He did have two home runs. Advertisement (Original Caption) Sandy Koufax of the And one game for the ages, albeit a loss. Maybe Ill go back to where I came from and finish college.. The big league game has given us 22 other perfectos, 15 since Koufax produced his. "I was average.". I can still see Bouton throwing incredible heat, just firing for all he was worth, his hat flying off on the really big pitches. The momentum he created for himself brought out the best in Scully and a powerful sense of resignation for Hendley. At an age when he should be acting like one of the game's respected veterans, Tony Phillips has become the biggest hothead in baseball. }, Cronkite School at ASU This forced the Dodgers to keep him on the major league roster for at least two years before he could be sent to the minors. . . 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. On that day he carried a perfect game into the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants, a team then powered by a bevy of capable hitters including future Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and Orlando Cepeda. The game proved to be something of a pitchers duel, as both Koufax and the Cubs pitcher, Bob Hendley, had no-hitters going until the seventh inning. His only grand slam was the one off Koufax. Frank Finch, Sandy Koufax Hurls No-Hit, 5-0 Win, Los Angeles Times, July 1, 1962, p E-1. Ever so slightly flawed by Johnson' flare, the Hendley-Koufax game need not be bronzed. Koufax Cites Pressures on Pro Athletes, Los Angeles Times, April 10, 1969, p. E-12. Since 1933, it has been the summer showcase for the greatest athletes to ever play the game. amzn_assoc_title = "Related Reading"; Did Sandy Koufax ever hit a home run? Phoenix, AZ 85004 The quirky Royals reliever often noted that fair territory was 90 degrees of a circle, and foul territory occupied 270 degrees. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. 097 in his career. But to his and baseballs good fortune, he did not quit, but rather persevered, to become one of baseballs all-time greats. He was also the first major leaguer to pitch four no-hitters which were also in consecutive seasons. The St. Louis Cardinals took the pennant and beat the New York Yankees in the World Series. Bavasi began by meeting separately with each man. And seven of the 22, including Koufax's, have been decided by 1-0 scores. For our purposes today, though, the dazzling Koufax is merely half the story. Koufax had pitched in Brooklyn, but he never performed in the borough where he'd been raised as he did in Los Angeles. The other Sandys -- Amoros, Valdespino, Alomar and Alomar Jr., Leon, Martinez, Alderson, Johnson and Consuegra -- are relegated to identification by surname. In any case, to be the one best player in all three categories in a single season, whether for hitting or pitching, is a rare and distinctive honor, marking accomplished play. Played for the Dodgers his entire career. Jon Weisman, Brothers in Arms: Koufax, Kershaw, and the Dodgers Extraordinary Pitching Tradition (2018), Triumph Books, 384pp. On September 29, 1966, near the end of the regular season, Koufax threw a four-hitter to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1, achieving a third 300-strikeout season, the first major league pitcher to do so since Amos Rusie did it in 1890-92. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "thpohidill-20"; 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? In the game we examine herein, the performance Hendley delivered indicates that a victory or non-victory doesn't begin to evaluate a pitcher's performance in a sensible, meaningful way. he set records as one of the nicest people ever to play or manage the game, as well. Grover Cleveland Alexander had 3 Triple Crowns, 1915, 1916 & 1920. 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. Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE. Koufax struck out 14 of 27 batters; Hendley struck out three. 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. Writing for CBSSports.com, Doyel blew Hendley's cover in a column on April 30, 2015, the coach's 75th birthday. Koufax was routinely identified in Los Angeles newspapers as Sandy, no surname necessary. His spontaneous account of the game was comparable to what he had witnessed. You could tell how much he wanted it. Moreover, Hendley's ERA in his six starts opposite Koufax was 2.98. Click for card. 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. The hard-throwing left-hander Moreover, neither pitcher had the cachet of Koufax, and Scully didn't provide the play-by-play. !,Los Angeles Times, May 12, 1963, p. I-1. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. The Drysdale-Jim Bouton duel in Game 3 (a 1-0 final) was the greatest single day of pitching I've ever seen. For there was a time in his career, at one seasons end in 1960, when he threw his glove and spikes into the trash can, believing he was through with baseball. Runnels the Slugger. "In the latter part of the game, [Sandy] was awesome," Hendley said. They had Harvey Kuenn hit for me [with two out in the ninth inning]. Frank Howard homered into the second deck down the left-field line, a feat that went unmatched at Dodger Stadium for years. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. He lasted just 4 innings. Hendley never had told his players of his baseball past. Sandy Koufax with Player of the Year trophy for 1965. It was the first game of a doubleheader in Pittsburgh. And that's as far as it went. No one has won a Triple Crown in National League hitting since 1937 when Joe Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals last did it. 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. This year's awards dinner, to be hosted by Gary Radnich, will be June 29 at the Nikko Hotel in S.F. Koufax's ERA in those games was 3.65. He has covered 27 World Series, 19 Wimbledons and many other major events, including the Super Bowl, World Cup soccer, NBA Finals, four major golf tournaments and U.S. Open tennis championships. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. But in the final game of the regular season, the Dodgers had to beat the Phillies to win the pennant. Hendley, left-handed and born in Macon, Ga., pitched in the big leagues for seven seasons, three with the Milwaukee Braves, 1 1/2 with the Giants and two-plus with the Cubs before ending his career with the Mets in 1967. Actually, he would let you look at it. The game is also featured in Jane Leavys 2002 biography of Koufax. It takes a decidedly middle-aged person to call up the real Mantle, one of the three or four greatest all- around talents of all time. Harvey Haddix and Lew Burdette pitched dual shutouts into the 13th inning. Sandy Koufax Stats by Baseball Almanac. He was the first iconic sports figure to emerge in Southern California after Major League Baseball arrived on the West Coast. On that night, Sept. 9, 1965, with both pitchers and Scully at their bests, Hendley was nearly the equal of Koufax. More rookies than ever hit a home run for their first big league hit. They had Harvey Kuenn hit for me [with two out in the ninth inning]. A single by first baseman Bill Skowron plated Howard to give the Dodgers a 10 lead. But each was a far cry from the Koufax-Hendley confrontation. James hadnt hit a home run or driven in a run all month. One to tie, two to win. James Lincoln Ray, Important Facts About Sandy Koufax: Dodgers Ace May Have Been Baseballs Best Lefthanded Pitcher, Suite 101.com., June 12, 2008. Viking; 1st edition; 299 pp. 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. He graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1966 and UC Berkeley with a B.A. Though a perfect game is a rarity, that Koufax pitched one in 1965 hardly was startling. The Dodgers' lone hit came two innings later when Lou Johnson's opposite-field bloop landed just beyond first base and rolled into foul ground for a double. Dont Let Em Fool You; Koufax Wanted to Pitch, Los Angeles Times, March 31, 1966, p. B-1. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. amzn_assoc_asins = "0061779008,147677630X,0316067156,0735215723"; Jack Olsen interview, Koufax On Koufax, Sports Illustrated, December 20, 1965. Video: Doddgers Retired Number: No. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 32, Sandy Koufax. Vin Scully, 29,000 People And A Million Butter-flies, Vin Scullys radio call of the ninth inning of Sandy Koufaxs 1965 perfect game, Salon.com., Tuesday, October 12, 1999. Video: 2015 ASG: MLB's 'Greatest Living Players' announced. 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. To date, this is the only time the Dodgers have won the deciding game of a World Series at home. 1 hero and its most attractive bachelor.In one photo he was shown in a swimming pool with a girlfriend; in another, signing autographs at a department store. Former professional baseball player Sandy Koufax began his career in 1955 when he was signed by his hometown Brooklyn Dodgers. Explore Which team has won the most World Series since 2000? Larry Schwartz, Total Domination, ESPN.com. His ERAs were 1.88, 1.74, 2.04 and 1.73. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Frank Finch, Koufax Blanks Giants on 4 Hits, 2-0, Los Angeles Times, June 18, 1963, p. C-1. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. The big league game has given us 22 other perfectos, 15 since Koufax produced his. Hendley was a spot starter in 1965. Who is the youngest person in the Baseball Hall of Fame? His one-word identity spread over all of baseball. background-color:#ba3434; Turning away sharply from a pitch, his spikes caught in the ground and he toppled over in pain, The Sporting News reported. 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. ", Hendley has regained a small measure of celebrity. But two Dodgers managed to reach base, and one scored. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "thpohidill-20"; Hendley, pitching for the Cubs that night in Los Angeles, warrants none of the superlatives applied above. Use of his left arm was severely limited when he wasnt pitching. Out of those two transitionary years, 1961-62, Sandy Koufax the master-of-all-time, baseballs Leonardo, arrived. 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. He also used Empirin with codeine for pain, which he took every night and sometimes during the fifth inning to make it through a game. Koufax also tied a World Series record when he fanned the first five Yankees he faced. "This game is the most recognizable thing I've ever done in baseball," Hendley said after the game. Kids Free All Summer, it says, with a phone number you can't read (seems the batter and umpire are in the way). Boxscore. . 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. Sandy Koufax, the L.A. Dodgers star pitcher, soaking his arm in a whirlpool after a game in April 1964. Tommy Thompson, Good Life of Baseballs No. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. On bad days hed have to bend his neck to get his face closer to his left hand so that he could shave. How many strikeouts did Sandy Koufax have in the World Series? Jane Leavy, Sandy Koufax: A Leftys Legacy, New York: Harper-Collins, 2002. Or write about sports? Moreover, neither pitcher had the cachet of Koufax, and Scully didn't provide the play-by-play. The one hit in 17 innings is impressive, but Koufax and Hendley that day pitched 17 innings, struck out 17 hitters, and allowed a run. Tony Kubek had two of the Yankees' three hits, but none of the hits were extra-base hits. 3. So the uniqueness of the game is derived from Hendley exclusively. James hadnt hit a home run or driven in a run all month. And the Angels still were barely beyond the toddler stage in 1965. Marichal had thrown 227. PopHistoryDig.com, July 10, 2010. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; He had started once in two months, on Sept. 2, before opposing Koufax in a ballpark where he had been mostly unsuccessful. Video: Doddgers Retired Number: No. 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. Who is the real home run king? Frank Finch, Koufax, Drysdale Eye $1 Million Pact, Los Angeles Times, February 23, 1966, p. B-1. Is that coincidence, or are we being punished (after the strike) for doing the wrong thing?". Of the Los Angeles Dodgers' five World Series championships since the opening of Dodger Stadium, this was the only one won at Dodger Stadium. . amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Koufax and Drysdale Sign Pactsas Movie Actors, Los Angeles Times, March 18, 1966, p. B-1. 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. "Sandy always has been gracious toward me," he said. amzn_assoc_title = "Related Reading"; By the way, Hendley allowed just one walk. The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the first on a Jim Gilliam walk, a wild pitch and a single by Tommy Davis. He did have two home runs. Hendley, left-handed and born in Macon, Ga., pitched in the big leagues for seven seasons, three with the Milwaukee Braves, 1 1/2 with the Giants and two-plus with the Cubs before ending his career with the Mets in 1967. The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. Still, neither is a regular occurrence, attesting to the difficulty of each. Roscoe McGowen, Brooklyn-Bred Bonus Baby Is Coming of Age; Koufax 2-Hitter in 2d Start Is Sign of Maturity; Dodgers Are Getting Return on Money Paid to Hurler, New York Times, August 29, 1955. SF tourists go in droves to In-N-Out. . Gibson was replaced by Curt Simmons, a left-hander who had made one start since late August. His strikeouts were an otherworldly 306, That's how close they came to a double no-hitter evening. It became the gold standard the instant Koufax struck out Harvey Kuenn for the the 27th out. Aces were on the mound again in a game 1 rematch between Whitey Ford and Sandy Koufax. 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). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. As well as he was throwing and setting people down, there was very little chance of overcoming him. . You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Current Greats: 2023 MLB Batting, 2023 MLB Pitching, Career WAR Leaders, Single-Season Home Run Leaders, Active Strikeout Leaders, Upcoming Player Milestones, MLB Scores. After going 8-13 that year, Koufax thought about quitting. Ralph Terry, in relief, allowed Davis's RBI triple. Trouble occurred before the game started. 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. Though a perfect game is a rarity, that Koufax pitched one in 1965 hardly was startling. . . But even the extraordinary Pirates-Braves game of May 26, 1959, paled in comparison with the Koufax-Hendley game. Stats. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. December 30, 1935 A NEW Mickey Mantle memory kicked in this week, replacing its evil twin. Switch teams or you have no chance. Sandy Koufax after pitching his 4th career no-hitter, also a perfect game, Sept 9th, 1965. Born: 1 Hero, Life, August 2, 1963, pp. His elbow was shot full of cortisone several times a season. [7]. 32 -- like Joe D. in New York and Johnny U. in Baltimore. The final out came on Joe Pepitone's drive that backed Dodger right fielder Ron Fairly up against the bullpen gate to make the catch of a ball that would have been a home run in Yankee Stadium. Click for copy. Sandy Koufax Out Longer Than ExpectedFour to Six Weeks, Los Angeles Times, July 20, 1962, p. B-1. Koufax "What a nice man! It was his second no-hitter. Koufax finished with just four strikeouts. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The Dodgers had spotted Koufax a 4-0 lead in the first with the help of a triple by Willie Davis, singles by Tommy Davis and Frank Howard surrounding a walk, John Roseboros two-run double and a single by Larry Burright. By 1965, he had almost unmatched cachet throughout the game. And Koufax did, initiating a 30-inning run during which he walked one batter. 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. Edward Gruvers April 2000 book, Koufax, 288pp. 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. When they went to St. Louis for a three-game series on September 16, their lead was one game over the Cardinals, who had won 19 of 20 games. Comments to: jdoyle@pophistorydig.com. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. The other memory has been with me since 1982, Billy Martin's downfall season as the A's manager. 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. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. Sandy Koufax He couldnt go on like this, not when his doctors could not rule out the possibility that he was risking permanent damage to his arm. Ashburn struckout 11 times against Koufax. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. He cant pitch on Yom Kippur [and] I cant pitch., Sandy would strike me out two or three times a game, said Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants. Ironically, slightly more than seven weeks earlier, Bo Belinsky of the Los Angeles Angels had hurled the citys first major league no-hitter in the very same stadium. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Get well, Mick. Heres a little bit of his story and his contributions to the baseball record books. But this, we figured, would be the ultimate: watching Mantle in our own back yard against Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax. Burdette, who was the winning pitcher, allowed 12 hits in his complete game victory, though. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. "Sandy always has been gracious toward me," he said. ". Juan Marichal and Warren Spahn became Hall of Famers, and they already had developed uncommon prestige within the game by July 2, 1963, when their Giants and Braves opposed each other in San Francisco. Perfect Game. In one of the games we will get to in a minute, the two starting pitchers pitched 23+ innings, struck out 29 "Easy," someone said at the time. "I was just getting people out. James swung and launched a shot onto the pavilion roof in right for a grand slam. "In the latter part of the game, [Sandy] was awesome," Hendley said. ". (Age 30-276d) Sandy was family in L.A. Triple Crowns in pitching have been reached more recently in 2006 by Johan Santana of the Minnesota Twins in the American League, and in 2007 by Jake Peavy of the San Diego Padres of the National League. Sandy Koufax was tapped to pitch Game 1 on October 2, 1963, as Whitey Ford, the Yankee ace, went to the mound for New York. Exceeded rookie limits during 1956 season, View Player Bio In 1959, the Dodgers won the National League pennant race and beat the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. What I dont understand is how he lost five.. For Martin, it nearly became more important than the ballgame. By the way, Hendley allowed just one walk. It was, and still is, the best piece of baseball writing Ive ever seen. The next delivery was high A young Sandy Koufax in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform.Brooklyn Born. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; He was the first three-time Cy Young winner in baseball. [8], 1963 World Series (40): Los Angeles Dodgers (N.L.) 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. It sounded just like a twig snapping, Gibson told The Sporting News. As a kid, Sandy actually played more basketball than baseball, at least at first, beginning at a local Jewish Community Center and then in his senior year for the Lafayette High School basketball team. He also struck out 14 batters, the most ever recorded in a perfect game. Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax (cover story). We were like Cubs fans who wouldn't go see the White Sox if you paid us. October 2, 1966 Posted in Games, Opponents, Pitchers | Leave a Comment. 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. You never told us who you were. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Though, Leavy reported, the hand injury had bothered Koufax since April (by July, the tissue was close to gangrene, she wrote), he entered the September start against St. Louis with a 14-5 record and 2.15 ERA. I would think the last two or three innings -- that's as well as I've pitched.". Mantle wasnt alone; Koufax struck out 15 Yankees as the Dodgers won, 5-2. 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.. He had started once in two months, on Sept. 2, before opposing Koufax in a ballpark where he had been mostly unsuccessful. Koufax left baseball with the highest regard of his fellow players, as he had been a model professional, not one to seek the spotlight or boast of his abilities, and often thinking and acting on behalf of the team rather than himself.

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