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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 was the first pitcher to average fewer than seven hits allowed per nine innings pitched in his career (6 .79) Sabermetrician Rob Neyer called it the best curve of all time. Because of what was described as a ruptured elbow at the time, he only made 28 starts in 1964. In June, the Dodgers honored the 86-year-old Koufax with a statue outside Dodger Stadium. He was the youngest player (age 36) and the 10929 Sandy Koufax Dr is a house located in El Paso County and the 79934 ZIP Code. 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. 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. Koufax pitched four no-hitters in his career, including a perfect game against the Cubs on Sept. 9, 1965. [113] Koufax returned to the Dodger organization in 2004 when the Dodgers were sold to Frank McCourt. Koufax agreed not to throw at all between gamesa resolution that lasted only one start. Answer (1 of 15): I think he'd be a top-tier pitcher today. The statue's unveiling will take place before the . [59] Koufax, who had reduced his walks allowed per nine innings to 3.4 in 1961 and 2.8 in 1962, reduced his walk rate further to 1.7 in 1963, which ranked fifth in the league. 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. Koufax ultimately landed on the DL in mid-July and missed nine weeks. 4.15. Koufax, though, dominated pretty much everybody else in his time. 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. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. Home is located close to parks, schools, shopping, freeway access & Fort Bliss. Major Leaguer to pitch four no-hitters, including a perfect game . 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. The mention of his name brought the biggest cheer at the event. When throwing a fastball with baserunners, his hand position in the stretch would be higher than when he threw a curveball. This Date in Baseball: Sandy Koufax Throws Perfect Game AP 0:00 0:44 Sept. 9 1914 George Davis of the Boston Braves pitched a 7-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second. Topps created three different sets to be distributed in Venezuela and, as Koufax had retired after the 1966 season, he was included in the 50-card set featuring former stars from the 20th century. The next season, baseball went on without Koufax. [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. [49] Selected as an All-Star for the first time, he appeared in both All-Star Games that year (two All-Star games were held for the years from 1959 to 1962). Dodgers honored the 86-year-old Koufax with a statue. percentage . OLDENBURG - Some of the people in this story, the strangest Sandy Koufax story ever told, are dead . 39. In that start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision. Memorably, Scully repeatedly makes note of the time on the scoreboards clock (The time on the scoreboard is 9:44. [53][54] It would be the only time in his career he earned this distinction. \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"Koufaxs four-year run from 1963-66 is one of the best ever. I like to say hes one of a kind., Given everything he has meant to the Dodgers organization over decades, Koufaxs statue unveiling drew a big crowd. 6/18/2022 at 7:21 PM 6/18/2022 at 7:21 PM 'One of a kind' Koufax immortalized with Dodger Stadium statue. Year 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. [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. Learn about his age, height, weight, dating, wife, girlfriend, kids and more. See. Ruttman, "Sandy Koufax: Pitcher Nonpareil and Perfect Gentleman". Koufax was a two-time World Series MVP with the Dodgers. [22] Dodgers scout Al Campanis heard about Koufax from Jimmy Murphy, a part-time scout. That Sandy Koufax was a talented basketball player in Brooklyn before becoming a baseball Hall of Famer gives the Nets' arrival in the borough just a little more heft. I asked the great broadcaster Vin Scully, who had a ringside seat to all of it with Koufax, from the time the left-hander was a struggling kid with the Brooklyn Dodgers, if it was even possible for him to describe what he saw from Koufax in those days. Johnny Logan, the first batter Koufax faced, hit a bloop single. On April 22 he lasted only one 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. 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". On July 20 he hit the second and last home run of his career, coincidentally again in Milwaukee, a three-run shot to propel the team to a 5-4 win; it was his only game with three runs batted in. Sandy Koufax made 40 starts in 1963, only one short of his career-high. . Here is a Copy of a Signed Photograph of Sandy Koufax's 1963 Sports Illustrated Cover. Before tenth grade, Koufax's family moved back to the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. In the first inning, Koufax walked the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches. Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day starting pitchers, Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst, Columbia University School of General Studies, Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders, List of Major League Baseball single-game strikeout leaders, List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders, List of Major League Baseball career WHIP leaders, List of Major League Baseball perfect games, List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise, List of baseball players who went directly to Major League Baseball, "Sandy Koufax's refusal to pitch on Yom Kippur still resonates", "Sandy Koufax's season with UC Bearcats remembered", "Koufax Recalls His Wild Start At Forbes Field", Autographed 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers Spring Training Roster Program - Army Reserves - 1957 Meal Card, Drysdale and Koufax on active duty training, How Sandy Koufaxs Motel Helped Lead to Baseballs Big-Money Era, Don Drysdale Collection at SCP - Part II - In the Army Now, Lot #23: DON DRYSDALE'S 1957-58 U.S. ARMY WORN FIELD JACKET (DRYSDALE COLLECTION), "Midsummer Classics: Celebrating MLB's All-Star Game", "Major League Baseball Players of the Month", "The Strike Zone: A Chronological Examination of the Official Rules by Baseball Almanac", "1962 National League Team Statistics and Standings", "1963 National League Team Statistics and Standings", "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Shutouts", "1963 National League Statistics and Awards", "Joe Sobran My Other Sandy (ASCII version)", "1963 World Series box scores and play by play", "On this day 49 years ago, Sandy Koufax threw a perfect game in one hour and 43 minutes", "Domination in the Dome: Nolan Ryan Throws His Fifth No-Hitter", "Sandy Koufax turns 80: The 8 most memorable performances of his HOF career", "Every perfect game in Major League history, ranked", "Macon's Bob Hendley made history with Koufax", "Sandy Koufax Responded to a Higher Calling on Yom Kippur in 1965", "1965 World Series box scores and play by play", "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Games Started", "Baltimore makes it two straight as Dodgers defense comes apart", "Elbow too much Sandy Koufax quitting baseball", "Progressive Leaders for Hits Allowed/9IP", "Career Leaders & Records for Earned Run Average", "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Wins", "The Incomparable Career of Sandy Koufax", "ESPN Classic Koufax's dominance was short but sweet", "ESPN Classic Koufax dominating in '65 Series", "Dodgers to be joined by Koufax at Spring Training", "Los Angeles Dodgers unveil Sandy Koufax statue outside stadium", "The Sporting News Selects Baseball's 100 Greatest Players", "Koufax makes appearance at World Series", "Baseball Toaster: Humbug Journal: He'll be working on 14,875 days rest", "Koufax Drafted By Israeli Baseball Team", "Koufax, Mays, Aaron, Bench voted by fans as four greatest living players", "Obama Honors Jewish Americans at White House Reception, May 27, 2010", "Remarks by the President at Reception in Honor of Jewish American Heritage Month", "Myth and fact part of legacy from Sandy Koufax's Yom Kippur choice", "Jewish pitcher Sandy Koufax did more than miss one game", "Sandy Koufax's wife Jane Purucker Clarke (Bio, Wiki)", "B.A.T. Awesome once. He was raised in Borough Park, in a Jewish family. He was knocked out in the second inning, after giving up home runs to future Hall of Famer Willie Mays and Jim Davenport. In baseball history, he has been named as greatest pitchers. F ifty years ago, Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale tried one of the boldest maneuvers in baseball history. Koufax declined the offer. The 1965 season brought more obstacles for Koufax. What I don't understand is how he lost five,"[67] to which Dodger shortstop Maury Wills responded, "He didn't. Babe Ruth and Elvis Presley both passed away on Aug. 16. Then and now. . 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. Come view this home today as it is ready for immediate move in! "[85] Drysdale responded that Bavasi had done the same thing with him, in reverse. 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. Jim Alexander, Los Angeles Daily News 6/19/2022. [60], On May 11 Koufax no-hit the Giants 80, besting Marichalhimself a no-hit pitcher on June 15. [126], Koufax has been described by Sports Illustrated writer John Rosengren as a secular Jew. At that time, sharing this space with him would have been absolutely unimaginable. We lost them for him. 3. After four weeks, Koufax gave Drysdale the go-ahead to negotiate new deals for both of them. 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. [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. In the second game of a doubleheader, Koufax faced Jim Bunning for the second time that season,[90] in a match-up between perfect game winners. We will offer fans the opportunity to buy signed and unsigned items. 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. [30][31] Koufax threw 41+23 innings in 12 appearances that season, striking out 30 batters and walking 28. 32 was retired alongside those of fellow Dodger greats Roy Campanella The performance earned him his second World Series MVP award, making him the first player to win the award twice. They rejoined the team in the last week of spring training. Sandy Koufax, left, with sculptor Branly Cadet. [52] On April 24, he tied his own record with 18 strikeouts in a 10-2 road win over the Cubs. pic.twitter.com/Jq2MP88ZgL. You can always find weird numerology with sports and celebrities if you look hard enough. He pitched the entire '65 and '66 seasons in extreme . ft. home is a 3 bed, 2.0 bath property. Just in life. Floor plans starting at $1995. But those final four years were wonder years. 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.. 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. 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. First published August 30, 1966. 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. 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. Koufax pitched two perfect relief innings in the Series opener, though they came after the Dodgers were already behind 110. 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. [121], In 1990 Koufax was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Sandy Koufax, Ed Linn. Today's Paper When he first joined the team in 1955 they were called the Brooklyn Dodgers. While batting in April, he had been jammed by a pitch from Earl Francis. Baltimore's 20-year-old future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer pitched a four-hitter, and the Orioles won 60. 42 and Roy Campanellas No. Catcher Norm Sherry advised him to throw slightly less hard in order to improve his control. Not only was it Game One of the World Series, but it was also Yom Kippur. Autobiography of the great Dodgers pitcher, assisted by a noted sportswriter. Sandy Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 30, 1935. Starting Game 7 on just two days of rest, Koufax pitched through fatigue and arthritic pain. Koufax later said, "I had nothing at all." Sandy Koufax was in the major league only twelve years, barely clearing the Hall of Fame minimum of ten. 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. And by the way, he and the Dodgers reached the World Series in all three of those award-winning seasons. . 10925 Sandy Koufax Dr is a 1,779 square foot house on a 4,791 square foot lot with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. View More Videos. 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. On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. 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. LOS ANGELES -- Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax has played an enormous role in Dodgers history. Koufax, who grew up in Brooklyn playing in the city's "Ice Cream League" before heading to the University of Cincinnati to play basketball, debuted with his hometown Dodgers in 1955 after signing as a "bonus baby" in 1954. Explore Sandy Koufax's biography, wiki, net worth & salary in 2023. His decision garnered national headlines, raising the conflict between professional pressures and personal religious beliefs to front-page news. From 1962-66, Koufax led the National League in earned run average and shutouts . Keep in mind: shipping carrier delays or placing an order on a weekend or holiday . Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 03:20. SUMMARY Scully's reply via text message was all in capital letters, appropriately enough: AWESOME. In his last 10 seasons, batters hit .203 against him with a .271 on-base percentage and a .315 slugging Koufax authorized the book but declined to be interviewed; thus, Leavy . [35], To prepare for the 1957 season, the Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Robinson saw that Koufax was talented and had flashes of brilliance, and objected to him being benched for weeks at a time. Agler was referring to the decision by Sandy Koufax, the star pitcher of the Los Angeles Dodgers, to sit out Game 1 of the 1965 World Series against the Minnesota Twins because it fell on Yom Kippur. He made 43 appearances, had 27 complete games (eight shutouts) and 382 strikeouts in 335 2/3 innings. In the first eight of those years he was not great, his record being 68-60. 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. Despite injuries ending his career prematurely, Koufax established himself as one of the most dominant pitchers of all time. MLB Tonight celebrates Sandy Koufax's 87th birthday . Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. He also became the second pitcher in baseball Good hitters could often predict what pitch was coming, but were still unable to hit it. leader four times, setting a single-season mark with 382 in 1965, and had the most wins three times, with totals With the state of relief pitching in baseball today, six innings are considered a long start for a pitcher, let alone Koufax . On Saturday, Koufax and his famous leg kick were forever immortalized at Dodger Stadium as he became the second player to get a statue in the center-field plaza. On June 4, 1972, Koufax's uniform No . But thank you to all the fans who treated me so well, and tell them how lucky they are to have had competitive teams to root for, for so many years. On his fourth no-hitter, he made it a perfect game! 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. 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. 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. Front & back yards are professionally landscaped. He resigned in 1990, saying he was not earning his keep, but most observers blamed it on his uneasy relationship with manager Tommy Lasorda. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. Theyre both left-handed pitchers and both dominated their eras unlike any other pitcher. consecutive All-Star Games from 1961-66 . Drysdale was to play a TV commentator and Koufax a detective. $1,895.00. [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. Today's equivalent is Ibuprofen. 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 threw a ridiculous 311 innings, averaging nearly eight innings per start. Over the next three seasons, Koufax was in and out of the starting rotation due to injuries. 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. He was just 30 years old, and he was retiring after a great season-he'd led the Dodgers. Meanwhile, the Dodgers waged a public relations battle against them. Koufaxs four-year run from 1963-66 is one of the best ever. That year, 1965, Koufax and Drysdale carried the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series almost by themselves. TOTALLY IN COMMAND.. "[104], Koufax threw with a pronounced straight-over-the-top arm action. And totally in command. pic.twitter.com/udkMRcWR29, The legendary life and career of Sandy Koufax. In a start in Cincinnati his finger split open after one inning. Scully was not Jewish. Koufax's seasonal W-L record during that period was. Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax returned to the Dodgers in January 2013 to serve as Facing the Yankees in the 1963 World Series, Koufax beat Whitey Ford 52 in Game 1 and struck out the first five batters and 15 overall, breaking Carl Erskine's decade-old record of 14 (a record that would fall to Gibson's 17 in the 1968 World Series opener). 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. Sandy Koufax's home in Vero Beach, Florida. Sandy Koufax, standing in the center, during a ceremony honoring Vin Scully at Dodger Stadium, May 3, 2017. The Dodgers signed Koufax for a $6,000 ($61,000 today) salary, with a $14,000 ($141,000 today) signing bonus. Nobody today pitches 311 innings . I decided I was really going to find out how good I can be. [93] Alston lifted Koufax at the end of the sixth inning,[93][94] with the idea of getting him extra rest before a potential fifth game. Doyel: Sandy Koufax made the Hall of Fame, but not this semi-pro team in Oldenburg, Indiana. He was also named the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1963, and was runner-up for the award the other two years. [50] In the first game he faced only one batter, giving up a hit to Al Kaline in the ninth inning. [82], Koufax declined to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series in order to observe the Jewish religious holiday of Yom Kippur. Sandy, one day, I hope I can impact someone the way you have championed me. [9][12] In 1951, at the age of 15, Koufax also joined a local youth baseball league known as the "Ice Cream League". [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. Koufax finished with a 14-7 slate, and led the NL in ERA (2.54) for the first of five consecutive seasons. Koufax obliged. They remind you of the four years that Woods, with whom Koufax shares a birthday, had between 1999 and 2002, winning seven majors and holding all four of golfs major championships at one point. Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Evelyn and Jack Braun. Koufax also won the Hickok Belt a second time, the first time anyone had won the belt more than once. He is also the first pitcher to win the award by a unanimous votea recognition which he accomplished twice more. No discussion, its him.. Instead, the Dodgers were swept in four games, not scoring a single run in the last three. 299 pages, Hardcover. 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. Koufax's most memorable moments Since his retirement, Koufax has maintained that standard. [111][112], The Dodgers hired Koufax to be a minor league pitching coach in 1979. . Koufax planned to use the money as tuition to finish his university education, if his baseball career failed. [61] From July 3 to July 16, he pitched 33 consecutive scoreless innings, pitching three shutouts to lower his ERA to 1.65. Even as Koufax pitched during the time of Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Warren Spahn and Jim Palmer, with a pretty good kid in New York named Tom Seaver about to make his big league debut (Koufax retired after the 1966 season; Seavers rookie year was 67), Koufax managed to stand taller than all of them, in exactly the way Scully described. Eddie Mathews bunted, and Koufax threw the ball into center field. On Saturday, Koufax and his famous leg kick were forever immortalized at Dodger Stadium as he became the second player to get a statue in the center-field plaza. He went 25-5 that season, with the team going 34-6 in his starts. Palmer was the winning pitcher in a 6-0 Orioles victory. Genres BaseballSports. Eleven were shutouts. Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield. If you order today, this is the estimated delivery date and is based on the seller's processing time and location, carrier transit time, and your inferred shipping address. 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. The similarities between Kershaw and Koufax are obvious. [15] In his only season, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings. Here's his prime years: Those columns are W, L, Pct., ERA, G, GS, CG, . He made 40 starts, half of which were complete games. He returned in late September, but pitched ineffectively as the Dodgers lost to the San Francisco Giants in a three-game playoff for the pennant. (39) and Jackie Robinson (42). The Dodgers went on to face the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series, and Game 2 marked Koufax's third start in eight days. He celebrates his birthday on 30th Dec every year and his birth sign is Capricorn. He won an ERA title in 1962 when he only pitched half a season due to injury and led the league in strikeouts in 1961 with 269. . He had special praise for his broadcaster. [56], The night before the playoffs began, manager Alston asked Koufax if he could start the next day. And breathtaking. Find the US States - No Outlines Minefield. [81] Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. [107] He also occasionally threw a changeup and a forkball. Eventually, Lafayette had a basketball team; Koufax became team captain in his senior year, and ranked second in his division in scoring, with 165 points in 10 games. He won 25 or more games in three of the four seasons, winning the Cy Young Award in each of those three seasons. The Los Angeles. Like |. Throughout his career, Koufax relied heavily on two pitches. 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 Los Angeles Dodgers' legendary pitcher was in a dilemma during the 1965 World Series. Koufax was coming off the best season of his . He had two wins in 1955, which were both shutouts. You really have, left-handed pitcher or not. [27] Koufax made his major league debut on June 24, 1955, against the Milwaukee Braves, with the Dodgers trailing 71 in the fifth inning. 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. In the second game, he pitched two scoreless innings. Koufax joined Robinson, who received the first statue in Dodger Stadium history back in 2015. Below is the final inning of Koufaxs lone career perfect game, delivered by Vin Scully. (2000). first pitcher inducted into the Hall of Fame (1972) who had more strikeouts than innings pitched . 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.