He was just 30 years old. Koufax also won the Hickok Belt a second time, the first time anyone had won the belt more than once. Koufax won the Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965 and 1966 by unanimous votes, winning the Triple Crown[2][3][4][5] and leading the Dodgers to a pennant each year; he was the first three-time winner of the award, and the only pitcher to do so when a single award was given instead of one for each league. He pitched 12 seasons for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1955 to 1966. Sandy Koufax. 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. They rejoined the team in the last week of spring training. Koufax's numbers were that of a struggling lefty trying to find his way. Sandy Koufax Career Stats Leagues Statistics including batting, fielding, prospect rankings and more on Baseball-Reference.com Koufax played 12 years at the MLB level, all with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. He is also the only pitcher to win three Cy Young Awards in the era in which the "[28], Koufax's first start was on July 6. We lost them for him. Despite the constant pain in his pitching elbow, he pitched a major league-leading 335+23 innings and led the Dodgers to another pennant. Out of those two transitionary years, 1961-62, Sandy Koufax the master-of-all-time, baseball's Leonardo, arrived. Koufax is the stepfather of Clarke's daughter from her prior marriage to artist John Clem Clarke. With Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing. [18], After trying out with the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds,[19] Koufax did the same for the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field. "[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. Former professional baseball player Sandy Koufax began his career in 1955 when he was signed by his hometown Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1959, Koufax struck out 18 Giants in nine innings and set a major league record for strikeouts in two games with 31. [35], To prepare for the 1957 season, the Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball. Meanwhile, the Dodgers waged a public relations battle against them. Thanks in no small part to his late-career supremacy, Koufax cards are sought after and, in many cases, extremely valuable. All rights reserved. His nationality is American by birth. [15] In his only season, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 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. University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH). Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family and was raised in Borough Park. Sandy Koufax Baseball Cards In Review Sandy Koufax was the first major league pitcher to pitch four no-hitters and only the eighth pitcher at the time to pitch a perfect game in baseball history. Bid on Sandy Koufax Autographed Baseball at MLB Auctions. Relive your cherished baseball memories and favorite moments from your team with your personalized membership card. shutouts . 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. Lasorda would later joke that it took Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching staff. 32 was retired alongside those of fellow Dodger greats Roy Campanella The man never refused to give up and is now living his last few days in privacy with his family, away from the cameras. [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. leader four times, setting a single-season mark with 382 in 1965, and had the most wins three times, with totals But he could also throw a baseball really, really hard. [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. Teammate Ed Palmquist missed the flight, so Koufax was told he would need to pitch at least seven innings. He is three times the winner of the Cy Young Award and National League Triple Crown. In baseball history, he has been named as greatest pitchers. [48], 1961 was Koufax's breakout season. 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. 5. [34] He saw little work, pitching only 58+23 innings with a 4.91 ERA, 29 walks and 30 strikeouts. The real name of this Former baseball player is Sanford Braun. On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. [120] He was also named that year as one of the 30 players on the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. [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. Despite winning three of his next five with a 2.90 ERA, Koufax did not get another start for 45 days. 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. Smilin' Sandy is back and better yet, they are very easy to pick up online for a pretty reasonable price. He made 43 appearances, had 27 complete games (eight shutouts) and 382 strikeouts in 335 2/3 innings. He is also the first pitcher to win the award by a unanimous votea recognition which he accomplished twice more. award was presented to one pitcher, rather than one in each league . [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]. Koufax won the NL MVP Award and the Hickok Belt, and was the first-ever unanimous selection for the Cy Young Award. was a member of Dodgers' world championship teams in 1955, '59, '63 and '65, earning MVP honors in 1963 and [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. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Obama continued: "He can't pitch on Yom Kippur. His parents were Evelyn (ne Lichtenstein) and Jack Braun, Sephardic Jews of Hungarian descent.6The family lived in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. [81] Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. [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. 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. He threw the ceremonial first pitch to Bench from in front of the base of the mound. Despite his string of amazing performances, Koufax pitched in pain throughout the 1965-1966 campaigns due to arthritis in his left elbow. 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. 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. He remains, over half a century later, on the very short list of pitchers who retired with more career strikeouts than innings pitched. LOS ANGELES Sandy Koufax was 19 years old when he stepped into the home clubhouse of the team he'd grown up in Brooklyn watching, the one that by the time Koufax turned 22 would move to Los . He was selected to seven On August 31 against the Giants, he set the NL single-game record and tied Bob Feller's modern major league record of 18,[42] also scoring on Wally Moon's walk-off home run for a 5-2 win. 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. When he did play college baseball the scouts came in droves. Sandy Koufax is a former professional baseball left-handed pitcher who played his entire career (12 seasons) for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 to 1996. In the first inning, Koufax walked the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches. [16][17] Bill Zinser, a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, sent the Dodgers front office a glowing report that apparently was filed and forgotten. Sandy Koufax. Facing the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, Koufax struck out 13 while pitching his first complete game in almost two years. Sandy Koufax 24 X 18 X 1.5 Inch Premium Canvas Framed Art Print Artwork Signed By Artist To Stars, WINFORD WRealArt (243) $199.95 1955 SANDY KOUFAX Topps #23 Rookie Card print - Vintage Baseball Poster, Rare Baseball Card, Baseball Card Collector, Baseball Card Art DingerStudios (864) $26.00 FREE shipping 1961 Topps Sandy Koufax VG-EX 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 is a legendary figure in baseball history He was a left-handed pitcher who played for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955-1966. By JOE REEDY June 18, 2022. His no-hitter, along with a 42 record, 73 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA, earned him the Player of the Month Award for June. He ended up with a third pitcher's Triple Crown, pitching 323 innings, posting a 279 record, and recording a 1.73 ERA. Catcher Norm Sherry advised him to throw slightly less hard in order to improve his control. There were thirty-three bidders that were interested enough to pay top dollar for this card, but . Koufax walked Hank Aaron on four pitches to load the bases, then struck out Bobby Thomson on a full count. Koufax jammed his pitching arm in August while diving back to second base to beat a pick-off throw. Koufax obliged. Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device. Sanford Koufax, 1935 1230 - MLB The Left Arm of God 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. [74], On June 20, in the first game of a doubleheader against the Mets, Koufax pitched his second one-hitter, allowing only a fifth-inning home run by Jim Hickman before the Dodgers came back for a 2-1 win. 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 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. [118] In 2022, a statue of Koufax was unveiled at Dodger Stadium. Sandy Koufax sport was basketball. [50] In the first game he faced only one batter, giving up a hit to Al Kaline in the ninth inning. [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 quit after six years, just prior to the start of the 1973 season. Koufax's role includes attending a [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. Koufax gets Dodger Stadium statue next to Jackie Robinson. There is too much to say about his man. He was diagnosed by Dodgers team physician Robert Kerlan with traumatic arthritis. He was previously married to Kimberly Francis and Anne Heath Widmark. For Sandy Koufax, his faith came before his career. What I don't understand is how he lost five,"[67] to which Dodger shortstop Maury Wills responded, "He didn't. [122] He was the final player chosen in the inaugural Israel Baseball League draft in April 2007, picked, at 71 years old, by the Modi'in Miracle. Join our linker program. [111][112], The Dodgers hired Koufax to be a minor league pitching coach in 1979. 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. More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Born December 30, 1935 Ruttman, "Sandy Koufax: Pitcher Nonpareil and Perfect Gentleman". [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. Despite his comparatively short career, his 2,396 career strikeouts ranked seventh in major league history, trailing only Warren Spahn (2,583) among left-handers; his 40 shutouts were tied for ninth in modern NL history. Sandy Koufax, a former professional baseball player, began his career in 1955 when he was signed by his hometown Brooklyn Dodgers. Find out more. [10] He later earned a partial scholarship. 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. 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. Gilbert marveled at what his friend accomplished. Let scroll the below table. 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 (39) and Jackie Robinson (42). 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. Returning to Chicago, the Dodgers won Game 6 and the Series. His mother was remarried when he was nine, to Irving Koufax. Sandy Koufax. After joining the major leagues at age 19, having never pitched a game in the minor . 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. 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. Proud to support B-R.COM, and to sponsor the page of a tremendous athlete and person. The performance earned him his second World Series MVP award, making him the first player to win the award twice. 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". [128] Regardless, his decision to not pitch on Yom Kippur in 1965 was highly significant for Jewish-Americans. He has been hailed as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. Hall of Fame first baseman Lou Gehrig played for the New York Yankees in the 1920s and 1930s, setting the mark for consecutive games played. Johnny Logan, the first batter Koufax faced, hit a bloop single. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy by Jane Leavy 6,337 ratings, 4.06 average rating, 276 reviews Open Preview Sandy Koufax Quotes Showing 1-6 of 6 "In the immortal words of Willie Stargell, trying to hit Koufax was like "trying to drink coffee with a fork." Jane Leavy, Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy 3 likes Like After the final out of Game 7, Koufax drove to Columbia to attend class. In the second game, he pitched two scoreless innings. 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. June 19, 2022 4 AM PT. 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. If you do a good job, the numbers say so. 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. I decided I was really going to find out how good I can be. The hard-throwing left-hander was the most dominant pitcher in baseball until elbow arthritis forced an early retirement at age 30. About Sandy Koufax. He was a left-handed pitcher. 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. Koufax ended up getting $125,000 and Drysdale $110,000 (equivalent to $0.92million in 2021). "[104], Koufax threw with a pronounced straight-over-the-top arm action. You don't have to wait for the reviews. 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. Exceeded rookie limits during 1956 season, View Player Bio 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. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. During welcome remarks in a reminiscence of Koufax's decision not to play on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, President Barack Obama said that the two had "something in common." 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.
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