorda, to the Montreal Royals of the International League. I love you one and all.. [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]. Awards. The advice worked, Koufax struck out the side, and then went on to pitch seven no-hit innings. Years later he recalled, "That winter was when I really started working out. 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. Paid $15 to get my first auto of his and ngl it put a big dent in my funds lol. '65, when he pitched two shutouts . View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. The home is located in the Hidden Harbour community, and has three bedrooms, and three bathrooms. [50] In the first game he faced only one batter, giving up a hit to Al Kaline in the ninth inning. Since his retirement, Koufax has maintained that standard. [43], In early 1960, Koufax asked Dodgers general manager Buzzie Bavasi to trade him because he was not getting enough playing time. He was the youngest player (age 36) and the 32 was retired alongside those of fellow Dodger greats Roy Campanella In 12 Major On Saturday, Kershaw was one of the people selected to give a speech during Koufaxs ceremony. He especially showed appreciation for all of his Dodgers teammates from the late '50s and early '60s, especially Don Drysdale, who played 11 seasons with Koufax. 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. 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. Fifty years ago on October 6, at the tender age of 30, Sandy Koufax bowed out of baseball. Sandy Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 30, 1935. [128] Regardless, his decision to not pitch on Yom Kippur in 1965 was highly significant for Jewish-Americans. No longer able to deal with his elbow pain, Koufax retired after going 27-9 with a 1.73 ERA and 317 strikeouts in 323 innings in 1966. 10925 Sandy Koufax Dr is a house currently priced at $254,950, which is 1.9% less than its original list price of 259950. Koufax was the MVP and Cy Young Award winner in 1963 and also won Cy Young Awards in 1965 and '66 . 10925 Sandy Koufax Dr is a 1,779 square foot house on a 4,791 square foot lot with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. On June 30 against the expansion New York Mets, he threw his first no-hitter. 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. He threw a ridiculous 311 innings, averaging nearly eight innings per start. Awesome once. Sorry Bill Plaschke. Koufax was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1972, becoming at age 36 the youngest player ever elected. . Scully was not Jewish. On Nov. 18, 1966, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax announced his retirement from baseball despite being just 30 years old. His overhand curveball, spun with the middle finger, dropped vertically 12 to 24inches due to his arm action. 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. [56], The night before the playoffs began, manager Alston asked Koufax if he could start the next day. Johnny Logan, the first batter Koufax faced, hit a bloop single. 299 pages, Hardcover. 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. 4.15. Kershaw is not the greatest Dodgers pitcher of all time, Sandy Koufax is. Koufax planned to use the money as tuition to finish his university education, if his baseball career failed. A recording of the final inning made its way around the internet, as baseball fans celebrated the soft-voiced broadcasting icon for his poetic knack for bringing fans into the game. He has since worked for the Dodgers organization in a variety of capacities. No discussion, its him.. "[85] Drysdale responded that Bavasi had done the same thing with him, in reverse. Koufax was pitching better than ever, however, so he ignored the problem, hoping that the condition would clear up. Top right: Koufax at the 2014 BBWAA . Koufax also won the Hickok Belt a second time, the first time anyone had won the belt more than once. . Sandy Koufax was one of the most dominant pitchers in the history of baseball, and at the age of 36 was the youngest to ever be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. LOS ANGELES For Jewish sports fans around the world, Sandy Koufax has for decades occupied an unmatched legendary status. And by the way, he and the Dodgers reached the World Series in all three of those award-winning seasons. The performance earned him his second World Series MVP award, making him the first player to win the award twice. 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. In the end, Aaron had 42 hits off Koufax, the most of anybody. He posted an 1813 record and led the league with 269 strikeouts, breaking Christy Mathewson's 58-year-old NL mark of 267. Sandy Koufax, standing in the center, during a ceremony honoring Vin Scully at Dodger Stadium, May 3, 2017. [34] He saw little work, pitching only 58+23 innings with a 4.91 ERA, 29 walks and 30 strikeouts. [47], In perhaps an early display of sabermetrics, Dodger statistician Allan Roth is credited with helping Koufax tweak his game in the early 1960s, particularly regarding the importance of first-pitch strikes and the benefits of off-speed pitches. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He is also the only pitcher to win three Cy Young Awards in the era in which the And a crowd of 29,139 just sitting in to see the only pitcher in baseball history [at the time] to hurl four no-hit, no-run games. Home is located close to parks, schools, shopping, freeway access & Fort Bliss. From 1962-66, Koufax led the National League in earned run average and shutouts . Sandy, one day, I hope I can impact someone the way you have championed me. I tried to set an excellence that he lived up to, and I think it made us both better.. [119], In 1999, The Sporting News placed Koufax at number 26 on its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players". He thanked everyone from his first pitching coach to the equipment managers on his Dodgers teams. shutouts . Branch Rickey, then the general manager of the Pirates, told his scout Clyde Sukeforth that Koufax had the "greatest arm [he had] ever seen". landscaped. Answer (1 of 15): I think he'd be a top-tier pitcher today. Sandy Koufax, one of the greatest Jewish players in MLB history, once refused to play in the World Series. Sandy Koufax. [54] 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. [9][12] In 1951, at the age of 15, Koufax also joined a local youth baseball league known as the "Ice Cream League". He was awarded Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year award. Genres BaseballSports. ft. home is a 3 bed, 2.0 bath property. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. [21] The Pirates, however, failed to offer Koufax a contract until after he was already committed to the Dodgers. Book details & editions. Koufax played his entire MLB career with the Dodgers. Through Koufaxs dominant highs and his injury-induced lows, Scully was behind the microphone, narrating it all for fans on both coasts. Now, 57 years after the Hall of Fame pitcher sat out a World Series. . Koufax wed his second wife, Kimberly Francis, in 1985. On two days rest, Koufax pitched a 6-3 complete-game victory to clinch the pennant. [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. But only one of the four runs Koufax gave up that day was earned, as Willie Davis managed to make three errors in the outfield on a day when the Dodgers made six errors in all. 0:00 / 6:33 Sandy Koufax Tribute Los Angeles Dodgers 211K subscribers Subscribe 233 11K views 5 months ago We look back at the legendary life and career of Sandy Koufax. With an overworked pitching staff there was no one else, as Drysdale and Johnny Podres had pitched the prior two days. Well, Sandy Koufax's age is 87 years old as of today's date 26th February 2023 having been born on 30 December 1935. 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. 2023 jewish telegraphic agency all rights reserved. ) Award by a unanimous vote . With Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing. Catcher Norm Sherry advised him to throw slightly less hard in order to improve his control. [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. Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 03:20. He threw the ceremonial first pitch to Bench from in front of the base of the mound. Koufax agreed not to throw at all between gamesa resolution that lasted only one start. [36] Koufax and fellow Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale served six months in the United States Army Reserve at Fort Dix in New Jersey after the end of the 1957 season and before spring training in 1958.[37][38][39][40][41]. Koufax allowed only one run in seven innings, but lost the 10 game when Nellie Fox scored on a double play. Because for four historic seasons -- the last four of his dazzling career in the 1960s before elbow pain forced him into early retirement -- Koufax, out of Lafayette High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., was the greatest starting pitcher of them all. Sandy Koufax Height and Weight Koufax stands at a height of 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 meters) and Weighs 210 lbs (95 kg).