did sandy koufax ever hit a homerun

And it came off the top of his head, at a moment when, like the man whose feat he was describing, he knew he had to be at the top of his game. Mantle wasnt alone; Koufax struck out 15 Yankees as the Dodgers won, 5-2. Clete Boyer was the only Yankees regular not to strike out. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The results clearly suggested that. Other pitching performance have dazzled us over the years. Koufax and Scully, of course, have a long-standing Dodger Blue relationship. By the way, Hendley allowed just one walk. At the time, many thought that Sandy Koufax was the best pitcher of his era. Paul Zimmerman, Koufax Best in Baseball, Los Angeles Times, June 27, 1962, p. B-2. The storyline isn't only that he pitched a perfect game 50 years ago tonight, but rather that the opposing pitcher, one Bob Hendley, pitched a one-hitter while Koufax was perfecting his resum. Phoenix, AZ 85004 Because Koufax's signing bonus was greater than $4,000 ($40,000 today), he was known as a bonus baby. But Marichal and Spahn had surrendered eight hits each before a home run by Willie Mays ended the 16-inning, 1-0 game. The Koufax perfect game against the Cubs was also noted for the play-by-play call by broadcaster Vin Scully, the venerable voice of the Dodgers for more than 50 years. 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. WebThe youngest man ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Sandy Koufax, was no different. December 20, 1965 Sports Illustrated cover honoring Sandy Koufax. Ever so slightly flawed by Johnson' flare, the Hendley-Koufax game need not be bronzed. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; (The Dodgers won the 2020 World Series in Game 6 while they were designated as the home team, but the game was played at a neutral site, Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Switch teams or you have no chance. He was also named the National Leagues Most Valuable Player. Koufax attracted the notice of at least one scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers. For our purposes today, though, the dazzling Koufax is merely half the story. Roscoe McGowen, Dodgers Win; Koufax Is Victor Dodger Allows 2 Hits, Fans 14 in Beating Redlegs, 7 to 0, New York Times, August 28, 1955. What was the crowd at Sandy Koufaxs first no hitter? . Koufax was routinely identified in Los Angeles newspapers as Sandy, no surname necessary. He needed only to tidy up on his control that summer night in Chavez Ravine. Sandy Koufax in what appears to be an impromptu locker room press conference following his no-hitter against the New York Mets of June 30, 1962. Over the years, Hendley's appreciation of Koufax has grown. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Nothing wrong with that.". The hard-throwing left-hander was the most dominant pitcher in baseball until elbow arthritis forced an early retirement at age 30. Who has the highest batting average against Bob Gibson? Photo, Ben Olender / L.A. Times. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Koufax won two of the four games. . We both retired early [Hendley at 28, Koufax at 30], we both had elbow problems." }, Cronkite School at ASU Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Data Provided By 097 in his career. And Sandy needed to be perfect to gain that one victory. Later, another Dodger scout, Al Campanis heard about Koufax from a local sporting goods store owner, and after seeing the kid pitch locally invited him to Ebbets Field to tryout with the Dodgers. The event they created, known as nothing more than "CHI at LA" before it began, stands among the most astonishing games ever played at any point of any baseball season. Commercial Photography: How To Get The Right Shots And Be Successful, Nikon Coolpix P510 Review: Helps You Take Cool Snaps, 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Marshmallow, Technological Advancements: How Technology Has Changed Our Lives (In A Bad Way), 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Lollipop, Awe-Inspiring Android Apps Fabulous Five, IM Graphics Plugin Review: You Dont Need A Graphic Designer. us, High School: Lafayette HS (Brooklyn, NY), Schools: Columbia University (New York, NY), University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH), Last Game: Sandy Koufaxs Perfect Game, Wikipedia.org. Click for copy. He told Life reporter Tommy Thompson: I want to enjoy all this while it lasts. "He was with Mickey.". Hendley finally allowed one-hit the only hit in the game for either side. Martin showed up about 15 minutes before a game in Arlington, Texas, one night, a particularly embarrassing scene because the players were goofing around like kids with a substitute teacher, and coach Jackie Moore, fearing Billy might not make it at all, had assumed tenuous control of the club. No speeches, no press conferences, no tears, no tributes. 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. Koufax pitched two relief innings in Game 1 of that series and started Game 5 at the Los Angeles Coliseum before more than 92,000 fans. (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. This year's awards dinner, to be hosted by Gary Radnich, will be June 29 at the Nikko Hotel in S.F. The 1963 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1963 season. Koufax also set a new standard with 382 strikeouts in 1965. Did Sandy Koufax ever hit a home run? Video: Doddgers Retired Number: No. Dont Let Em Fool You; Koufax Wanted to Pitch, Los Angeles Times, March 31, 1966, p. B-1. However, that day happened to be Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in the Jewish religion. ", Hendley's loss seemed quite unfair. And seven of the 22, including Koufax's, have been decided by 1-0 scores. Koufax would finish a very close second to Pittsburgh hitter, Roberto Clemente, in the National League voting that year for the regular season Most Valuable Player. Steph Curry killed off the Kings with a smile, On an island of resorts, this Hawaii hotel is the budget option, 11 gadgets to boost your WFH productivity. Frank Finch, Big D, Sandy Give Bavasi News Today, Los Angeles Times, February 24, 1966, p. B-1. I was at Koufax's perfect game in '65, and Cubs pitcher James Lincoln Ray, Important Facts About Sandy Koufax: Dodgers Ace May Have Been Baseballs Best Lefthanded Pitcher, Suite 101.com., June 12, 2008. Use of his left arm was severely limited when he wasnt pitching. "We both gave up two runs, we both allowed five hits. An old interview of Hall of Fame pitchers Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax made the rounds on social media Friday. Is that coincidence, or are we being punished (after the strike) for doing the wrong thing?". 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. Why did Sandy Koufax change his name? ", Hendley has regained a small measure of celebrity. More remarkable was that Koufax was the losing pitcher in each of the other instances. Particularly in the last few innings, you knew that he knew he had the perfect game. Sandy Koufax at work, Game 7, `65 World Series. Frank Finch; Koufax Wins, Shelved by Injury,Los Angeles Times, Jul 13, 1962, p. C-1. he set records as one of the nicest people ever to play or manage the game, as well. Even Wilt, Whitey and Yogi seldom were identified in their city's newspaper reports in such an informal manner. [8], 1963 World Series (40): Los Angeles Dodgers (N.L.) One to tie, two to win. And that's as far as it went. Brooklyn had dibs on Duke Snider, Gil Hodges and the other Boys of Summer. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. A tremendous blast by any standards. They had been at Mantle's house nearby, and knowing these two, they probably hoisted their first cocktails before noon. Stats. . 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. !,Los Angeles Times, May 12, 1963, p. I-1. The bounces that footballs take are far less fickle than the bounces and ricochets that allow the most challenged baseball teams to beat the best. (Voted by BBWAA on 344/396 ballots) Not only did Koufax, 28, toss his third no-hitter in three years 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. And he remains as splendid a human being as any who has graced the planet -- courteous, caring, generous and unassuming. On that night, Sept. 9, 1965, with both pitchers and Scully at their bests, Hendley was nearly the equal of Koufax. Although Mantle was about to turn 32, his tortured body was ancient, and he had played just 65 games that season. . How fast did Sandy Koufax throw a baseball? Their 2020 title was won as the "home team" albeit as part of the neutral site World Series in Arlington, Texas. Over the years, Hendley's appreciation of Koufax has grown. But Koufax shut down the Yanks after that as the Dodgers won 2-1, completing a surprising four-game sweep of Writing for CBSSports.com, Doyel blew Hendley's cover in a column on April 30, 2015, the coach's 75th birthday. ", 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. 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. Who is the youngest person in the Baseball Hall of Fame? I threw the ball pretty hard, Gibson said in the video, and if I threw the ball inside to him, I couldnt get it by him. Koufax added: For me, he was the toughest out. Don Zimmer just staged the greatest retirement in memory. Their only six confrontations occurred in the first four seasons of a five-season sequence, 1962-66, when Koufax was at the peak of his career. However, more signs of serious arm problems followed that year for Koufax, having jammed his arm in a base-running slide. And the Angels still were barely beyond the toddler stage in 1965. . Ever so slightly flawed by Johnson' flare, the Hendley-Koufax game need not be bronzed. 54-56. Los Angeles Dodgers, Baseball Season Forecast, Sports Illustrated, April 13, 1964. Exceeded rookie limits during 1956 season, View Player Bio 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. KOUFAX, SANDY ( Sanford Braun ; 1935 ), U.S. baseball player, one of the greatest pitchers in its history, and with Hank *Greenberg one of only two Jewish He also played some local baseball in a youth league, and later as a 17-year old pitcher, in a Coney Island league. Koufax, by some accounts, was neither an observant nor an involved Jew, but nonetheless, saw not playing on Yom Kippur as his responsibility. In a single game Mantle hit two homers that were longer than most major league players hit in a career! On October 6th, 1963, in Game 4 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium, Koufax faced the Yankees a second time. Pitcher Carl Erskine is shown in his Brooklyn uniform. Out of those two transitionary years, 1961-62, Sandy Koufax the master-of-all-time, baseballs Leonardo, arrived. In his major league career, Koufax set some dazzling marks. ", 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. In the second game of a doubleheader, Koufax faced off against the Phillies ace, Jim Bunning in a first-ever match-up between perfect-game winners. Fifty years ago on October 6, at the tender age of 30, Sandy Koufax bowed out of baseball. Even today, baseball has but one Sandy, as it has one Babe. Video: 2015 ASG: MLB's 'Greatest Living Players' announced. He called it "unfair territory. I was at Koufax's perfect game in '65, and Cubs pitcher Bob Hendley nearly pitched a no-hitter himself that night, but the magnitude of the World Series turned Drysdale-Bouton into legend. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. We were like Cubs fans who wouldn't go see the White Sox if you paid us. Because the Dodgers swept the series, the details of that last game have clouded over. Get well, Mick. Sandy was throwing so hard, he was coming out from under his cap. A 1955 Sandy Koufax rookie year card by the Topps card company, said to be a desirable card among collectors. He struck out his final six batters and eight of the final 10. Mickey Mantle was still playing then, and there were a number of other names, some just getting started, others in their prime Carl Yastrzemski, Harmon Killebrew, Hank Aaron, Willie McCovey, Whitey Ford, Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda and others. Koufax only missed a perfect game that day by walkingtwo batters: Ed Bailey in the eighth inning, and an intentional walk to Willie McCovey in the ninth. But Koufax shut down the Yanks after that as the Dodgers won 2-1, completing a surprising four-game sweep of New York to win the Series. . You could tell how much he wanted it. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Sandy Koufax started it off with a record 15-strikeout performance in Game 1 to outduel the Yankees' ace left-hander Whitey Ford. The Cardinals right-hander had lost his last four consecutive decisions and was looking to finish on a high note in his final three starts of the 1962 season, beginning with the Friday night game against the Dodgers. The quirky Royals reliever often noted that fair territory was 90 degrees of a circle, and foul territory occupied 270 degrees. And even then his arm would swell an inch. Sandy Koufax, Sports Illustrated cover, March 4, 1963. Hendley, pitching for the Cubs that night in Los Angeles, warrants none of the superlatives applied above. Koufax was routinely identified in Los Angeles newspapers as Sandy, no surname necessary. Koufax walked the next batter, Gene Oliver, and was relieved by Ed Roebuck. over New York Yankees (A.L.). (Age 30-276d) At Lafayette High, he became team captain and ranked second in division scoring. Sandy Koufax Out Longer Than ExpectedFour to Six Weeks, Los Angeles Times, July 20, 1962, p. B-1. He lasted just 4 innings. As of mid-year 2010, Sandy Koufax was still active, appearing for example, at the May 27, 2010 White House reception in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month where he greeted President Obama who later joked with the audience that he and Sandy had something in common: We are both lefties, said the President. There were 21 guys who did this in 2022, setting a new MLB record. 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. Last Update:31 December 2020 And Koufax admitted in one interview to having a good bit of trouble with Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates, especially in 1963. "In the latter part of the game, [Sandy] was awesome," Hendley said. 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. The game is also featured in Jane Leavys 2002 biography of Koufax, Sandy Koufax: A Leftys Legacy. All rights reserved. It was the first game of a doubleheader in Pittsburgh. His column ended thusly: "Today he turns 75. "Sandy always has been gracious toward me," he said. 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. 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. Koufax Peddles His Biography for Tidy Advance of $110,000, Los Angeles Times, March 19, 1966, p. A-1. 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). With the count 2-and-2, Koufax was a strike away from getting out of the jam. [1][2] Seven more such meetings have followed with three more times each in the World Series and the NBA Finals, and the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals.[2]. 1956 Topps baseball trading card for Sandy Koufax, pitcher, Brooklyn Dodgers. Click for card. . For our purposes today, though, the dazzling Koufax is merely half the story. Koufax, meanwhile,was making his first appearance since a one-inning start July 17 at Cincinnati. How many strikeouts did Sandy Koufax have in the World Series? A young Sandy Koufax in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform. After the World Series, in November, Sandy Koufax announced his retirement from baseball due to his arthritic condition. The momentum he created for himself brought out the best in Scully and a powerful sense of resignation for Hendley. At the University of Cincinnati he became a walk-on freshman basketball player. By 1965, he had almost unmatched cachet throughout the game. Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax were scheduled to start against one another in a September 1962 showdown of two of the premier pitchers of the era. And what a great lesson that is. 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. The next delivery was high His spontaneous account of the game was comparable to what he had witnessed. This could be another tale of the astounding exploits of Sandy Koufax, one more of so many; and each one warranted. Like Koufax, Hendley was betrayed by his pitching elbow and forced to retire earlier than planned. In a six-year big-league career, James hit 29 home runs. Thank you. The Pirates traded Groat to the St. Louis Cardinals prior to the 1963 season, and he nearly won a second MVP trophy, finishing as the runner-up to Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax. 097 in his career. And that loss was in his only career one-hitter. Koufax also won the 1963, 1965, and 1966 Cy Young Award for best pitcher by unanimous votes during an erawhen only one pitcher was chosen per season. WebBoth Ford and Koufax pitched scoreless first innings. You could tell how much he wanted it. December 30, 1935 "I was standing on the top step of the dugout, at the end. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The unlikelystandout that night: Cardinals right fielder Charlie James. But the losing pitcher in each of the seven instances surrendered at least two more hits than Hendley. Full Site Menu. Call 415- 750-4442 for ticket prices and other information. View Sandy Koufax's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). Tom Verducci,The Left Arm Of God, Sports Illustrated, July 12, 1999. ", Hendley has regained a small measure of celebrity. But the losing pitcher in each of the seven instances surrendered at least two more hits than Hendley. No one has won a Triple Crown in National League hitting since 1937 when Joe Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals last did it. Koufax's ERA in those games was 3.65. Or write about sports? He had allowed eight walks combined in his three, earlier no-hitters. It was the first time since 1924 that both leagues had pitching Triple Crown winners in the same season. RHP Tom Seaver. Lefty Grove is the only other pitcher to have done the latter, in 1935-1939. Harvey Haddix and Lew Burdette pitched dual shutouts into the 13th inning. Koufaxalso talked about his responsibility to pitch well enough during pennant races to help the Dodgers get into and win the World Series, thereby helping his teammates boost and even double their incomes by adding World Series bonus money. But two Dodgers managed to reach base, and one scored. Hendley was a spot starter in 1965. This time, it was a pitcher's duel. Sandy Koufax after pitching his 4th career no-hitter, also a perfect game, Sept 9th, 1965. "What a nice man! A number of his former players contacted him after Doyel's story appeared. 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. Somehow, at Candlestick, we expected more. Hendley, pitching for the Cubs that night in Los Angeles, warrants none of the superlatives applied above. If he had got out of that first inning, Dodgers manager Walter Alston said about Koufax, no telling how long he might have gone., Asked whether the left index finger still bothered him, Koufax replied, My finger doesnt feel 100 percent but it does feel as good as it did the two or three games before I went under the doctors care., Two years later, April 22, 1964, James hit another first-inning home run off Koufax, a three-run shot in a 7-6 Cardinals victory. Only perfection beat him. Tony Kubek had two of the Yankees' three hits, but none of the hits were extra-base hits. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". It was a record setting, perfect bame masterpiece in a game that ranks as one of the greatest pitching duels in The Dodgers upped the lead to 5-0 when Skowron singled home Willie Davis with two outs in the third inning against Ford, who went just five innings. This series was also the first meeting between teams from New York City and Los Angeles for a major professional sports championship. He won 25 games three times and captured five straight ERA titles from 1962 through 1966. National League Most Valuable Player of the Year in 1963. Boxscore. Bruce Jenkins has written for the San Francisco Chronicle since 1973 and has been a sports columnist since 1989. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. His spontaneous account of the game was comparable to what he had witnessed. Johnson, Washington Senators, won 3 Triple Crowns: 1913, 1918 & 1924. He graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1966 and UC Berkeley with a B.A. Brent Jones has joined a distinguished group of Bay Area athletes to win the Lou Gehrig Iron Man Award. And one game for the ages, albeit a loss. 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..
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