He is considered one of the greatest pitchers of all time, and his records include six All-Star Appearances four World Series titles, three Cy Young Awards, and two no-hitters. 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. You name a better left-hander in the history of baseball and Ill eat my hat, said Hall of Famer Harry Hooper. 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. Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Evelyn and Jack Braun. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. consecutive All-Star Games from 1961-66 . [15] In his only season, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings. Catcher Norm Sherry advised him to throw slightly less hard in order to improve his control. On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. June 19, 2022 4 AM PT. SUMMARY [107] He also occasionally threw a changeup and a forkball. He was the first pitcher to average fewer than seven hits allowed per nine innings pitched in his career (6 .79) [111][112], The Dodgers hired Koufax to be a minor league pitching coach in 1979. 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. [27], Koufax made his major league debut on June 24, 1955, against the Milwaukee Braves, with the Dodgers trailing 71 in the fifth inning. "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 jammed his pitching arm in August while diving back to second base to beat a pick-off throw. Over the next three seasons, Koufax was in and out of the starting rotation due to injuries. Framed Sandy Koufax - Flying Pitch with Score Board Black and White - Autograph Replica Print. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. He threw the ceremonial first pitch to Bench from in front of the base of the mound. was a member of Dodgers' world championship teams in 1955, '59, '63 and '65, earning MVP honors in 1963 and He was the youngest player (age 36) and the Sandy Koufax's legacy as the greatest Jewish athlete ever has never been in question. Tired of constantly taking medication and concerned about his future health, Koufax stunned the baseball world by announcing his retirement on November 18, 1966. Represent the all-time greats and know your purchase plays a part in preserving baseball history. 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). While not as difficult to locate in high grade as the Clemente rookie, this card remains one of the major keys to the set, a set . He started playing basketball for the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst local community center team. [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. About Sandy Koufax. While batting in April, he had been jammed by a pitch from Earl Francis. 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. Sandy Koufax sport was basketball. Fans and collectors are buying in good faith items they believe are real. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. Doyel: Sandy Koufax made the Hall of Fame, but not this semi-pro team in Oldenburg, Indiana. The Dodgers won the 1955 World Series for the first title in franchise history, but Koufax did not appear in the series. He died of ALS in 1941. of 27, 26 and 25 . "[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." Branch Rickey, then the general manager of the Pirates, told his scout Clyde Sukeforth that Koufax had the "greatest arm [he had] ever seen". 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. Why Sandy Koufax is an important figure in baseball history. In August of 1972 Cooperstown welcomed a star-studded group of inductees for the Class of 1972. Sandy Koufax | Autographed Baseball Memorabilia & MLB Merchandise Player Sandy Koufax SAME DAY SHIPPING Jim Kaat Autographed Signed 8X10 Photo Minnesota Twins With Sandy Koufax 283 Wins Mcs Holo KEN $69.22 $44.99 SAME DAY SHIPPING Sandy Koufax 1960 Los Angeles Dodgers 3D Motion Button #175949 KEN $153.83 $99.99 free shipping SAME DAY SHIPPING 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. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? [112] His third wife is Jane Dee Purucker Clarke, a college sorority sister of First Lady Laura Bush. I started running more. Koufax had 11-game winning streaks in both 1964 and 1965. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 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. [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. (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Sandy Koufax debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955 at the age of 19. In a start in Cincinnati his finger split open after one inning. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier when he became the first Black athlete to play Major League Baseball after joining the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. And you still couldn't hit it. In 1963, Koufax led the league in wins with 25, in ERA with 1.88, in shutouts with 11 and strikeouts with 306. With Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing. OLDENBURG - Some of the people in this story, the strangest Sandy Koufax story ever told, are dead . The advice worked, Koufax struck out the side, and then went on to pitch seven no-hit innings. When Sandy Koufax was awarded a basketball scholarship to the University of Cincinnati in 1953, his plans included a career in architecture. If he's rested and ready to take the mound again, we want him on our team." Less than six weeks after the series, on Friday, November 18,[96][97] Koufax announced his retirement due to an arthritic elbow. He managed to pitch and win two more games. But this past summer, almost 60 years after the Hall of Fame pitcher sat out a World Series game to observe . [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. Johnny Logan, the first batter Koufax faced, hit a bloop single. He played it through his youth, high school and even earned himself a scholarship to the University of Cincinnati. [115], Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, 1972, just weeks after his 36th birthday. [105] His four-seam fastball gave batters the impression of rising as it approached them, due to backspin. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. A vascular specialist determined that Koufax had a crushed artery in his palm. After four weeks, Koufax gave Drysdale the go-ahead to negotiate new deals for both of them. His overhand curveball, spun with the middle finger, dropped vertically 12 to 24inches due to his arm action. Koufax gets Dodger Stadium statue next to Jackie Robinson. [11], Koufax attended Brooklyn's Lafayette High School, where he was better known for basketball than for baseball. The 1965 season brought more obstacles for Koufax. Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax returned to the Dodgers in January 2013 to serve as Special Advisor to Dodgers' Chairman Mark Walter . He was a seven-time All-Star and four-time World Series champion. From 1962-66, Koufax led the National League in earned run average and shutouts . [56], The night before the playoffs began, manager Alston asked Koufax if he could start the next day. $1,895.00. He started out as a left-handed catcher before moving to first base. He pitched 12 seasons for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1955 to 1966. 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. (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Sandy Koufax - Baseball Hall of Fame Biographies, Vin Scully call of final three outs of Sandy Koufax's perfect game, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, 25 Main Street,Cooperstown, NY 13326Phone: 1-888-HALL-OF-FAME | 607-547-7200 | Fax: 607-547-0398, "I can see how he won 25 games. 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. He He was also named the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1963, and was runner-up for the award the other two years. [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. Koufax finally was able to pitch again in September, when the team was locked in a tight pennant race with the Giants. Pietrusza, David; Silverman, Matthew & Gershman, Michael, ed. Do you have a sports website? Koufax, at age 36 in 1972, became the youngest player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. 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. League seasons, he had a career record of 165-87, a 2 .76 ERA, 2,396 strikeouts, 137 complete games and 40 Meanwhile, the Dodgers waged a public relations battle against them. Despite winning three of his next five with a 2.90 ERA, Koufax did not get another start for 45 days. The mention of his name brought the biggest cheer at the event. Born on Dec. 30, 1935 in Brooklyn, N.Y., Koufax impressed a scout who saw him throw for his college baseball team. Instead, the Dodgers were swept in four games, not scoring a single run in the last three. He ended up with a third pitcher's Triple Crown, pitching 323 innings, posting a 279 record, and recording a 1.73 ERA. He was the greatest pitcher of his time in baseball, said writer Jimmy Cannon. On Sept. 25, 1966, at Wrigley Field, Sandy Koufax, the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar who soon would retire, faced off against Ken Holtzman, the promising 20-year-old rookie for the Chicago Cubs.. Years later he recalled, "That winter was when I really started working out. Koufax is the stepfather of Clarke's daughter from her prior marriage to artist John Clem Clarke. Only St. Louis Cardinal Bob Gibson, with 13 in his iconic 1968 season,[63] "the year of the pitcher", has thrown more.[64]. He is married to Jane Purucker Clarke. 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? [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. "[24] The Dodgers signed Koufax for a $6,000 ($61,000 today) salary, with a $14,000 ($141,000 today) signing bonus. Once alerted, he made an effort to better disguise his deliveries. In a Reserve Price Auction, the seller has set a Reserve Price, which is a price below which the listing . What is a Reserve Price auction? Signed items will be very limited, and many items will not be restocked once they are sold out. 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. This forced the Dodgers to keep him on the major league roster for at least two years before he could be sent to the minors. Family (1) Spouse Kimberly Francis (1985 - 9 December 1998) (divorced) [128] Regardless, his decision to not pitch on Yom Kippur in 1965 was highly significant for Jewish-Americans. With the Dodgers out of the pennant race he did not pitch again, ending the season with a 195 record[73] and leading the NL with a 1.74 ERA. For Sandy Koufax, his faith came before his career. Dodgers team physician, Dr. Robert Kerlan, said at the time, "Sandy pitches in extreme pain that can . He was diagnosed by Dodgers team physician Robert Kerlan with traumatic arthritis. According to the Baseball Hall of Fame, "In April of 1966 Koufax was told that he couldn't go another season, but he did just that - winning a career-high 27 games with a career-best 1.73 ERA.". "It's been 41 years between starts for him. 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. He was the first pitcher to average fewer than seven hits allowed per nine innings pitched (6.79) and to strike out more than nine batters (9.28) per nine innings pitched. Sandy Koufax Career Stats Leagues Statistics including batting, fielding, prospect rankings and more on Baseball-Reference.com Let scroll the below table. University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH). On November 18, 1966, Sandy Koufax, the ace pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, retires from baseball.He was just 30 years old, and he was retiring after a great season-he'd led the Dodgers . Thanks in no small part to his late-career supremacy, Koufax cards are sought after and, in many cases, extremely valuable. Koufax briefly held the Dodgers records for career strikeouts and shutouts until longtime teammate Don Drysdale passed him in 1968. [32], During the fall, he enrolled in the Columbia University School of General Studies, which offered night classes in architecture. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Privacy Statement/Your California Privacy Rights. 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123 PSA Mint 9 ($204,000 USD) At $204,000 USD through Heritage Auctions this rookie Sandy Koufax card sold on March 23, 2017. [1] Koufax, by retiring 27 consecutive batters without allowing any to reach base, became the sixth pitcher of the modern era, eighth overall, to throw a perfect game. He was selected to seven "[28], Koufax's first start was on July 6. Sandy Koufax was born as Sanford Braun on December 30, 1935. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. The performance earned him his second World Series MVP award, making him the first player to win the award twice. [86][87] 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. 304 pp. [106] It not only appeared to move very late but also might move on multiple planes. 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. "When he (Koufax) first came up, he couldn't throw a ball inside the batting cage," said Hall of Fame teammate Duke Snider. 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 . After seeing Koufax's Game 1 performance, Yankee Yogi Berra said, "I can see how he won 25 games. [21] The Pirates, however, failed to offer Koufax a contract until after he was already committed to the Dodgers. Koufax was pitching better than ever, however, so he ignored the problem, hoping that the condition would clear up. Few individuals knew it at the time, but on Oct. 6, 1966, Sandy Koufax started the final game of his career. $23.95. Kerlan also told Koufax that he would eventually lose full use of his arm. Sandy Koufax struck out eighteen players twice during his career, once during the 1959 season and once during . Koufax was the supreme pitcher of his generation and the greatest Jewish hurler ever, and his taking a stand occurred at baseball's centerpiece event. (Voted by BBWAA on 344/396 ballots) Major Leaguer to pitch four no-hitters, including a perfect game . Pitching is the art of instilling fear. 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. The new park had a large foul territory and a comparatively poor hitting background. The Dodgers fought back in Games 3 and 4, with wins by Claude Osteen and Drysdale. Sandy Koufax The famous, amazingly talented Sandy Koufax has led a life filled with hardships, swarmed his way up with his talent, and has faced heartbreaks too. Instead, Koufax made a living on a baseball diamond, becoming one of the most dominating left-handers of all time. Sandy Koufax is a devout Jew and is known as one of the most famous Jewish players to have graced the American sports scene. See. Koufax also made headlines for adhering to his faith. Who Is Sandy Koufax? Finally, on his way out the door in 1966, Koufax finished 27-9, the most victories in any of his 12 seasons. Special Advisor to Dodgers' Chairman Mark Walter . [128] In addition, there were other Jewish holidays where he said he would not pitch, including Seder night of Passover and 3 times on Rosh Hashanah, one of which was Game 4 of the 1959 World Series. The name of his home town is Brooklyn, New York. 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. 2023 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved. On May 11, 1963, Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers pitched his second career no-hitter. [83], In Game 2 Koufax pitched six innings, giving up two runs, and the Twins won 51 to take an early 20 lead in the series. There is too much to say about his man. [16][17] Bill Zinser, a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, sent the Dodgers front office a glowing report that apparently was filed and forgotten. On June 4, 1972, Koufax's uniform No . Rookie Status: 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. His nationality is American by birth. Robinson saw that Koufax was talented and had flashes of brilliance, and objected to him being benched for weeks at a time. He remains, over half a century later, on the very short list of pitchers who retired with more career strikeouts than innings pitched. 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. [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. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Sandy Koufax. When Koufax allowed baserunners, he was rarely permitted to finish the inning. View Sandy Koufax's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). He had two wins in 1955, which were both shutouts. Clayton Kershaw and Joe Torre were the primary speakers ahead of the unveiling of a bronze statue of Hall of Famer Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax at the Centerfield Plaza at . He was a left-handed pitcher. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. He has since worked for the Dodgers organization in a variety of capacities. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. He won five straight NL ERA titles from 1962-66 and led the Dodgers to the NL pennant in 1963, 1965 and 1966, winning the World Series in 1963 and 1965. On Sept. 9, 1965, Sandy Koufax tossed the eighth perfect game in MLB history, defeating the Cubs 1-0 at Dodger Stadium. His second marriage, to personal trainer Kimberly Francis, lasted from 1985 to 1998. 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". He quit after six years, just prior to the start of the 1973 season. [119], In 1999, The Sporting News placed Koufax at number 26 on its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players". He was previously married to Kimberly Francis and Anne Heath Widmark. Out of those two transitionary years, 1961-62, Sandy Koufax the master-of-all-time, baseball's Leonardo, arrived. 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. [48], 1961 was Koufax's breakout season.