Born In: Brooklyn, New York, United States, Sandy Koufax is a former American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played in 12 seasons for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. He was active on the field from 1955 to 1966, before an elbow injury ended his career prematurely. Alston gave him a chance to justify his place on the major league roster by giving him the next day's start. Unlock their magic. Returning to Chicago, the Dodgers won Game 6 and the Series. [18], After trying out with the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds,[19] Koufax did the same for the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field. Despite giving up on his curveball early in the game after failing to throw strikes with it in the first two innings, and pitching the rest of the game relying almost entirely on fastballs, Koufax threw a three-hit shutout to clinch the Series. And if youre growing up and want to be a baseball player, there are no limitations. When I run into someone whos Jewish, even though Im not particularly religious, and he or she may not be particularly religious, theres still a connection there because of how we were raised and the things that you learn growing up a Jew, he said. On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. [10] He later earned a partial scholarship. In the first inning, Koufax walked the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches. The mention of his name brought the biggest cheer at the event. Before tenth grade, Koufax's family moved back to the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. Koufax won the NL MVP Award and the Hickok Belt, and was the first-ever unanimous selection for the Cy Young Award. Teammate Ed Palmquist missed the flight, so Koufax was told he would need to pitch at least seven innings. Contact SABR, LnRiLWhlYWRpbmcuaGFzLWJhY2tncm91bmR7cGFkZGluZzowfQ==, LnRiLWZpZWxke21hcmdpbi1ib3R0b206MC43NmVtfS50Yi1maWVsZC0tbGVmdHt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOmxlZnR9LnRiLWZpZWxkLS1jZW50ZXJ7dGV4dC1hbGlnbjpjZW50ZXJ9LnRiLWZpZWxkLS1yaWdodHt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOnJpZ2h0fS50Yi1maWVsZF9fc2t5cGVfcHJldmlld3twYWRkaW5nOjEwcHggMjBweDtib3JkZXItcmFkaXVzOjNweDtjb2xvcjojZmZmO2JhY2tncm91bmQ6IzAwYWZlZTtkaXNwbGF5OmlubGluZS1ibG9ja311bC5nbGlkZV9fc2xpZGVze21hcmdpbjowfQ==, 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, http://sabr.org/sites/default/files/images/Koufax-Sandy-NBHOF.jpg, /wp-content/uploads/2020/02/sabr_logo.png, his perfect game at Dodger Stadium on September 9, 1965, old.nationalreview.com/interrogatory/kessler200604032246.asp. [14], Koufax attended the University of Cincinnati and was a walk-on on the freshman basketball team, a complete unknown to assistant coach Ed Jucker. The left-handed pitcher played for Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. Willie Mays said, "I knew every pitch he was going to throw fastball, breaking ball or whatever. He has won four-time World Series champion and three Cy Young Awards. He celebrates his birthday on 30th Dec every year and his birth sign is Capricorn. [35], To prepare for the 1957 season, the Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball. "His selection is a tribute to the esteem with which he is held by everyone associated with this league", said former New York Met Art Shamsky, who managed the Miracle. He was not noticed on the field as much as he wanted to be seen in his first year, as he was still quite young. In 1960 Koufax was a 36-40 pitcher beset by accuracy problems. They are talented and passionate. More about Sandy Koufax edit Dating History # Jane Clarke Koufax and Sandy Koufax have been. Meanwhile, the Dodgers waged a public relations battle against them. And what is it, exactly, about baseball that has endeared the sport to American Jews for so long? We lost them for him. Instead, Koufax made a living on a baseball diamond, becoming one of the most dominating left-handers of all time. If you are growing up and you want to be a rabbi, thats wonderful. [101], Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, an especially impressive feat because it was during the era when only one was given out for both major leagues. Thats what has worked in the past. "Either he throws the fastest ball I've ever seen, or I'm going blind," said Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn. His love for baseball made him join the Ice Cream League for baseball, at the age of 15. As noted, Mrs. Clarke is Koufax's wife number 3; back on January 1st, 1969, Sandy, known as the Left Hand of God, was married to Anne Koufax, formerly known as Anne H. Widmark, the daughter of actor Richard Widmark. Whats amazing about Koufax is that he played for one team the Dodgers but he had two entirely different careers. Koufax also threw a curve that would drop 10-12-inches off the table. Passan said he and his family celebrate Hanukkah hes a big fan of latkes and he fasts on Yom Kippur. First, he noted the historical significance New York has held in both baseball and American Judaism. If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. (AP Photo), Jeff Passan at his bar mitzvah, October 9, 1993. The next few seasons were quite average for him. Koufax declined the offer. Koufax is the stepfather of Clarke's daughter from her prior marriage to artist John Clem Clarke. Koufax ended up getting $125,000 and Drysdale $110,000 (equivalent to $0.92million in 2021). Thats exactly what he did. He was 30 years old when he retired. Passan said he also feels that camaraderie with Jewish players especially those who play for Team Israel during the World Baseball Classic, which is coming up next month. At the age of thirty-six, he became the youngest player to get elected for Basketball hall of fame. He threw the ceremonial first pitch to Bench from in front of the base of the mound. He ended up with a third pitcher's Triple Crown, pitching 323 innings, posting a 279 record, and recording a 1.73 ERA. Sherry, a backup catcher with the Dodgers, was his roommate. [52] On April 24, he tied his own record with 18 strikeouts in a 10-2 road win over the Cubs. click the link in that email to complete your registration. [106] It not only appeared to move very late but also might move on multiple planes. He was the first pitcher to record 300 strikeouts three times, and set a record with 97 games of at least 10 strikeouts, also later broken by Ryan; he twice tied a modern record by striking out 18 batters in a game. Sanford Koufax ( / kofks /; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. He was one of the few players in the history of the game to have announced an early retirement at such a young age. His ERAs were 1.88, 1.74, 2.04 and 1.73. Unfortunately, the school systems around his locality were not too keen on offering sports facilities. To make matters worse for him, he was plagued with injuries throughout the next few seasons. During his first three years (1955-57), he was barely used, pitching only 204 innings, winning 9 and losing 10. Good hitters could often predict what pitch was coming, but were still unable to hit it. His decision garnered national headlines, raising the conflict between professional pressures and personal religious beliefs to front-page news. It was a World Series single game record. Allen, who was thrown out trying to steal second, was the only Phillie to reach base that day. As a youngster, Koufax stayed with his Jewish grandparents, Max and Dora Lichtenstein, while his mother, an accountant, worked. [128] In addition, there were other Jewish holidays where he said he would not pitch, including Seder night of Passover and 3 times on Rosh Hashanah, one of which was Game 4 of the 1959 World Series. Starting Game 7 on just two days of rest, Koufax pitched through fatigue and arthritic pain. [33], The year 1956 was not very different from 1955 for Koufax. But after the long layoff, Koufax was ineffective in three appearances as the Giants caught the Dodgers at the end of the regular season, forcing a three-game playoff. For every act of hatred and violence, we should add dozens of acts of kindness and charity, A year into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, What Matters Now to Ksenia Svetlova, What Matters Now to Prof. Suzie Navot: Guarding against a Frankenstate, What Matters Now to MK Simcha Rothman: The people should appoint the judges, US says it expects Israel to prosecute settlers involved in Huwara rampage, Dr. Susan Weiss: Five areas in which the override clause should terrify women, Rabbi Noa Sattath: We NGOs called enemies of the state will defend our rights, Adv. He had a single-season record for 382 strikeouts in a year. In 1965 he set a major league record with 382 strikeouts; it was broken in 1973 by Nolan Ryan, but remains the top mark for NL pitchers and left-handers. He pitched four no-hitters and one perfect game. Despite winning three of his next five with a 2.90 ERA, Koufax did not get another start for 45 days. Koufax obliged. 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He would go on to cover sports at Syracuse University, the Fresno Bee, the Kansas City Star, Yahoo! And you still couldn't hit it. [20] During his Pirates tryout, his fastball broke the thumb of Sam Narron, the team's bullpen coach. Baseball being so big in the emergence of sporting culture in the United States, theres a gravitas to that, theres an import to that, that I think Jews really are attracted to.. There is one athlete who does: Jewish legend Sandy Koufax. Subsequently, his mother married another man, Irving Koufax, who adopted Sandy. This new Koufax led the National League in strikeouts (269 in 1961), and his walks and earned-run average began to shrink. The Human Principles That Drive Organizational Success, The roughly first ten minutes of episode one. The way that he represented himself, the way he honored Judaism, and, when it was an incredibly difficult thing, stuck by what mattered to him, I think thats applicable across religions, across cultures, across backgrounds, Passan said. However, this could not deter the sportsman in him. Somehow, his school baseball team had also recruited him by then. His strikeouts were an otherworldly 306, 223, 382 and 313. When Koufax allowed baserunners, he was rarely permitted to finish the inning. [95] In his three World Series losses, all starts, spread over three different Series, Koufax gave up a total of three earned runs; the Dodgers scored a total of one run in support in all three. He was a lifelong liberal Democrat. Obama continued: "He can't pitch on Yom Kippur. He has since worked for the Dodgers organization in a variety of capacities. [15] In his only season, Koufax went 31 with a 2.81 ERA, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings. Sandy presently lives with his third wife, Jane Purucker Clarke. Why Is Everyone Concerned About Cloud ROI? They rejoined the team in the last week of spring training. The history of Jewish baseball players, while not extensive, is nevertheless rich.. He is also notable for being one of the outstanding Jewish athletes in U.S. sports; Koufax's decision not to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it fell on the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur garnered national attention as a conflict between religious calling and society, and remains a notable event in U.S. Jewish history. Truth is, baseball is a better story in history, not in in real time. He was the first pitcher in history to average more than one strikeout per inning, and the first to allow fewer than seven hits per nine innings pitched. Throughout his career, Koufax relied heavily on two pitches. "[28], Koufax's first start was on July 6. He was inducted into the 2021 New Jersey Hall of Fame in the performing arts category. [99], Due to a lack of run support, Koufax's postseason won-lost record over four World Series is an unimpressive 43, but his historic 0.95 ERA and two World Series MVPs testify to how well he actually pitched. Only St. Louis Cardinal Bob Gibson, with 13 in his iconic 1968 season,[63] "the year of the pitcher", has thrown more.[64]. The Koufax years of 1963 to 1966 are the finest four-year stretch of pitching that major league baseball has ever seen or likely will see. He appeared in two All-Star games too, for the first time in his career. He was named the World Series MVP in both 1963 and 1965, earning two wins in each Series and striking out 52 batters to lead the team to another pair of titles. "[85] Drysdale responded that Bavasi had done the same thing with him, in reverse. . Sanford Koufax (/kofks/; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. In 1972, Sandy Koufax was officially voted into the Hall of Fame, alongside Yogi Berra and Early Wynn. On April 18, he struck out three batters on nine pitches in the third inning of a 30 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the only NL pitcher to have two "immaculate innings". Whip! Koufax later said, "I had nothing at all." [51], In 1962, the Dodgers moved from the Los Angeles Coliseum, which had a 250-foot (75m) left-field line an enormous disadvantage to lefthanded pitchers to pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium. 'As Jews we gravitate to things with history, like baseball', Were really pleased that youve read, Please use the following structure: example@domain.com, Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition. Koufax jammed his pitching arm in August while diving back to second base to beat a pick-off throw. He does not have any children. Sandy Koufax, the greatest left-handed pitcher in major league baseball history, was a bust the first half of his pro career. Nobe Kawano, the clubhouse supervisor, retrieved the equipment in case Koufax returned to play the following year. Sherry, a catcher, played just five years in the majors, hitting .215 with 18 home runs and 69 runs batted in . By registering you agree to the terms and conditions. Sandy Koufax was born in Brooklyn, New York, and at first, he wanted to be a basketball player instead of a baseball player. "It's been 41 years between starts for him.