amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). There was no success to be had on Sept. 9 that year, despite his brilliant pitching; strange because the Cubs pitcher often prospered when he opposed Koufax. WebOf his four no-hitters, Sandy Koufax saved his finest for last. ", Hendley has regained a small measure of celebrity. The Yankees batted just .171 and scored only four runs in the Series, with Koufax being a primary factor, receiving the World Series MVP award. 32, Sandy Koufax. This could be another tale of the astounding exploits of Sandy Koufax, one more of so many; and each one warranted. The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. It was, and still is, the best piece of baseball writing Ive ever seen. Dusty Baker on the unsettling rash of baseball injuries: "First Ken Griffey, then Matt Williams, the two guys who were going after Roger Maris last year. "I was average.". Sandy Koufax, May 1965 "Sport" magazine story about his "toughest batters." Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax (cover story), Sporting News, July 17, 1965. Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE. 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). 097 in his career. Frank Finch, Koufax, Drysdale Eye $1 Million Pact, Los Angeles Times, February 23, 1966, p. B-1. View Sandy Koufax's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). Don Zimmer just staged the greatest retirement in memory. Their pitching was anchored by Whitey Ford (24 wins, 2.74 ERA) and Jim Bouton (21 wins, 2.53 ERA). "What a nice man! Return to Top; Major League Players. Who has the most NL Gold Glove awards? 1 Hero, Life, August 2, 1963, pp. Join our linker program. When did Mantle hit a world series home run off sandy koufax? Wearing new spikes, Gibson participated in batting practice. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; 32, Sandy Koufax. No speeches, no press conferences, no tears, no tributes. Robert Creamer, An Urgent Matter Of One Index Finger, Sports Illustrated, March 4, 1963. 3) Richie Ashburn - went 11 for 51 against Koufax for a .216 batting average with 0 HRs and 0 RBIs. His career resum includes a 48-52 record, 3.97 ERA, 25 complete games, six shutouts. Many thanks to him. . Hendley beat him three times and lost but once. Mays or Koufax?, Los Angeles Times, April 3, 1966, p. C-3. "He actually sent me a card," Hendley said. But to his and baseballs good fortune, he did not quit, but rather persevered, to become one of baseballs all-time greats. Of Vin Scullys historic broadcast of the game, one Salon.com writer, Gary Kaufman, offered this description: I found a transcript of Scullys call of the ninth inning of Sandy Koufaxs perfect game It read like a short story. Who is the youngest person in the Baseball Hall of Fame? Mickey Mantle, who was called out on strikes taking a Koufax curveball, walked away muttering expletives, unhappy with his Koufax experience. The Dodgers scored first in the bottom of the fifth on a monumental Frank Howard home run into the second (Loge) level at Dodger Stadium. Associated Press, Koufax, Dodger Pitching Star, Retires Because of Ailing Arm; Fearing a Permanent Injury to Elbow, Hurler, 30, Stops at Peak of His Career,New York Times, Saturday, November 19, 1966, p. 1. Yogi Berra Finally Gets the Credit He Deserves - MSN The game is also featured in Jane Leavys 2002 biography of Koufax, Sandy Koufax: A Leftys Legacy. This was a ritual for Billy -- go to Texas, see Mickey -- and the reminiscing must have been awfully good that day. "What a nice man! Haddix carried a perfect game into the 13th against a most formidable Braves lineup. 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. Get well, Mick. 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. By early August 1963, as Koufax led the majors in wins, shutouts, and strikeouts, Life magazine did a close up cover story on him (photo at top of article), calling him baseballs No. did Click for copy. "In the latter part of the game, [Sandy] was awesome," Hendley said. Vin Scully, 29,000 People And A Million Butter-flies, Vin Scullys radio call of the ninth inning of Sandy Koufaxs 1965 perfect game, Salon.com., Tuesday, October 12, 1999. How Many Batters Did Sandy Koufax Strikeout In His Career In consultation with the Dodgers team physician, Dr. Kerlan, he was told he would be lucky to pitch once a week and might eventually lose full use of his arm. James swung and launched a shot onto the pavilion roof in right for a grand slam. SF tourists go in droves to In-N-Out. Dodger team physician Robert Kerlan diagnosed him with traumatic arthritis. In any case, he was put under the spotlight for refusing to pitch in such a high profile game, but was regarded proudly by Jews around the world for his decision. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Dont Let Em Fool You; Koufax Wanted to Pitch, Los Angeles Times, March 31, 1966, p. B-1. Koufax Peddles His Biography for Tidy Advance of $110,000, Los Angeles Times, March 19, 1966, p. A-1. October 2, 1966 The incident garnered national attention as an example of conflict between social pressures and personal beliefs. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Los Angeles Dodgers, Baseball Season Forecast, Sports Illustrated, April 13, 1964. Koufax Hendley was a spot starter in 1965. And I knew every pitch he was going to throw fastball, breaking ball or whatever. 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. Koufax Koufax wasnt as sharp as he would be in later no-hitters, walking five and narrowly escaping trouble several times. Koufaxs seasonal W-L record during that period was 25-5, 19-5, 26-8, and 27-9. A young Sandy Koufax in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform.Brooklyn Born. 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. You never told us who you were. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. It was a record setting, perfect bame masterpiece in a game that ranks as one of the greatest pitching duels in Played for the Dodgers his entire career. Pitcher Carl Erskine is shown in his Brooklyn uniform. Bad news for Chris Morrow and other replacement players doing well in the Giants' system: You aren't welcome on the big club. Sandy Koufax Stats by Baseball Almanac. Sandy Koufax with Player of the Year trophy for 1965. Hall of Famer Harry Hooper, a player from the same era as Koufax, had this to say about him: His one-word identity spread over all of baseball. No-Hitters, .avia-section.av-k6v62xgq-c0812a68936ee67ed4883eaa9d35be9b{ Certainly it was a historic game because in no other game did two teams combine for so few hits. Artist's sketch of Sandy Koufax on the April 1964 cover of Sports Illustrateds baseball issue. Koufax started 41 games that year as he did the previous year. Born: The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Sandy was family in L.A. Sandy Koufax Out Longer Than ExpectedFour to Six Weeks, Los Angeles Times, July 20, 1962, p. B-1. Also, of the seven championships from the Dodgers franchise, it remains the only one won at home. Like Koufax, Hendley was betrayed by his pitching elbow and forced to retire earlier than planned. In 2011, Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Justin Verlander, then with the Detroit Tigers, won the National and American League Triple Crowns, respectively. It does not store any personal data. His column ended thusly: "Today he turns 75. We tuned in the other night and heard Greenwald and Mike Krukow chastising Barry Bonds for his blatant judgment errors -- in this case, standing at home plate to watch his line drive hit the base of the wall. 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. And that loss was in his only career one-hitter. Your fans will never forget. He walked two. His spontaneous account of the game was comparable to what he had witnessed. The next delivery was high and away. In fact, Sandy Koufax hit 2 home runs during his career, 0 while playing at home, and 2 while on the road. The unlikelystandout that night: Cardinals right fielder Charlie James. The 22 coolest things that happened during the 2022 MLB season And seven of the 22, including Koufax's, have been decided by 1-0 scores. WebIn this game, Mantle would hit a homer off Koufax in the 7th inning ( Mantles 15th in World Series play) which tied the game temporarily at 1-1. Later, however, the two pitchers discovered that each was being used in the sessions with Bavasi against the other, saying one was asking for more than the other. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. Sandy was throwing so hard, he was coming out from under his cap. Sandy Koufax, Sports Illustrated cover, March 4, 1963. Merton Hanks also will be honored that night, receiving the Matt Hazeltine award as the 49ers' defensive player of the year. The St. Louis Cardinals took the pennant and beat the New York Yankees in the World Series. The injury was much more serious _ a crushed artery in the palm of his hand, according to Jane Leavy in her book Sandy Koufax: A Leftys Legacy.. Considering the deadline pressure, SportsChannel is doing a nice job condensing the weekday Giants and A's games into one-hour packages ("SportsChannel Light"), an especially rewarding treat if you haven't heard the score. 4 Who was Sandy Koufax for the Brooklyn Dodgers? Thank you. But the losing pitcher in each of the seven instances surrendered at least two more hits than Hendley. To be the one best player in all three categories in a single season, whether hit- ter or pitcher, is a rare and distinctive honor, marking accomplished play. In a six-year big-league career, James hit 29 home runs. He needed only to tidy up on his control that summer night in Chavez Ravine. The Yankees scored twice in the eighth inning when Tony Kubek singled with one out and Tom Tresh homered with two outs to cut the lead to 52. 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). Is the Stanley Quencher tumbler worth its TikTok hype? Tony Kubek had two of the Yankees' three hits, but none of the hits were extra-base hits. What made the game such a seductive piece of history was, of course, Koufax's involvement. Larry Schwartz, Koufaxs Dominance Was Short But Sweet, ESPN.com. Sandy Koufax hit 1 solo homers, 0 with a single runner on base, 1 with two men on base, and 0 grand slams. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. All rights reserved. Did Sandy Koufax ever hit a homerun? - ABTC Actually, he would let you look at it. And he remains as splendid a human being as any who has graced the planet -- courteous, caring, generous and unassuming. Sandy Koufax was born Sanford Braun in December 1935 in Brooklyn, New York, the child of Evelyn and Jack Braun, who divorced when Sandy was three. The one hit in 17 innings is impressive, but Koufax and Hendley that day pitched 17 innings, struck out 17 hitters, and allowed a run. With the count 2-and-2, Koufax was a strike away from getting out of the jam. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. National League Most Valuable Player of the Year in 1963. And Koufax admitted in one interview to having a good bit of trouble with Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates, especially in 1963. He'll start screaming at you. . 097 in his career. Brian M. Endsley, Finding the Left Arm of God: Sandy Koufax and the Los Angeles Dodgers, 1960-1963 (2015), McFarland, 296pp. The connection between Koufax and the other gentleman, the pitcher who made that game perfection-plus, is long distance and infrequent. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; Burdette, who was the winning pitcher, allowed 12 hits in his complete game victory, though. But a mutual respect is evident between Hendley and the master. He never once fumbles for a word, makes a false start or trips over himself. He had allowed eight walks combined in his three, earlier no-hitters. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. By 1958,meanwhile, the Dodgerss organization leftBrooklyn for the promised land of Los Angeles, breaking the hearts ofmillions of New Yorkers as they went. You could tell how much he wanted it. What would come the next day? With the count 2-and-2, Koufax was a strike away from getting out of the jam. Heres a little bit of his story and his contributions to the baseball record books. ", Video: 2015 ASG: Koufax throws out first pitch to Bench. "To be beaten by class, beaten by the guy who is one of the best, if not the best ever. Koufax struck out 14 of 27 batters; Hendley struck out three. ", The loss was readily rationalized by the Cubs pitcher: "If you have to lose a game, he was the guy you were proud to lose to," Hendley said. Since then, no left-hander has had more wins in a season nor a lower ERA (Phillies pitcher Steve Carlton had 27 wins in 1972). Southern California felt a warm and close relationship with No. (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. His stomach was always queasy from the cocktail of anti-inflammatories he swallowed before and after games, which he once said made him half-high on the mound. He soaked his elbow in an ice bath for 30 minutes after each game, his arm encased in an inner tube to protect against frostbite. Ive since heard a tape of that half inning: Theres not a single misstep. In that game he allowed only one run in seven innings, but the Dodgers lost, 1-0. Koufax finished with just four strikeouts. In the American League, Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox won the hitting Triple Crown twice, in 1942 and 1947; Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees did it in 1956; To be the one best player in all three categories in a single season, whether hit- ter or pitcher, is a rare and distinctive honor, marking accomplished play.Frank Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles in 1966; and Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox was the last hitter to do so in 1967. What made the game such a seductive piece of history was, of course, Koufax's involvement. in journalistic studies in 1971. Charles Maher, Frank Finch, Koufax, Drysdale Reject $210,000, Los Angeles Times, March 30, 1966, p. B-1. Hendley, left-handed and born in Macon, Ga., pitched in the big leagues for seven seasons, three with the Milwaukee Braves, 1 1/2 with the Giants and two-plus with the Cubs before ending his career with the Mets in 1967. NL Los Angeles Dodgers (4) vs. AL New York Yankees (0). He walked Gary Kaufman, Vin Scully, Salon.com, Tuesday, October 12, 1999. "This game is the most recognizable thing I've ever done in baseball," Hendley said after the game. 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. And what a great lesson that is. In a single game Mantle hit two homers that were longer than most major league players hit in a career! Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. His elbow was shot full of cortisone several times a season. Because the Dodgers swept the series, the details of that last game have clouded over. This time, it was a pitcher's duel. He was the first iconic sports figure to emerge in Southern California after Major League Baseball arrived on the West Coast. How many strikeouts did Sandy Koufax have in the World Series? Frank Finch, Sandys Finger, Arm Okand How! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Writing for CBSSports.com, Doyel blew Hendley's cover in a column on April 30, 2015, the coach's 75th birthday. Sandy attended Brooklyns Lafayette High School, but sports were not played there for a few years due to a teachers dispute. Other pitching performance have dazzled us over the years. On bad days hed have to bend his neck to get his face closer to his left hand so that he could shave. Thanks for visiting and if you like what you find here, please make a donation to help support the research and writing at this website. This year's awards dinner, to be hosted by Gary Radnich, will be June 29 at the Nikko Hotel in S.F. You could tell how much he wanted it. Brent Jones has joined a distinguished group of Bay Area athletes to win the Lou Gehrig Iron Man Award. On August 21, the Dodgers beat the Cardinals 21 in 16 innings to take a 7+12 game lead. Posted in Games, Opponents, Pitchers | Leave a Comment. He still held his fork in his left hand, but sometimes he had to bend closer to the plate to get the food into his mouth. 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. He retired 27 consecutive batters without allowing any to reach base. Writing for CBSSports.com, Doyel blew Hendley's cover in a column on April 30, 2015, the coach's 75th birthday. Big D, Koufax Losing Support, Los Angeles Times, March 22, 1966, p. B-2. Burdette, who was the winning pitcher, allowed 12 hits in his complete game victory, though. Koufax and Scully, of course, have a long-standing Dodger Blue relationship. The Yankees tied it on a Mickey Mantle home run in the top of the seventh. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_title = "Related Reading"; I was at Koufax's perfect game in '65, and Cubs pitcher He struck out his final six batters and eight of the final 10. University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH). Despite injuries that limited Mickey Mantle to just 65 games, the Yankees went 10457 to win their fourth straight American League pennantthis one by 10+12 games. His dad forgives him for that. Happy birthday, coach Hendley. Johnson, Washington Senators, won 3 Triple Crowns: 1913, 1918 & 1924. Southern California felt a warm and close relationship with No. But Marichal and Spahn had surrendered eight hits each before a home run by Willie Mays ended the 16-inning, 1-0 game. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Koufax played his entire career with the Dodgers organization, from Brooklyn, New York through Los Angeles, California,1955 to1966. Like Koufax, Hendley was betrayed by his pitching elbow and forced to retire earlier than planned. His mother later remarried when Sandy was nine, to Irving Koufax, who Sandy regarded as his father. The next delivery was high and away. Koufax also struck out three pinch-hitters, including Harry Bright to end the game. s Duels of All Time (Part III Even today, baseball has but one Sandy, as it has one Babe. . 1 hero and its most attractive bachelor.In one photo he was shown in a swimming pool with a girlfriend; in another, signing autographs at a department store. Just packed up and left in the middle of a game. amzn_assoc_asins = "0061779008,147677630X,0316067156,0735215723"; Jack Olsen interview, Koufax On Koufax, Sports Illustrated, December 20, 1965. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 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. On September 29, 1966, near the end of the regular season, Koufax threw a four-hitter to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1, achieving a third 300-strikeout season, the first major league pitcher to do so since Amos Rusie did it in 1890-92. Click for copy. Sandy Koufax was tapped to pitch Game 1 on October 2, 1963, as Whitey Ford, the Yankee ace, went to the mound for New York. They had been at Mantle's house nearby, and knowing these two, they probably hoisted their first cocktails before noon. The other memory has been with me since 1982, Billy Martin's downfall season as the A's manager. Aces were on the mound again in a game 1 rematch between Whitey Ford and Sandy Koufax. He was a good- size kid,standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing about 200-pounds. Sandy Koufax Man of the Year for Sport magazine, February 1964. Rookie Status: Sandy Koufax makes final pitch of 63 World Series. By 1965, he had almost unmatched cachet throughout the game. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; won't be missed at all. However, that day happened to be Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in the Jewish religion.