| Sandy Koufax | |
|---|---|
 Publicity still of Koufax,c. 1965 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1935-12-30)December 30, 1935 (age 89) Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 24, 1955, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 2, 1966, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 165–87 |
| Earned run average | 2.76 |
| Strikeouts | 2,396 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1972 |
| Vote | 86.9% (first ballot) |
Sanford Koufax (/ˈkoʊfæks/; néBraun; born December 30, 1935), nicknamed "the Left Arm of God", is an American formerbaseball player. Widely regarded as one of the greatestpitchers in baseball history, he played 12 seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theBrooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. Koufax was the first three-time winner of theCy Young Award, each time winning unanimously and the only pitcher to do so when a single award was given for both the leagues; he was also named theNational League Most Valuable Player in 1963. Retiring at age 30 due tochronic pain in his pitching elbow, Koufax was elected to theBaseball Hall of Fame in1972 at age 36, the youngest player ever elected.
Born inBrooklyn, New York, Koufax was primarily a basketball player in his youth and had pitched in only a few games before signing with theBrooklyn Dodgers at age 19. Due to thebonus rule he signed under, Koufax never pitched in theminor leagues. His lack of pitching experience caused managerWalter Alston to distrust Koufax, who saw inconsistent playing time during his first six seasons. Frustrated with the way he was being managed by the Dodgers, he almost quit after the 1960 season. After making adjustments prior to the 1961 season, Koufax quickly rose to become the most dominant pitcher in the major leagues, as well as the first major sports star on theWest Coast. He was anAll-Star in each of his last six seasons, leading theNational League (NL) in earned run average each of his last five years, instrikeouts four times, and in wins andshutouts three times each. He was the first pitcher in thelive-ball era to post an earned run average below 2.00 in three different qualifying seasons, and the first in the modern era to record a300-strikeout season three times.
Koufax won the Major League Pitchers'Triple Crown three times, leading the Dodgers to a pennant in each of those years. He was the first major league pitcher to throw fourno-hitters, including aperfect game in 1965. He was named theWorld Series MVP twice, leading the weak-hitting Dodgers to titles in1963 and1965. Despite his comparatively short career, his 2,396 career strikeouts ranked seventh in major league history at the time, trailing onlyWarren Spahn (2,583) among left-handers; his 40 shutouts were tied for ninth in modern NL history. He was the first pitcher in history to average more than ninestrikeouts per nine innings pitched, and the first to allow fewer than sevenhits per nine innings pitched. Koufax, along with teammateDon Drysdale, became a pivotal figure in baseball'slabor movement when the two staged ajoint holdout and demanded a fairer contract from the Dodgers before the 1966 season. Koufax is also considered one of the greatest Jewish athletes in history; his decision to sit out Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it coincided with the Jewish holiday ofYom Kippur garnered national attention and made him a revered figure within theAmerican Jewish community.
Since retiring, Koufax has kept a low profile and makes public appearances on rare occasions. In December 1966, he signed a 10-year contract to work as abroadcaster forNBC; uncomfortable in front of cameras and with public speaking, he resigned after six years. In 1979, Koufax returned to work as apitching coach in the Dodgers' farm system; he resigned from the position in 1990 but continues to make informal appearances duringspring training. From 2013 to 2015, Koufax worked in an executive position for the Dodgers, as special advisor to chairmanMark Walter. In 1999, he was named to theMajor League Baseball All-Century Team. His number 32 was retired by the Dodgers in 1972 and he was honored with astatue outside the centerfield plaza ofDodger Stadium in 2022. That same year, Koufax became the first player to mark the 50th anniversary of his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Koufax was born Sanford Braun to aJewish family on December 30, 1935, inBorough Park, Brooklyn.[1] His parents, Evelyn (née Lichtenstein) and Jack Braun, divorced when he was three years old. The son of a single working parent, he spent most of his childhood with his maternal grandparents and spent his summers at Camp Chi-Wan-Da, aJewish summer camp inUlster Park, New York, where his mother worked as abookkeeper.[2]
Evelyn, a certified public accountant, remarried when her son was nine to Irving Koufax, an attorney, whose name Sandy took. Koufax also gained a stepsister, Edith, Irving's daughter from a previous marriage.[3] Shortly afterwards, the family moved to theLong Island suburb ofRockville Centre. They moved back to Brooklyn in June 1949, the day after Koufax graduated from ninth grade, settling in the neighborhood ofBensonhurst.[4]
As a youth, Koufax was better known for basketball than for baseball. He had started playing it at theEdith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst, winning a few local titles with the community center team. AttendingLafayette High School, Koufax would become the basketball team's captain in his senior year. That year, he ranked second in his division in scoring, averaging 16.5 points per game.[3] He made newspaper headlines for the first time when, during a preseason exhibition game between the Lafayette basketball team and theNew York Knicks, he dunked twice and showed up Knicks starHarry Gallatin.[5][6]
In 1951, Koufax joined a local youth baseball league known as the "Ice Cream League", playing for the Tomahawks. He started out as a left-handedcatcher before moving tofirst base. He joined Lafayette's baseball team as a first baseman in his senior year at the urging of his friendFred Wilpon.[1] While with the high school team, he was spotted by Milt Laurie, a newspaper deliveryman and baseball coach who was the father of two Lafayette baseball players. Laurie noticed Koufax's strong throwing arm and recruited him to pitch for theConey Island Sports League's Parkviews.[7]
Koufax chose to attend theUniversity of Cincinnati after becoming awalk-on for their freshman basketball team. Playing under coachEd Jucker, he averaged 9.7 points per game.[3] As a student, he was enrolled in a liberal arts major with the intention of transferring to thearchitectural school,[8] and was a member ofPi Lambda Phi, a historically Jewish fraternity.[9][10]
One day, Koufax overheard Jucker, who also coached the collegebaseball team, planning a last-minute road trip in his office which started inNew Orleans. Eager to visit the city, he told Jucker, "I'm a pitcher" and made the team in a subsequent tryout.[11] For the season, Koufax went 3–1 with a 2.81 earned run average, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings pitched.[12]
While with the college baseball team, Koufax began to attract the attention of baseball scouts.Bill Zinser, a scout for theBrooklyn Dodgers, sent the team a glowing report that was seemingly filed away and forgotten.[13] Gene Bonnibeau, a scout for theNew York Giants, learned of Koufax through a Cincinnati newspaper and invited him to try out at thePolo Grounds after his freshman year. The workout did not go well for the nervous Koufax who threw wildly over the catcher's head; he never heard back from the Giants.[14]
That summer, Koufax began pitching regularly for the Parkviews. In September, Ed McCarrick, a scout for thePittsburgh Pirates, was highly impressed with Koufax after seeing him in a fewsandlot games.[15] At McCarrick's behest,Branch Rickey,general manager of the Pirates, sent scoutClyde Sukeforth to see Koufax. Sukeforth subsequently invited him toForbes Field for a tryout before the Pirates' front office. Upon seeing Koufax pitch in person, Rickey remarked, "This is the greatest arm I've ever seen."[16] The Pirates, however, failed to offer Koufax a contract until after he was already committed to the Dodgers.[17]
Al Campanis, a Dodgers scout, heard about Koufax from sportswriterJimmy Murphy of theBrooklyn Eagle who covered sandlot teams in Brooklyn and had seen him pitch a few times.[18][19] He was also urged by Pat Auletta, the owner of a sporting goods store and founder of the Coney Island Sports League, to see Koufax pitch. Campanis arranged a tryout for him atEbbets Field.[20] With Dodgers managerWalter Alston and scouting directorFresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing; he later said, "There are two times in my life the hair on my arms has stood up: The first time I saw the ceiling of theSistine Chapel and the second time, I saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball."[21][22]
After the tryout, Koufax's father negotiated the contract with the Dodgers, asking for a bonus which would allow his son to finish college if his baseball career failed.[3] They agreed on a $20,000 contract ($234,000 today) – $6,000 then-league minimum salary, with a $14,000signing bonus – and not to officially sign until after the season ended, with Irving Koufax and ownerWalter O'Malley making a handshake commitment.[23]
Returning to university, Koufax also had a tryout with theMilwaukee Braves after which general managerJohn Quinn made him a $30,000 offer. Having already committed to signing with the Dodgers, Koufax turned down the Braves' offer. He also turned down a belated offer from the Pirates, promising him $5,000 more than what the Dodgers did.[24] Koufax officially signed with his hometown team on December 14, 1954.[25]
At the time of Koufax's signing, thebonus rule implemented byMajor League Baseball was still in effect, stipulating that if a major league team signed a player to a contract with a signing bonus in excess of $4,000 ($56,000 today), they were required to keep them on their 25-man active roster for two full seasons.[26] In compliance with the rule, the Dodgers placed Koufax on their major league roster. As it subsequently turned out, Koufax never played in theminor leagues.[27]
During his firstspring training, Koufax struggled with his new training regime and suffered from a sore arm most of the time.[28] Having pitched fewer than twenty games in the sandlots and college combined, he did not know a lot aboutpitching, such as how to properly field a ball, how to hold a runner on base, or even pitching signs, later saying, "The only signs I knew were one finger forfastball and two for acurve, and here there were five or six signs." His lack of minor league experience meant Koufax never fully mastered all aspects of the game and took a lot longer to develop as a pitcher.[29]
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Having injured his ankle in the last week of spring training, Koufax was placed on thedisabled list for 30 days; he would be activated by the Dodgers on June 8. To make room for him, they optioned their future Hall of Fame manager,Tommy Lasorda, to their Triple-A affiliate, theMontreal Royals. Lasorda would later joke that it took "one of the greatest left-handers in history" to keep him off the Dodgers major league roster.[30]
Koufax made his major league debut on June 24, 1955, against theMilwaukee Braves, with the Dodgers trailing 7–1 in the fifth inning.Johnny Logan, the first batter Koufax faced, hit a bloop single.Eddie Mathews bunted back to the mound, and Koufax threw the ball into center field. He then walkedHenry Aaron on four pitches to load the bases before striking outBobby Thomson on a 3–2 fastball for his first career strikeout.[31] Koufax ended up pitching two scoreless innings, inducing adouble play to end the bases-loaded threat and picking up another strikeout in a perfect sixth.[32]
Koufax's first start was on July 6, the second game of adoubleheader against thePittsburgh Pirates. He lasted only 4.2 innings, giving up eight walks.[33] He did not start again for almost two months.[34]
On August 27, Koufax threw a two-hit, 7–0 complete game shutout against theCincinnati Redlegs for his first major league win. He struck out 14 batters and allowed only two hits.[35][36] His only other win in 1955 was also a shutout, a five-hitter against the Pirates on September 3.[37]
In his rookie year, Koufax threw 41.2 innings in 12 appearances, striking out 30 batters and walking 28, with a record of 2–2 and 3.02 earned run average.[38] TheDodgers went on to win the National League pennant and the1955 World Series over theNew York Yankees, the first title in franchise history; however, even though he was on the World Series roster, Koufax did not appear in the series. During the fall, he had enrolled in theColumbia University School of General Studies, which offered night classes in architecture; after the final out of Game 7, Koufax went straight to Columbia to attend class.[39]
The 1956 season was not very different from 1955 for Koufax. Despite his blazing fastball, Koufax continued to struggle with control. He saw little work, pitching only 58.2 innings with a 4.91 earned run average, 29 walks and 30 strikeouts.[1] When Koufax allowed baserunners, he was rarely permitted to finish the inning. TeammateJoe Pignatano remarked, years later, that as soon as Koufax threw a couple of balls in a row,Walter Alston would signal for a replacement to start warming up in the bullpen.[40]
Notably, teammatesJackie Robinson andRoy Campanella both clashed with Alston on Koufax's usage, noting the young pitcher's talent and objecting to him being benched for weeks at a time. PitcherDon Newcombe stated years later that Koufax facedantisemitism as a young pitcher from white players on the team who shunned him and used antisemitic slurs when referring to him. This led to black teammates rallying to Koufax's defense and supporting him during his early years.[41]
To prepare him for the 1957 season, theDodgers sent Koufax toPuerto Rico to play winter ball for theCriollos de Caguas.[42] For the Criollos, Koufax compiled a record of 3–6 with a 4.35 earned run average and 76 strikeouts in 64.2 innings pitched.[43] Two of his wins wereshutouts, including a one-hitter and a two-hitter, withRoberto Clemente getting both hits against him in the latter, his last game in Puerto Rico before being released. Besides the Dodgers, the Criollos were the only other team Koufax pitched for in his career.[1]
On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. Alston gave him a chance to justify his place on the major league roster by giving him the next day's start. Facing theChicago Cubs atWrigley Field, Koufax struck out 13 while pitching his first complete game in almost two years. For the first time in his career, he was in thestarting rotation, but only for two weeks. Despite winning three of his next five with a 2.90 earned run average, Koufax did not get another start for 45 days. In that start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision. 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.[44]
Koufax, along with fellow Dodgers pitcherDon Drysdale, served in theUnited States Army Reserve for two years, from 1957 to 1959. He was often stationed atFort Dix, New Jersey, during the offseason.[45]
Koufax began the 1958 season 7–3, but sprained his ankle in a collision withJim Bolger of theChicago Cubs at first base on July 5, resulting in a long layoff. Throughout the season, he was also plagued with back pain which was the result of a benign tumor on his rib cage, necessitating him to undergo surgery in the offseason to have the growth removed.[29] As a result, he finished the season at 11–11 and leading the majors inwild pitches.[46]
In 1959, on June 22, he set the record for a night game with 16 strikeouts against thePhiladelphia Phillies.[47][48] On August 31, against theSan Francisco Giants, he brokeDizzy Dean's NL single-game record of 17 strikeouts and tiedBob Feller'sMajor League record of 18.[49][50][51]
That season, the Dodgers won a tight pennant race against the Giants and theMilwaukee Braves. They faced theChicago White Sox in theWorld Series. In his first World Series appearance, Koufax pitched two perfect relief innings in Game 1, though they came after the Dodgers were already behind 11–0. Alston gave Koufax the start in Game 5, at theLos Angeles Coliseum. In what would have been the series-clincher, Koufax allowed only one run in seven innings but lost the game 1–0 whenNellie Fox scored on a double play and the Dodgers failed to score a run in support. Returning to Chicago, the Dodgers won Game 6 and their first championship in Los Angeles.[52][53]
In early 1960, Koufax asked Dodgers general managerBuzzie Bavasi to trade him because he believed he was not getting enough playing time, a request that was denied. On May 23, he pitched a one-hit shutout against thePirates, allowing only a second-inning single by pitcherBennie Daniels and striking out 10 batters in the process.[54] However, the game was a highlight in an otherwise bad year for Koufax in which he went 8–13 with a 3.97 earned run average.[38]
After the last game of the season, frustrated with his lack of progress as well as resentment towards Dodger management, Koufax threw his equipment into the trash, having decided to quit baseball and devote himself to anelectronics business in which he had invested.[55] In his first six seasons, he had posted a record of 36–40 with a 4.10 earned run average.Nobe Kawano, the clubhouse supervisor, retrieved the equipment in case Koufax decided to return the following year.[56]
Koufax came to regret his decision to quit, having found working in the offseason boring. He decided to give baseball another try, remarking years later, "I decided I was really going to find out how good I can be."[57] During the offseason, Koufax underwenttonsillectomy due to recurring throat issues and, as a result, reported to spring training thirty pounds under his normal playing weight. He later stated that it forced him to regain the lost muscle mass and weight through exercise and nutrition, allowing him to get into the "best shape" of his life. From then on, he made it a point to report to spring training under his playing weight.[3][58]
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.[59] As a result, Koufax tightened up his mechanics, believing that not only would it help better his control but would also help him disguise his pitches better.[a][61] Additionally, DodgersstatisticianAllan Roth helped Koufax tweak his game in the early 1960s, particularly regarding the importance of first-pitch strikes and the benefits of breaking pitches.[3][62]
On March 23, Koufax was chosen to pitch in a B-squad game against theMinnesota Twins inOrlando, Florida, by teammateGil Hodges who was acting manager for the day. As teammateEd Palmquist had missed the flight, leaving the team short one pitcher, Hodges told Koufax he needed to pitch at least seven innings. Prior to the game, catcherNorm Sherry told him: "If you get behind the hitters, don't try to throw so hard." This was due to Koufax's tendency to lose his temper and throw hard and wildly whenever he got into trouble.[3]
The strategy worked initially before Koufax temporarily reverted to throwing hard and walked the bases loaded with no out in the fifth. Sherry reminded Koufax of their discussion, advising him to settle down and throw to his glove; heeding the advice, Koufax struck out the side and finished the game with seven no-hit innings. He went on to have a strong spring training.[63][64]
All the improvements and changes made in the offseason and during spring training resulted in 1961 becoming Koufax's breakout season. He posted an 18–13 record and led the majors with 269 strikeouts, breakingChristy Mathewson's 58-year-old NL mark of 267, and doing so in 110 innings fewer than Mathewson had.[65]
That season also marked the first time in his career that Koufax started at least 30 games (35) and pitched at least 200 innings (255.2). He lowered hiswalks allowed per nine innings from 5.1 in 1960 to 3.4 in 1961, led the NL with astrikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.80, and led the majors with afielding independent pitching mark (FIP) of 3.00.[38]
On September 20, in the last regular season baseball game at the Coliseum, Koufax won a 13-inning contest against theChicago Cubs for his 18th win of the year. He pitched a complete game, throwing 205 pitches, striking out fifteen batters.[66]
In 1962, the Dodgers moved from the Los Angeles Coliseum – afootball stadium which had a 250-foot (75 m) left-field line and a 40-foot (10 m) tall screen – toDodger Stadium. The new park was pitcher-friendly, with a large foul territory and a relatively poor hitting background. Koufax, whose numbers were hurt by the peculiar dimensions of the Coliseum, was an immediate beneficiary of the move.[b][68] Subsequently, he recorded what would be his first great season, leading the NL in ERA and the majors inhits per nine innings,strikeouts per nine innings, and FIP.[38]
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On April 24, Koufax tied his own record of 18 strikeouts in a 10–2 win over theChicago Cubs inWrigley Field.[69] On June 13, against the Braves atMilwaukee County Stadium, he hit his first careerhome run off future Hall of FamerWarren Spahn, providing the winning margin in a 2–1 victory.[70]
On June 30, Koufax threw his first careerno-hitter against the expansionNew York Mets; it was also the first Dodgers no-hitter since their move to Los Angeles. In the first inning, he threw animmaculate inning, becoming the sixth NL pitcher and the 11th overall to throw one; he remains the only one to do so in a no-hitter.[71][72] His no-hitter, along with a 4–2 record, 73 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA, earned him thePlayer of the Month Award for June. It was the only time in his career he earned this distinction.[73]
Throughout the first half of the season, Koufax dealt with an injured pitching hand.[29] In April, while at bat, he had been jammed by a pitch. A numbness soon developed in his left index finger and it slowly turned cold and pale. Due to his strong performance, Koufax ignored the condition, hoping it would clear up in due time. The condition worsened, however, with his whole hand turning numb by July. During a start against Cincinnati, his finger split open.[74] A vascular specialist determined that Koufax had a crushed artery in his palm. Ten days of experimental medicine successfully reopened the artery, preventing the possibility ofamputation.[75]
Koufax was finally able to pitch again in September, when the team was locked in a tight pennant race with the Giants.[76] However, after the long layoff, he was rusty and ineffective in three appearances and, by the end of the regular season and in part due to Koufax's absence from the Dodgers rotation, the Giants caught up with the Dodgers and forced athree-game playoff.[77]
With an overworked pitching staff, manager Alston asked Koufax if he could start the first game. Koufax obliged but, still being rusty, was knocked out in the second inning, after giving up home runs toWillie Mays andJim Davenport. After winning the second game of the series, the Dodgers blew a 4–2 lead in the ninth inning of the deciding third game, losing the pennant.[78]
In 1963, Major League Baseball expanded thestrike zone to combat what they perceived as too much offense.[79] Compared to the previous season, walks in the NL fell 13%, strikeouts increased 6%, the leaguebatting average fell from .261 to .245, and runs scored declined 15%.[80] Koufax, who had reduced hiswalks allowed per nine innings to 3.4 in 1961 and 2.8 in 1962, reduced it further to 1.7 in 1963, which ranked fifth in the league.[38]
On April 19, Koufax threw his secondimmaculate inning, this time in a two-hit shutout win against theHouston Colt .45s, becoming the first NL pitcher and the second pitcher ever (afterLefty Grove) to throw two immaculate innings.[72] However, on April 23, he left a game against theBraves after throwing seven scoreless innings due to injuring theposterior capsule of his left shoulder. Koufax subsequently missed two weeks, returning on May 7 against theCardinals.[1]
Koufax threw his second career no-hitter against theSan Francisco Giants on May 11, besting Giants aceJuan Marichal. He carried aperfect game into the eighth inning against the powerful Giants lineup which included future Hall of FamersWillie Mays,Willie McCovey, andOrlando Cepeda. The perfect game ended when he walked catcherEd Bailey on a full count. Koufax closed out the game after walking pinch-hitter McCovey on four pitches with two out in the ninth.[81][82]
From July 3 to 16, Koufax pitched 33 consecutive scoreless innings, pitching three shutouts to lower hisearned run average to 1.65. On July 20, he hit the second and last home run of his career, coincidentally again in Milwaukee; he hit a three-run shot off Braves pitcherDenny Lemaster to propel the team to a 5–4 win; it was his only game with threeruns batted in.[38]
In 1963, Koufax won the first of three pitchingTriple Crowns, leading the majors in wins (25), strikeouts (306), and earned run average (1.88).[83] He threw 11 shutouts, eclipsingCarl Hubbell's 30-year, post-1900 mark for a left-handed pitcher of 10 and setting a record that stands to this day. OnlyBob Gibson, with 13 shutouts in his iconic 1968 season (known as "the year of the pitcher"), has thrown more since.[84]
Koufax won the National LeagueMost Valuable Player Award,[85] and was the first unanimous selection for theCy Young Award, winning at a time when only one was awarded for both leagues.[c][86] He was also named theAssociated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the first time, and was awarded theHickok Belt as the athlete of the year.[87]
Clinching the pennant on September 27, the Dodgers faced the heavily favoredNew York Yankees in the1963 World Series. In Game 1, Koufax beatWhitey Ford 5–2. He struck out the first five batters and 15 overall, breakingCarl Erskine's decade-old record of 14. The Dodgers won Games 2 and 3 behind the pitching ofJohnny Podres,Ron Perranoski, andDon Drysdale. Koufax completed the Dodgers' series sweep in Game 4 with a 2–1 victory over Ford; the only run he allowed was a home run byMickey Mantle.[88][89]
During the series, Koufax struck out 23 batters in 18 innings, a record for a four-game World Series, and had a 2–0 record with an earned run average of 1.50; for his performance, he was awarded theWorld Series Most Valuable Player Award.[90][91][92]
After his successful 1963 season, Koufax asked the Dodgers for a salary raise to $75,000, later writing in his autobiography: "I felt I was entitled to a healthy raise. Like double of the $35,000 I had received the year before, plus another $5,000 for good measure, good conduct, and good luck. They could hardly say I didn't deserve it."[93] However, during his meeting with Dodgers general managerBuzzie Bavasi, the latter stated Koufax had not earned such a big raise, using numerous excuses to justify his stance, including that he had not pitched enough innings the year before. Bavasi instead offered him $65,000.[94]
Angered at Bavasi's reasoning, Koufax held his ground. After tense negotiations, the pair finally agreed to $70,000 and Koufax signed just before the team was about to leave forspring training.[95] Soon after his signing, however, theLos Angeles Herald-Examiner published a story which incorrectly stated that Koufax had threatened to retire if he did not get a salary of $90,000. Shocked and angry that the story painted him as greedy, Koufax responded in an interview withFrank Finch of theLos Angeles Times that he did neither of those things, saying: "I've been hurt by people I thought were my friends."[96]
The story continued into spring training, with the usually quiet and reserved Koufax telling his side of the negotiations to sportswriters. He strongly suspected that somebody in the front office leaked the story. Koufax dropped the matter only after both Bavasi and Dodgers ownerWalter O'Malley met with him separately. However, due to the bitter negotiations and what he felt was disrespect from the front office, Koufax's relationship with both men never fully recovered.[97]
On April 14, Koufax made the onlyOpening Day start of his career, pitching a 4–0 shutout against theSt. Louis Cardinals.[98] In his next start, he struck out three batters on nine pitches in the third inning of a 3–0 loss to theCincinnati Reds, becoming the first pitcher in Major League history to throw three immaculate innings.[72] On April 22 in St. Louis, however, Koufax "felt something let go" in his arm during the first inning, resulting in threecortisone shots in his left elbow and three missed starts.[99]
On June 4, against thePhiladelphia Phillies inConnie Mack Stadium, Koufax threw his third career no-hitter, tyingBob Feller as the only modern-era pitchers to hurl three no-hitters. He needed just 97 pitches and faced the minimum 27 batters while striking out 12. The only full-count he allowed was toDick Allen in the fourth inning. Allen walked and was thrown out trying tosteal second base; he was the Phillies' only baserunner that day.[100][101]
On August 8, during a game against theMilwaukee Braves, Koufax jammed his pitching elbow while diving back to second base to beat a pick-off throw byTony Cloninger. He managed to pitch and win two more games, but on the morning after his 19th win, a shutout in which he struck out 13 batters, Koufax woke up to find his elbow "as big as his knee" and that he could no longer straighten his arm. He was diagnosed by Dodgers team physicianRobert Kerlan with traumaticarthritis.[d][103] With the Dodgers out of the pennant race, Koufax did not pitch again that season, finishing with a 19–5 win-loss record and leading the National League with a 1.74 ERA and seven shutouts, and the majors with a 2.08 FIP.[38]
After resting during the off-season, Koufax returned to spring training in 1965 and initially had no problems from pitching. On March 30, however, he woke up the morning after pitching a complete game against theChicago White Sox to find his entire left arm swollen andblack and blue fromhemorrhaging. He returned to Los Angeles to consult with Kerlan who warned him that he would eventually lose the full use of his arm if he continued to pitch.[104]
Kerlan and Koufax established a schedule which he followed for the last two seasons of his career. Koufax initially agreed to stop throwing between starts but, as it had been a part of his routine for a long time, he soon resumed it. Instead, he stopped throwing sidearm pitches (which he often did against left-handed batters) and removed his rarely-used slider from his repertoire.[105]
Before each start, Koufax hadcapsaicin-based Capsolin ointment – nicknamed the "Atomic Balm" by players – rubbed onto his shoulder and arm. Afterwards, he soaked his arm in a tub of ice to prevent swelling; during the ice treatments, he often wore a rubber sleeve fashioned from aninner tube to prevent frostbite. If his elbow swelled up after a game, the fluid would be drained with a syringe. When necessary, he was also given acortisone shot in the elbow joint. For the pain, Koufax took Empirin withcodeine every night and occasionally during a game. He also tookButazolidin, a drug used to treat inflammation caused by arthritis which was eventually taken off the market due to its toxic side effects.[106]
Despite the constant pain in his pitching elbow, Koufax pitched a major league-leading 335.2 innings and 27 complete games, leading theDodgers to another pennant. He won his second pitching Triple Crown, leading the Majors in wins (26), earned run average (2.04), and strikeouts (382).[83] Koufax captured his second unanimous Cy Young Award,[86] and was runner-up for the National League MVP Award, behindWillie Mays.[85]
Koufax's 382 strikeouts brokeRube Waddell's modern record of 349 strikeouts in 1904, and was the highest modern-day total at the time.[107] He walked only 71 batters, the first time a pitcher struck out 300 more batters than he walked (311). Additionally, 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.[38]
Koufax was the pitcher for the Dodgers during thegame on August 22, when Giants pitcherJuan Marichal clubbed Dodgers catcherJohn Roseboro in the head with a bat.[108] The game, which came in the middle of a heated pennant race, had been tense since it began, with Marichalbrushing back Dodgers outfielderRon Fairly and shortstopMaury Wills, and Koufax retaliating by throwing over the head ofWillie Mays. After Koufax's retaliation, both benches were warned by umpireShag Crawford; despite this, he asked Roseboro, "Who do you want me to get?" Not wanting Koufax ejected in the middle of a crucial game, Roseboro replied, "I'll handle it."[109]
After the clubbing occurred, Koufax rushed from the mound and attempted to grab the bat from Marichal. A fourteen-minute brawl ensued in which he and Mays attempted to restore peace, with Mays dragging the injured Roseboro away from the fight.[110] After the game resumed, a shaken Koufax walked two batters before giving up a three-run home run to Mays. While he eventually settled down and pitched a complete game without allowing more runs, the Dodgers lost the game 4–3.[111]
On September 9, 1965, Koufax became the sixth pitcher of the modern era, and eighth overall, to throw a perfect game. The game, pitched against theChicago Cubs, was Koufax's fourth no-hitter, setting a then-major league record, and the first by a left-hander in the modern era. He struck out 14 batters, the most recorded in a perfect game, and at least one batter in each inning in the 1–0 win.[112]
The game also set a record for the fewest hits in a major league contest as Cubs pitcherBob Hendley pitched a one-hitter and allowed only two batters to reach base.[113] Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. The winning run wasunearned, scored in the fifth inning without a hit when Dodgers left fielderLou Johnson walked, reached second on asacrifice, stole third, and scored on a throwingerror by Cubs catcherChris Krug. The only hit was a bloop double by Johnson to shallow right in the seventh inning.[114]
The Dodgers won the NL pennant on the second-to-last game of the season, against theMilwaukee Braves. Koufax started the game on two days' rest and pitched a complete game 3–1 win, striking out 13, to clinch the pennant for the Dodgers.[e][116]
Koufax garnered national attention when he declined to start Game 1 of the1965 World Series as itclashed with Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.[117] Instead, Drysdale pitched the opener, but was hit hard by theMinnesota Twins. When Dodgers managerWalter Alston came out to remove Drysdale from the game, the latter quipped: "I bet right now you wish I was Jewish, too."[118]
In Game 2, Koufax pitched six innings, giving up two runs (one unearned); the Twins won 5–1 to take an early 2–0 lead in the series. The Dodgers fought back in Games 3 and 4, with wins byClaude Osteen and Drysdale. With the Series tied at 2–2, Koufax pitched a four-hit shutout in Game 5, striking out 10 batters, for a 3–2 Dodgers lead.
The Series returned toMetropolitan Stadium for Game 6, which the Twins'Jim Grant won to force a seventh, decisive game. For the series clincher, Alston decided to start Koufax on two days' rest over the fully-rested Drysdale against the Twins'Jim Kaat. Pitching through fatigue and chronic pain, he threw a three-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts, despite the fact he did not have his curveball and relied almost entirely on his fastball.[119][120]
For his performance, Koufax won theWorld Series MVP Award, the first player to be awarded it multiple times. Koufax also won the Hickok Belt for a second time, also the first time anyone won the belt more than once.[87] That year, he was named theSportsman of the Year bySports Illustrated andAssociated Press Male Athlete of the Year for a second time.[121]
In the offseason, prior to the 1966 season, Koufax and Drysdale met separately with general managerBuzzie Bavasi to negotiate their contracts for the upcoming season. Koufax still harbored ill feelings towards Bavasi stemming from his contract dispute before the 1964 season.[122] After his meeting, he met Drysdale and his wife Ginger for dinner, irritated that Bavasi was using his own teammate against him in the salary negotiations. Drysdale responded that Bavasi had done the same thing with him. After comparing notes, they realized that Bavasi had played each pitcher against the other.[123]
Ginger Drysdale, who had worked as a model and actress and was once a member of theScreen Actors Guild, suggested the pair negotiate together to get what they wanted. Hence, in January 1966, Koufax and Drysdale informed the Dodgers of their decision to hold out together.[124][125]
In a highly unusual move for the time, they were represented by entertainment lawyerJ. William Hayes, Koufax's business manager. Also unusual was their demand of $1 million ($9.7 million today), divided equally over the next three years, or $167,000 ($1.62 million today) each for each of the next three seasons. They told Bavasi they would negotiate their contracts as one unit through their agent. The Dodgers refused to do so, stating it was against their policy, and a stalemate ensued. The front office began to wage apublic relations campaign against the pair.[125]
Koufax and Drysdale did not report to spring training in February 1966. Instead, both signed to appear in the movieWarning Shot. Additionally, Koufax had signed a book deal to write his autobiography,Koufax, with authorEd Linn.[125] Meanwhile, Hayes unearthed a state law, the result of theDe Havilland v. Warner Bros. Pictures case, that made it illegal to extend personal service contracts in California beyond seven years; he began to prepare a lawsuit which to challenge thereserve clause. When Dodgers ownerWalter O'Malley found out about this, the team's front office softened their stance towards the pair.[125]
Actor and former baseball playerChuck Connors helped arrange a meeting between Bavasi and the two pitchers. Koufax gave Drysdale the go-ahead to negotiate new deals on behalf of both of them. At the end of the thirty-two day holdout, Koufax signed for $125,000 ($1.21 million today) and Drysdale for $110,000 ($1.07 million today).[125] The deal made Koufax the highest paid player inMajor League Baseball for 1966.[126]
The holdout was the first significant event in baseball's labor movement and the first time major league players challenged the absolute stronghold the owners held in baseball at the time. That same year, trade unionistMarvin Miller used the Koufax–Drysdale holdout as an argument forcollective bargaining while campaigning for players' votes during spring training; he would soon be elected by the players as first executive director of theMajor League Baseball Players Association.[127]
In April 1966, Kerlan told Koufax it was time to retire and that his arm could not take another season. By this time, Koufax could no longer straighten his arm and it occasionally went numb, causing him to drop anything he was holding. Koufax kept Kerlan's advice to himself, having decided the year before to make 1966 his last season. He went out to pitch every fourth day, accumulating 323 innings and not missing a start.[128]
He posted a 27–9 win-loss record, with 317strikeouts and a 1.73earned run average, and won his third pitching Triple Crown.[83] Koufax won his third unanimous Cy Young Award, the first pitcher ever to win three,[86] and was again runner-up for the National League MVP Award, finishing behindRoberto Clemente of the Pirates.[f][85]
On September 25, the day after Yom Kippur, Koufax matched up withKen Holtzman of theChicago Cubs, a fellow Jewish southpaw.[129] AtWrigley Field, Koufax allowed only two runs (one unearned), both in the first inning, but lost by a 2–1 score. Holtzman carried a no-hitter into the 9th, allowing only one run and one hit. It was Koufax's last regular season loss.[130]
In the final game of the regular season, the Dodgers had to beat the Phillies to win the pennant. In the second game of a doubleheader, Koufax facedJim Bunning for the second time that season.[131] On two days' rest, Koufax pitched a 6–3 complete-game victory to clinch the pennant, the final win of his career.[132]
During the fifth inning, Koufax injured his back while pitching toGary Sutherland who was pinch-hitting for Bunning. After the inning, he went to the trainer's room where the injury was diagnosed as aslipped disc. Dodger trainers Bill Buehler and Wayne Anderson applied Capsolin on his back and, along with former DodgerDon Newcombe, pulled Koufax in opposite directions until the disc slipped back into place.[133]
The Dodgers went on to face theBaltimore Orioles in the1966 World Series. As Koufax had pitched the pennant clincher just three days earlier,Walter Alston was reluctant to start him in Game 1 for what would have been two consecutive starts on two days' rest. Instead, Drysdale started in Koufax's place; he proved to be ineffective, however, recording only six outs and losing 5–2.[134]
In Game 2, his third start in eight days, Koufax shut out the Orioles for the first four innings. However, three errors by Dodgers centerfielderWillie Davis in the fifth inning produced three unearned runs. The only earned run allowed by Koufax was the result of Davis losing a fly ball hit byFrank Robinson which fell for a triple; Robinson subsequently scored on a single byBoog Powell. Koufax did not receive any run support either; Baltimore's 20-year-old future Hall of FamerJim Palmer pitched a four-hit shutout, and the Orioles won 6–0.[135]
Alston lifted Koufax at the end of the sixth inning with the idea of getting him extra rest before a potential fifth game. Instead, the Dodgers were swept in four games.Claude Osteen and Drysdale both lost by a score of 1–0 in Games 3 and 4 respectively, with the offense failing to score a single run after having scored just two in Game 1.[136]
On November 18, 1966, Koufax announced his retirement from baseball in a press conference at theBeverly Wilshire Hotel.[137][138] He cited the treatments that were required to make it possible for him to pitch regularly and the possibility of losing the use of his arm as the reasons for retiring at age 30:
I've got a lot of years to live after baseball and I would like to live them with the complete use of my body. I don't regret one minute of the last twelve years, but I think I would regret one year that was too many.[139]
With the Dodgers touringJapan at the time, nobody from the team's front office was present at the press conference. Koufax, who toldBuzzie Bavasi of his decision a few days before the conference, refused his request to delay his retirement until after thewinter meetings in order to facilitate a few deals in the Dodgers' favor or to wait until ownerWalter O'Malley returned from Japan, having already once delayed it and feeling he was being deceitful to sportswriters asking him about his future plans. In turn, Bavasi refused to attend the conference.[140]
The announcement of his retirement came as a shock, particularly to his teammates. Soon afterwards, Koufax told an incredulousDick Tracewski, his old Dodger roommate, that he could have continued to pitch but would have risked disability if he did so: "My arm still hurts. I can't go on doing this medication thing andpitching. It's going to kill me... Lots of bad things could happen. I just gotta retire." Years later, Koufax stated that he never regretted retiring when he did but did regret having to make the decision to retire.[141]
Koufax's retirement ended a five-year run in which he went 111–34 with a 1.95 earned run average and 1,444 strikeouts. During that run, he led the Dodgers to threeNational League pennants and twoWorld Series titles, in both of which he was named the series MVP. He wonCy Young Awards in each of the pennant-winning years and also won theNL Most Valuable Player Award in 1963.[38] During this period, he was namedSports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year in 1965,[142] andThe Sporting News named him asMLB Player of the Year in 1963 and 1965, andNL Pitcher of the Year for four consecutive seasons, from 1963 to 1966.[143]
In his 12-season major league career, Koufax had a 165–87 record with a 2.76 earned run average, 2,396 strikeouts, 137 complete games, and 40 shutouts.[38] 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, retiring with more career strikeouts than innings pitched.[144][145] For the 1960s, he had the lowest ERA (2.36) and lowest WHIP (1.005) of any pitcher with at least 1,200 innings pitched and the third-most strikeouts in the decade (1,910) despite not pitching after 1966.[146]
Koufax was the first pitcher to win threeCy Young Awards, an especially impressive feat as it was during the era when only one was given out for both major leagues. He was also the first pitcher to win the award by a unanimous vote, a distinction which he received twice more.[86]
He became the first pitcher in baseball history to havetwo games with 18 or more strikeouts, and the first to have eight games with at least 15 strikeouts (now fourth-most all-time). He also set a then-record of 97 games with at least 10 strikeouts (now sixth-most all-time).[147] In his last ten seasons, from 1957 to 1966, batters hit .203 against him, with a .271on-base percentage and a .315slugging average.[38] His run of five consecutiveERA titles is a Major League record.[148] He also led the majors inWHIP four consecutive times andFIP six consecutive times, both also records.[149][150]
Since the start of thelive-ball era, Koufax is one of only nine pitchers to record multiple 10+WAR seasons. He is also the only one to record anERA under 1.90 in three different qualifying seasons. In each of his last ten seasons, from 1957 to 1966, Koufax finished top ten instrikeouts, including top three finishes in seven; this was despite him being a part-time starter in three of those seasons and suffering a season-shortening injury in two. From 1961 to 1966, he recorded six consecutive 200-strikeout seasons.[151]
Koufax is considered one of the greatest big game pitchers in baseball history. SabermetricianBill James described Koufax as having a bigger impact on pennant races than any other pitcher in the 20th and 21st centuries,[152] and though hisrecord across four World Series is 4–3, his 0.95 ERA and twoWorld Series MVP Awards testify to how well he actually pitched.[153][154] In his three losses, Koufax only gave up one earned run in each; the Dodgers scored only one run in support across the three games, getting shut out twice.[38] His 22 consecutive World Seriesscoreless innings streak is the fourth-longest in World Series history and ninth-longest in postseason history.[155]
He was selected as anAll-Star for six consecutive seasons and made seven out of eight possible All-Star Game appearances those seasons.[g] Koufax pitched six innings across four All-Star games; he was the winning pitcher in the1965 All-Star Game, and was the starting pitcher in the1966 All-Star Game, throwing three innings of one-run ball on two days' rest.[157]
| Category | W | L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | ERA+ | FIP | WHIP | H9 | SO9 | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 165 | 87 | 2.76 | 397 | 314 | 137 | 40 | 9 | 2,324.1 | 1,754 | 806 | 713 | 204 | 817 | 48 | 2,396 | 18 | 131 | 2.69 | 1.106 | 6.8 | 9.3 | [38] |
Koufax was apower pitcher and threw with a pronounced straight-over-the-top arm action. 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. His unusually large hands also allowed him to putheavy spin on his pitches and control the direction in which they would break.[158]
Reserved and shy by nature, Koufax was a fierce competitor on the mound. He once pushed back on his "gentle competitor" image, saying: "It sure as hell isn't 'gentle', especially playing the game."[159] Though not a headhunter like teammateDon Drysdale, contrary to belief, he did not hesitate to pitch inside or brush back an opponent, once remarking: "The art of pitching is instilling fear."[160]
Throughout his career, Koufax relied heavily on two pitches.[161] Hisfour-seam fastball gave batters the impression of rising as it approached them, due to heavy backspin he created by pulling on the seams.[162] His overhandcurveball, spun with the middle finger, dropped vertically 12 to 24 inches due to his arm action; it is considered by many as being the best curve of all time.[163]
Though he had achangeup, Koufax almost never threw it, eventually replacing it with aforkball which he used more regularly as a third pitch.[164] ShortstopRoy McMillan described its movement as being not unlike that of aspitball.[165] In his final seasons, Koufax also began throwing acutter to compensate for drop in velocity.[166]
Soon after his retirement, Koufax signed a 10-year contract withNBC for $1 million ($9.4 million today) to be a broadcaster on theSaturday Game of the Week.[167] During his tenure, he also served as the color commentator for theAll-Star Game and as a pre-game analyst for theWorld Series.
A shy man, Koufax was never comfortable on the air; he had difficulty talking baseball with people who had not played the game professionally. It was also challenging for him to describe pitchers whose repertoires and style of pitching differed from his, and to be critical of players he had played with and against. As a result, he quit after six years and his contract with NBC was terminated by mutual consent before the 1973 season.[168]
In 1979, Koufax was hired by the Dodgers as a minor league pitching coach in their farm system.[169] During his tenure, he worked with a number of pitchers, includingOrel Hershiser,Dave Stewart,John Franco,Bob Welch, and fellow Hall of FamersDon Sutton andPedro Martínez.[170][171] Koufax, with the help of former teammateRoger Craig, taught himself how to throw asplit-finger fastball, a popular pitch in the 1980s, in order to be able to teach it to pitchers in the Dodgers' minor league system.[172]
He resigned from his position in 1990, saying he was not earning his keep as the Dodgers had cut back his workload; most observers, however, blamed it on his uneasy relationship with managerTommy Lasorda who reportedly resented Koufax working with his pitchers. Despite this, Koufax continued to make informal visits to spring training.[173]
During this time, Koufax also began to make spring training visits with other teams, particularly with theNew York Mets who were then owned by his childhood friendFred Wilpon.[174] Notably, Mets pitcherAl Leiter credited Koufax for helping him become a better pitcher.[175][176]
In 2002, theNew York Post published a false story about Koufax in connection to a biography on him by sportswriterJane Leavy, titledSandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy, insinuating that he only agreed to cooperate because Leavy threatened toout him as gay if he did not.[177] ThePost retracted the story after Leavy denied there was such a deal, calling it "thoroughly erroneous on all counts."[178] Koufax cut ties with the Dodgers as both the team and the newspaper were, at the time, owned byRupert Murdoch'sNews Corp and he did not want to help promote any of theirsubsidiaries.[179][180] He reconnected with the organization in 2004, when the News Corp sold the Dodgers toFrank McCourt.[181]
Prior to the 2013 season, the Dodgers again hired Koufax, this time in a front office role as a special advisor to team chairmanMark Walter, to work with pitchers during spring training atCamelback Ranch and consult during the season.[182][183] During one spring training visit in 2014, Koufax was hit on the head by a stray line drive, resulting in a cut on his head.[184][185] He underwent a precautionaryCT scan and returned to the spot where he had been hit the following day.[186] Koufax retired from the front office role prior to the 2016 season.[187]
Since its founding, Koufax has been closely involved with the activities of theBaseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping former baseball players through financial and medical difficulties. He has served as a member of its advisory board,[188] and has been a regular attendee at the annual B.A.T. dinner.[189] He also serves on the board of directors for theHole in the Wall Gang Camp, a non-profit organization and summer camp for children with disabilities and chronic illnesses; he joined the charity in 2008 after visiting his grandniece Erin, who was volunteering there, and reportedly being moved and overwhelmed by the camp's work.[190][191]
Koufax was elected to theBaseball Hall of Fame in1972, his first year of eligibility. At 36 years and 20 days old, he became the youngest person ever elected, five months younger thanLou Gehrig was at the time of his special election in December 1939.[h][193] He was also the second Jewish player elected to the Hall of Fame, afterHank Greenberg who was elected in1956.
On June 4, 1972, the Dodgers retired Koufax's uniform number 32, alongside those ofRoy Campanella (39) andJackie Robinson (42).[194] On June 18, 2022, astatue of Koufax was unveiled atDodger Stadium, next to that of Robinson, his former teammate.[195][196]
In 1999,The Sporting News placed Koufax at number 26 on its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players".[197] That same year, he was also named one of 30 players on theMajor League Baseball All-Century Team.[198] In 2020,The Athletic ranked him at number 70 on its "Baseball 100" list, complied by sportswriterJoe Posnanski.[199] In 2022,ESPN ranked him 32nd on its list of the "Top 100 MLB players of All-Time."[200]
Koufax was voted as one of the four greatest living players byMajor League Baseball fans, alongsideWillie Mays,Henry Aaron, andJohnny Bench, as a part of the 2015 season's "Franchise Four" vote.[201] Before the2015 All-Star Game in Cincinnati, he threw the ceremonial first pitch to Bench from in front of the base of the mound.[202]
In 2022, as part of their SN Rushmore project,The Sporting News named Koufax on their "Los Angeles Mount Rushmore of Sports", along withLos Angeles Lakers basketball playersMagic Johnson,Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, andKobe Bryant. Sportswriter Scott Miller described him as "Los Angeles' first baseball icon", adding: "Without even trying, he's been the epitome of being California cool. Just comes naturally to him."[203] That same year,MLB.com writers voted Koufax as being the greatest player in Dodgers franchise history, just ahead of Jackie Robinson:
The greatest of the greats extend their on-field dominance and define the legacy of their franchise. Both Robinson and Koufax did for the Dodgers. Both are revered for their impact on the sport, but Jackie was a social icon and Sandy was a model for his franchise's pitching heritage. Robinson excelled despite the incomprehensible burden of breaking down racial barriers. Koufax compiled unapproachable statistics that obscured the toughness and unselfishness necessary to pitch in constant pain. In a photo finish, it's Koufax.[204]
Koufax's importance in theJewish community came from his athleticism; Jewish men werestereotyped as being weak and unathletic and Koufax, who became a star athlete sixteen years after theShoah, helped break that image. Hissitting out Game 1 of the1965 World Series due to it falling onYom Kippur helped cement his status as an icon for American Jews. RabbiRebecca Alpert explained the significance of his decision in 2014:
When you talk to a generation of Jewish men who grew up during the period, [his decision] mattered a lot. Jews, in particular, were seen at the time as not very masculine, as weak figures... And Koufax suffered from that. Koufax was ridiculed because he'd rather read a book. He was treated as if he were a recluse, and there was something wrong with him because he wasn't a fame-grabber. Imagine, playing in Los Angeles and not being interested in getting headlines! But his masculinity was questioned, and again in part because of an underlying antisemitism — or at least stereotyping of Jewish men as not muscular. So Koufax was also an important role model, and a real hero.[205]
RabbiBruce Lustig told biographerJane Leavy that Koufax helped change the perception of Jews: "Think of the stereotype of the Jew in literature. The ugly avariciousness ofShylock. He broke so many of them. Here was a good-looking Jew, a lefty, very powerful on the mound; a perfect player, an enigma, a man who didn't reach for fame or money. He broadened the concept of what a Jew was."[206]
Koufax was inducted into theInternational Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1979,[207] and in theNational Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.[208] In 1990, he was inducted in the inaugural class of theSouthern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[209]
Koufax's likeness is a part of themural outsideCanter's Deli inFairfax, Los Angeles which commemorates thehistory of the Jewish community in the city.[210]
On May 27, 2010, Koufax was among the group of prominentJewish Americans honored at the White House reception forJewish American Heritage Month.[211] In his opening remarks, PresidentBarack Obama directly acknowledged the high esteem in which Koufax is held within the Jewish community: "This is a pretty... distinguished group. We've got senators and representatives. We've got Supreme Court justices and successful entrepreneurs, rabbinical scholars, Olympic athletes – and Sandy Koufax." The mention of Koufax's name drew the loudest cheer in the room.[212]
That same year, he was one of two main subjects of the filmJews and Baseball: An American Love Story, alongside Hall of FamerHank Greenberg of theDetroit Tigers. Koufax agreed to sit down for a rare interview, remarking toIra Berkow, the writer of the film: "It doesn't make sense if it's 'Jews and Baseball' and I'm not in it."[213]
Since early in his career, Koufax was seen as an ally to minority players by both teammates and opponents.Maury Wills recalled that, after games, the pair would go through each other's mail and sort out racist and antisemitic ones.[214] PitcherJoe Black, who mentored Koufax during his first spring training, said that "If he was in a restaurant, he would never shy away from sitting with the colored fellas." Cheesy Kawano, wife of clubhouse managerNobe who used to help her husband out atDodger Stadium, noted that Koufax was the only player on the team who knew her name and asked after her. His reputation for treating everyone with equal respect prompted catcherEarl Battey, a former World Series opponent, to say of him: "I accused him of being black. I told him he was too cool to be white."[215]
Leavy stated that Koufax identified with minorities because he himself was one. One of the fewJewish players in baseball, he dealt with antisemitism from both within his team as well as from the outside: "More than one of his African-American peers attributed Koufax's rectitude and reticence to his being a minority... If Koufax had been aWhite Anglo-Saxon Protestant who played clean and kept his nose clean, he'd have been proclaimed the second coming ofJack Armstrong. But he was a Jew. So he was moody, aloof, curt, intellectual, different" and, as teammateLou Johnson noted, held to a higher standard like any other minority. In other words, he "identified with [them] as much as they identified with him."[216]
During his playing career, Koufax made a number of appearances in television programs. In 1959, he appeared as a character named Ben Cassidy in the television seriesShotgun Slade. The following year, he made three television cameos: in77 Sunset Strip as a policeman, inBourbon Street Beat as a doorman, and inColt .45 as a character called Johnny.[217]
Twice, Koufax made appearances as himself on television series. In 1962, he appeared onDennis the Menace in the episode "Dennis and the Dodger" in which he coached a little league team. In 1963, he had a non-speaking role onMister Ed in the episode "Leo Durocher Meets Mister Ed" in which he gave up aninside-the-park home run to the title character, a talking horse.[217]
After the1963 World Series, Koufax, along with teammatesDon Drysdale andTommy Davis, appeared in a sketch onThe Bob Hope Show with comedianBob Hope before performing a dance routine.[218][219] After their joint holdout in 1966, Koufax and Drysdale appeared onThe Hollywood Palace, with hostGene Barry and comedianMilton Berle.[220]
In 1965, as part ofThe Sound of the Dodgers, an album with songs dedicated to the team, comedian and singerJimmy Durante recorded a song about Koufax called "Dandy Sandy".[221]
Koufax, along withWhitey Ford, is one of the central figures inRobert Pinsky's poem "The Night Game".[222] Though not named explicitly named, Pinsky alluded to Koufax in the final stanza as a "solution" to Ford whom he refers to in the poem as being "aristocratic" and "gentile":
Another time,
I devised a left-hander
Even more gifted
Than Whitey Ford: A Dodger.
People were amazed by him.
Once, when he was young,
He refused to pitch on Yom Kippur.
In the 1975 film,One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, after not being allowed to watch it on television,Jack Nicholson's characterRandle McMurphy narrates an imaginary account of the1963 World Series in which Koufax gets knocked out of the game after surrendering a double and two home runs to three consecutive Yankees.[223]
In the 1998 film,The Big Lebowski,John Goodman's character Walter Sobchak mentions Koufax in his response to being told he was "living in the fucking past": "Three thousand years of beautiful tradition from Moses to Sandy Koufax...You're goddamn right I'm living in the fucking past!"[224]
Koufax is referenced in the television showCurb Your Enthusiasm's episode "Palestinian Chicken" (S8 E3) whenLarry David's character incredulously asks Marty Funkhouser, played byBob Einstein, "You're Koufaxing us?" after Marty decides against participating in a golf tournament due to it coinciding withShabbat.[225]
Koufax was raised in asecular Jewish household and did not have abar mitzvah. BiographerJane Leavy described him as being a "very Jewish being" who was "very Jewish in his thinking."[226] His grandfather Max Lichtenstein, an immigrant withsocialist views, instilledJewish values and culture in his grandson, often taking Koufax to theYiddish theatre andconcerts.[227]
His refusal to pitch onJewish holidays throughout his career was made out of respect for his culture rather than religious devotion.[i][229] According to friends, Koufax would later become an avid reader ofJewish andHolocaust literature.[230]
Despite being one of the biggest stars in America during his career, Koufax has kept a low profile since retirement, rarely granting interviews and making public appearances sparingly.[231] Even during his career he was known for being shy and reserved, resulting in the perception that Koufax was reclusive and aloof.[232][233] According to Leavy, Koufax was simply uncomfortable with celebrity and refuses to "cannibalize himself for profit." Koufax himself has dismissed the perception, once remarking: "My friends don't think I'm a recluse."[234]
A smoker during his playing days, Koufax refused to endorse tobacco or be photographed smoking, feeling it would send the wrong message to children who idolized him. He also refused to endorse alcoholic products.[235][236]
In 1962, to supplement his player's salary, Koufax invested in theTropicana Motel inWest Hollywood.[237] He also founded theKNJO radio station inThousand Oaks, California, one of the first FM radio stations to broadcast in stereo.[238] Koufax sold both the station and motel in the late 1960s, after his retirement from baseball.
Koufax has been married three times. In 1969, he married Anne Widmark, daughter of actorRichard Widmark; they divorced in 1982. His second marriage, to personal trainer Kimberly Francis, lasted from 1985 to 1998.[239][240] He married his third wife, Jane Clarke (née Purucker), in 2008. Koufax has no biological children but is the stepfather of Clarke's daughter from her previous marriage to artistJohn Clem Clarke and has two step-grandchildren.[1][241]
In 2009, Koufax was listed among the clients who had invested with financierBernie Madoff and was one of the victims of hisPonzi scheme.[242][243] His close friend,Mets ownerFred Wilpon had recommended to Koufax that he invest with Madoff.[244] Despite this, Koufax supported Wilpon and offered to testify on behalf of the Mets' ownership before a settlement averted a civil trial.[245][246]
After receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Harold Pump Foundation in 2012, Koufax revealed in his acceptance speech that he had been diagnosed with cancer in 2010: "Twenty-six months ago, I was a so-called cancer victim. Today, I'm a survivor."[247]
He currently resides inVero Beach, Florida,[248] and lives part-time inHellertown, Pennsylvania.[249]
In his forties and fifties, Koufax became an exercise enthusiast. He took uprunning to stay in shape, taking part inmarathons both at home and abroad.[250][251] A lifelong golfer, he often entered amateur golf championships and participated in charitypro-am tournaments and still remains active in the sport. Acollege basketball fan, he regularly attends theNCAA Final Four championships.[252] Until his late sixties, he also occasionally playedpick-up basketball games.[253]
Koufax is awine enthusiast, with extensive knowledge of the subject. He reportedly brings a different bottle of wine toThe Otesaga Hotel Hall of Fame dinner whenever he attends the annual induction ceremony.[254][255]
The combination of resentment by veteran players, lack of minor league training, irregularity of work, and pressure he felt from the antisemitic faction contributed to discouragement felt by the young pitcher, and for a time he considered giving it all up.
Among Dodgers pitchers, no one was hampered by the Coliseum more than Sandy Koufax—despite some great individual games there. From 1958 through 1961 Koufax was 28–20 with a 3.57 ERA and 33 home runs allowed in Dodger road games; in the Coliseum, he was 17–23, 4.33 with 56 home runs allowed.
The highest winning percentage (.695), lowest ERA (2.36), and lowest WHIP (1.005) of any pitcher who hurled 1,200 innings or more in the 1960s (as 66 did) belonged to Koufax, an over-the-top flamethrowing southpaw.
KNJO, one of the county's oldest stations, was founded in 1963 by Dodger pitcher Sandy Koufax
On New Year's Day Sandy Koufax and Anne Heath Widmark were married quietly in a civil ceremony at the home of the bride, whose father is Actor Richard Widmark.
It's even led [Jack Fisher] to regular golf outings and dinners with Sandy Koufax — arguably the greatest pitcher of his era — who spends his summer only 15 minutes away in Hellertown.
Koufax had visited Dodgertown on at least a couple of occasions this spring to meet team physician Frank Jobe after tearing his calf muscle during a pickup basketball game.
Seaver, who owns a vineyard in Calistoga, California, will bring a few bottles of zinfandel to this year's dinner to share with oenophile pitchers like Sandy Koufax (who brings a different cabernet every year), Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton.
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day Starting pitcher 1964 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Major League Player of the Month June 1962 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Perfect game pitcher September 9, 1965 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | No-hitter pitcher June 30, 1962 May 11, 1963 June 4, 1964 September 9, 1965 | Succeeded by |
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| National | |
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| Other | |
