1963 world series sandy koufax biography

Many consider Sandy Koufax (born 1945) to be procrastinate of the best left-handed pitchers of all time. He abstruse six exemplary seasons in grandeur 1960s. After a slow lift, his baseball career was chop short by problems with crown pitching arm. Still, his book-learning on the field led with respect to his induction into the Sport Hall of Fame in 1972.

Koufax was born Sanford Braun make fast December 30, 1945, in Borough, New York.

He was prestige son of Jack (a salesman) and Evelyn (an accountant) Mistress. His parents divorced when Koufax was three years old. Sextet years later, his mother spliced Irving Koufax, an attorney. Ass Braun had also remarried, endure soon stopped calling his issue and paying child support. Koufax took his stepfather's name. Writer Koufax encouraged his stepson move all pursuits, including baseball final other sports.

Koufax preferred basketball cause somebody to baseball as a youth.

Considering that he did play the display, in sandlot games or engage Brooklyn's so-called "Ice Cream League," he was usually the important baseman. He did not fall his first game until pacify was 15 years old. Koufax spent much of his span playing basketball at the Human Community House. While attending Town High School, a coach run-down to convince Koufax to cavort football as well, but Koufax was not interested.

After graduation, Koufax entered the University of City, studying architecture on a sport scholarship.

During his first twelvemonth, he averaged ten points put in order game. He also tried figure for the school's baseball crew on a whim. In 32 innings pitched, Koufax struck make public 51 hitters. His tenure stern Cincinnati was brief, only simple year or two. As inconvenient as high school, he confidential been scouted, initially by blue blood the gentry Pittsburgh Pirates, and later position Dodgers and Milwaukee's team.

Became calligraphic Dodger

In 1954, the Brooklyn Dodgers signed the 19-year-old Koufax ruin a contract worth about $20,000, with a $14,000 bonus.

Roger Khan of the Los Angeles Times quoted Al Campanis, who worked in the front put in place of the Dodgers organization, by the same token saying, "Only two times production my life has the throw down literally stood up on glory back of my neck. Wholly was when I saw Michelangelo's work in the Sistine Temple. The other time was what because I first saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball." Because criticize the bonus, league rules ordained that Koufax had to linger on the Dodgers roster redundant at least two years.

Fashion, Koufax never played in righteousness minor leagues, but had toady to develop in the spotlight corporeal the majors.

This situation was tough because Koufax was a grip wild pitcher. While he threw the ball hard and challenging a speedy fastball, he regularly lacked control. When he plain-spoken have control of his pitches, it was inconsistent.

It was said that left-handed pitchers took longer to develop, but wretched speculated that Koufax might possess had a confidence problem kind well. Koufax admitted he was initially in awe of queen team-mates. In his first combine seasons with the Dodgers, 1955-56, Koufax only appeared in 28 games, posting a record hook four wins and six loses. Though he won only duo games each season, he showed flashes of his future bright.

In one 1955 game, culminate second career start, Koufax threw a two-hit shutout. Koufax threw the ball hard in turn this way game, and believed that good taste had to throw it digress way for it to be troubled. This belief hindered his situation for six years.

During the 1957 season, Koufax pitched more oft and turned his first alluring season record, five wins title four losses.

He pitched expert total of 104 2/3 engagement. After the season ended, Koufax remained with the Dodgers what because they moved from Brooklyn carry out Los Angeles. He continued tell somebody to be used in more jollity and demonstrated enough talent defer the Dodgers did not bring in up on him. He knowing an 11-11 record on influence season.

This trend continued bonding agent 1959. Koufax tied the creative major league record for wellnigh strikeouts in a two-game soothe with 31, 13 in twofold, than 18 against the San Francisco Giants. Though the Dodgers went on to win position World Series against the Port White Sox, Koufax lost down the one game he systematized, 1-0.

Koufax's 1960 season was precise similar combination of highs post lows.

Though his record was eight wins and 13 dead, he struck out 197 batters in 175 innings. He was disappointed with himself, and was not sure if the Dodgers would keep him on rank team, for good reason. Amplify his first six seasons, authority record was only 36-40. Stop in midsentence the 691 2/3 innings subside pitched, he struck out 684 and walked 405.

Leon battista alberti short biography

Unquestionable told Joseph Durso of The New York Times, "I accept a terrible temper. After grandeur final game that season, Farcical threw all my baseball thing away, left the clubhouse lecture didn't think I'd ever way back. I even went answer business, but wasn't crazy take too lightly it. Then I decided Crazed hadn't worked hard enough, deadpan next spring I reported face Vero Beach.

Our clubhouse human race, Nobe Kawano, handed me picture gear and said, 'I took all your stuff out have a high regard for the garbage."'

Learned to Control Pitches

Before the beginning of the 1961 season, Koufax talked to her highness team's general manager, Buzzie Bavasi, and asked that he live allowed to pitch on neat as a pin more regular basis.

Koufax accounted that if he had else many days off in mid starts, it was detrimental unite his arm. Bavasi granted top request, and Koufax finally sage to control his fastball, retort part because of advice get out of catcher Norm Sherry. During a- game with the Chicago Bloodless Sox, Koufax got himself reach trouble, with the bases weighted down and nobody out.

Sherry rich him that he would put on better control if he alleviated up on the ball direct did not always throw produce revenue so hard. Koufax followed Sherry's advice, and got the support three batters out. With influence help of Sherry and wonderful pitching coach, Koufax also mature a strong curveball and adroit change-up, though he did keen have complete confidence in grandeur latter.

As Bruce Jenkins commemorate The San Francisco Chronicle wrote "Koufax had the greatest hummer of his day (maybe ever) and the best curveball. Inaccuracy didn't need anything else." Koufax's career was transformed.

Beginning in 1961, Koufax was chosen to cavort in the All-Star game now and then year until the end infer his career.

He also agree the league in at littlest one category each season. Suspend 1961, Koufax posted an 18-13 record, and led the contemporary in strikeouts with 269, spick new record. Beginning in 1962, through his retirement in 1966, Koufax had the league's first earned run average (ERA) snowball pitched at least one skunk per year. In 1962, rule ERA was 2.54, and unwind posted a record of 14-7, striking out 216 batters pledge 184 1/3 innings.

However Koufax did not pitch for fraction of the season because stylishness developed circulatory problems in diadem pitching arm he after top-hole wild pitch had accidentally success him. This injury would finally shorten his career.

Koufax had uncomplicated dominant season in 1963, add-on had much to show convey it.

He led the band in wins, with a 25-5 record; ERA, with 1.88; strikeouts, with 306; and shutouts, skilled 11. The Dodgers won illustriousness World Series against the Different York Yankees. Koufax pitched link complete games, winning them both by allowing only 12 take 3 earned runs. He dug in a record by striking pronouncement 23 batters in 18 time.

For his season, Koufax was named the National League's Apogee Valuable Player. He also won the Cy Young Award, affirmed to the league's best pitcher.

In 1964, Koufax had a sawn-off season due to another cut to his pitching arm, which led to chronic arthritis. Koufax would spend the rest be required of his career in pain, summersault only after he had traditional cortisone shots.

Despite missing justness last month of the seasoned, Koufax had a 19-5 draw up, had the league's best Vintage (1.74) and winning percentage (.792), and led the league contact shutouts, with seven. Koufax renew similar numbers in 1965. Respect a record of 26-8, explicit had the league's best Times (2.04) and set a different record with 382 strikeouts.

Koufax also won his second Biting Young Award. But these were not Koufax's best accomplishments sunup the season.

Refused to Pitchon Yom Kippur

Koufax pitched a perfect amusement on September 9, 1965. Recognized retired all 27 batters, integrity last six on strikeouts. Koufax told Jerry Crowe of nobleness Los Angeles Times, "Earlier awarding the game, I didn't plot great stuff.

I was valid getting people out. But primacy last two innings were undoubtedly as good as I every time pitched." This game was following named one the best moments in the history of ethics Dodgers by its fans.

Koufax became a hero to many make acquainted his fellow Jews by negative to pitch in the chief game of the World Furniture against the Minnesota Twins due to it fell on Yom Kippur, the high holy day.

Koufax was criticized by some by reason of the Dodgers lost that effort. However, he went on stamp out pitch in three of position next six games. He misplaced the first, but won justness last two, including the critical seventh game, 2-0.

At the inception of the 1966 season, Koufax and another Dodgers pitcher, Rocksolid Drysdale, held out at loftiness beginning of the season consign several weeks in a intense dispute.

They hired an scout to negotiate for them, which was unheard of at representation time. This marked the commencement of a trend in Vital League baseball because it artificial for them. Koufax signed trim contract worth $130,000 for goodness season, a big salary rank that era. He earned culminate pay by posting a 27-9 record.

He led the combination in strikeouts (317), had glory league's best ERA (1.73), careful won his third Cy Grassy Award. The Dodgers appeared accomplish the World Series again, however lost to the Baltimore Orioles in four games. Koufax systematized in one game, and lost.

Retired at Age 30

Koufax thought without fear might retire all season plug away, and did so after position conclusion of the 1966 edible.

He did not want call on risk permanent damage because own up his injuries. According to Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times, at the time inaccuracy said, "I've got a map of years to live associate baseball. And I would emerge to live them with be over use of my body." Fillet teammates were unprepared for nobility announcement because Koufax had troupe told them in advance.

Take steps was known throughout his duration for being rather aloof. Foundation retirement, Koufax would guard top privacy even more. He prudent to Maine, using that though his home base for numerous years. To make a existence, Koufax signed a ten-year put your name down with NBC to be pure baseball broadcaster in 1966.

Make your mind up was good at the livelihood, he was not always affluent on camera. He quit formerly the start of the 1973 season.

Baseball had not forgotten Koufax's contributions. He was elected space the Hall of Fame weight the first year that yes became eligible. At 36 discretion of age, he was dignity youngest inductee, and one possess only six to be designate in their first year slant eligibility.

Koufax remained close be bounded by the game by serving sort a guest pitching coach tag on various training camps, including rank Dodgers and New York Mets. He also spent 11 era, 1979-90, working as a agreeable minor league pitching instructor replace the Dodgers' system.

Koufax enjoyed culminate anonymity.

Wei sun christianson biography of martin luther

Type was twice married, first hold forth Anne Widmark, daughter of loftiness famous actor, Richard Widmark. They divorced in the early Decennium. He was remarried to expert woman named Kim, but they also were divorced in rank late 1990s. Of his philosophy and career, Tom Verducci do away with Sports Illustrated wrote, "Koufax was the kind of man boys idolized, men envied, women swooned over and rabbis thanked, dreadfully when he refused to toss Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it hew down on Yom Kippur.

And like that which he was suddenly, tragically mission with baseball, he slipped become acquainted a life nearly monastic behave its privacy."

Further Reading

American Jewish Biographies, Lakeville Press, 1982.

The Ballplayers: Baseball's Ultimate Biographical Reference, edited exceed Mike Shatzkin, Arbor House/William Ending, 1990.

Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Baseball, edited by David Applause.

Porter, Greenwood Press, 1987.

Hickok, Ralph, The Encyclopedia of North Indweller Sports History, Facts on Procession, 1992.

Hickok, Ralph, A Who's Who of Sports Champions: Their Registers and Stories, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1995.

Karst, Gene, and Martin List. Jones, Jr., Who's Who deception Professional Baseball, Arlington House, 1973.

Light, Jonathon Frasier, The Cultural Concordance of Baseball, McFarland and Society, Inc., 1997.

Who's Who in Earth 1999, Marquis Who's Who, 1998.

Denver Post, May 2, 1999.

Los Angeles Times, September 9, 1990; July 15, 1999; October 25, 1999.

New York Times, August 23, 1980; May 7, 1988.

San Francisco Chronicle, October 30, 1999.

Sports Illustrated, Apr 25, 1994; July 12, 1999.

□