Sanford Koufax (; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. Widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, Koufax was the first three-time winner of the Cy Young Award, each time unanimously and the only pitcher to do so when a single award was given for both the leagues, and was also named the National League Most Valuable Player in 1963. Retiring at the age of 30 due to arthritis in his pitching elbow, Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1972 at the age of 36, the youngest player ever elected. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Koufax was primarily a basketball player in his youth and had only pitched a total of twelve games before signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers at age 19. Due to the bonus rule under which he was signed, Koufax never pitched a game in the minor leagues. As a result, the first half of his career was marred with inconsistency and control problems with flashes of brilliance in between. He set a modern record by striking out 18 batters in a game in 1959 and pitched brilliantly in the 1959 World Series. However, the lack of playing time frustrated Koufax and he almost quit after 1960. After making adjustments prior to the 1961 season to improve his control, Koufax quickly rose to become the most dominant pitcher in the major leagues. He was an All-Star in each of his last six seasons, leading the National League (NL) in earned run average each of his last five years, in strikeouts four times, in wins and shutouts three times each, and in winning percentage, innings pitched and complete games twice each. He was the first NL pitcher in 20 years to post an earned run average below 2.00, doing so three times. After setting the modern NL record in 1961 with 269 strikeouts, he became the first pitcher in 17 years and the first left-hander since 1904 to strike out 300 batters, with 306 in 1963. In 1965, he set a then-major league record with 382 strikeouts. He was the first pitcher to record a 300-strikeout season three times. Koufax tied his own record of 18 strikeouts in a game in 1962, and later became the first pitcher to record three immaculate innings. Koufax won the Major League Triple Crown three times, leading the Dodgers to a pennant in each of those years.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Notable quotes

“People who write about spring training not being necessary have never tried to throw a baseball.”
— As quoted in "Sandy Began Slowly and Then Got Worse; At Tired Arm Stage" by Charles Maher, in The Los Angeles Times (April 14, 1966)
“There were now men on first and second. The batter was Henry Aaron. I walked him on four straight balls, which was probably the smartest thing I did all year. There have been many times since when I wished I had been wild enough to walk Henry Aaron. I'm usually backing up third as I am wishing it.”
— In Koufax (1966) by Koufax with Ed Linn, pp. 96-97
“I don't regret one minute of the twelve years I've spent in baseball, but I could regret one season too many. [...] I've got a lot of years to live after baseball and I would like to live them with complete use of my body.”
— 1966 press conference announcing retirement, as quoted by UPI, in "Sandy Koufax Announces Retirement from Baseball at News Meeting" by Alex Kahn (UPI), in The Pittsfield Berkshire Eagle (November 19, 1966)
“If I could straighten it out, I'd be pitching at Dodger Stadium tonight instead of playing golf.”
— After being admonished to "get that left arm all the way round [and] straighten it out" by La Costa Resort's golf pro; as quoted in "How Red the Rose" by John Hall, in "The Los Angeles Times" (May 15, 1968)
“I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it.”
— As quote in "Quote... : Father knows best; Soviet hindsight; Life in the NBA: Koufax strategy," The Christian Science Monitor (June 24, 1976), p. 11
“You've got to be lucky to pitch a no-hitter, and if you have good stuff, it's easier to be lucky.”
— Speaking on July 1, 1990, at Chavez Ravine, in reference to a no-hitter thrown there just two days before by the Dodgers' (and, coincidentally, just hours before the Yankees' would, thanks to three 8th-inning Bomber miscues, famously record a 4-0, complete-game loss to Chicago, despite giving up no hits ); as quoted in "Notes on a Scorecard" by Allan Malamud, in The Los Angeles Times (July 2, 1990)

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Notable quotes

“People who write about spring training not being necessary have never tried to throw a baseball.”
— As quoted in "Sandy Began Slowly and Then Got Worse; At Tired Arm Stage" by Charles Maher, in The Los Angeles Times (April 14, 1966)
“There were now men on first and second. The batter was Henry Aaron. I walked him on four straight balls, which was probably the smartest thing I did all year. There have been many times since when I wished I had been wild enough to walk Henry Aaron. I'm usually backing up third as I am wishing it.”
— In Koufax (1966) by Koufax with Ed Linn, pp. 96-97
“I don't regret one minute of the twelve years I've spent in baseball, but I could regret one season too many. [...] I've got a lot of years to live after baseball and I would like to live them with complete use of my body.”
— 1966 press conference announcing retirement, as quoted by UPI, in "Sandy Koufax Announces Retirement from Baseball at News Meeting" by Alex Kahn (UPI), in The Pittsfield Berkshire Eagle (November 19, 1966)
“If I could straighten it out, I'd be pitching at Dodger Stadium tonight instead of playing golf.”
— After being admonished to "get that left arm all the way round [and] straighten it out" by La Costa Resort's golf pro; as quoted in "How Red the Rose" by John Hall, in "The Los Angeles Times" (May 15, 1968)
“I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it.”
— As quote in "Quote... : Father knows best; Soviet hindsight; Life in the NBA: Koufax strategy," The Christian Science Monitor (June 24, 1976), p. 11
“You've got to be lucky to pitch a no-hitter, and if you have good stuff, it's easier to be lucky.”
— Speaking on July 1, 1990, at Chavez Ravine, in reference to a no-hitter thrown there just two days before by the Dodgers' (and, coincidentally, just hours before the Yankees' would, thanks to three 8th-inning Bomber miscues, famously record a 4-0, complete-game loss to Chicago, despite giving up no hits ); as quoted in "Notes on a Scorecard" by Allan Malamud, in The Los Angeles Times (July 2, 1990)

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Overview

Sanford Koufax (; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. Widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, Koufax was the first three-time winner of the Cy Young Award, each time unanimously and the only pitcher to do so when a single award was given for both the leagues, and was also named the National League Most Valuable Player in 1963. Retiring at the age of 30 due to arthritis in his pitching elbow, Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1972 at the age of 36, the youngest player ever elected. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Koufax was primarily a basketball player in his youth and had only pitched a total of twelve games before signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers at age 19. Due to the bonus rule under which he was signed, Koufax never pitched a game in the minor leagues. As a result, the first half of his career was marred with inconsistency and control problems with flashes of brilliance in between. He set a modern record by striking out 18 batters in a game in 1959 and pitched brilliantly in the 1959 World Series. However, the lack of playing time frustrated Koufax and he almost quit after 1960. After making adjustments prior to the 1961 season to improve his control, Koufax quickly rose to become the most dominant pitcher in the major leagues. He was an All-Star in each of his last six seasons, leading the National League (NL) in earned run average each of his last five years, in strikeouts four times, in wins and shutouts three times each, and in winning percentage, innings pitched and complete games twice each. He was the first NL pitcher in 20 years to post an earned run average below 2.00, doing so three times. After setting the modern NL record in 1961 with 269 strikeouts, he became the first pitcher in 17 years and the first left-hander since 1904 to strike out 300 batters, with 306 in 1963. In 1965, he set a then-major league record with 382 strikeouts. He was the first pitcher to record a 300-strikeout season three times. Koufax tied his own record of 18 strikeouts in a game in 1962, and later became the first pitcher to record three immaculate innings. Koufax won the Major League Triple Crown three times, leading the Dodgers to a pennant in each of those years.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Sanford Koufax (; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. Widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, Koufax was the first three-time winner of the Cy Young Award, each time unanimously and the only pitcher to do so when a single award was given for both the leagues, and was also named the National League Most Valuable Player in 1963. Retiring at the age of 30 due to arthritis in his pitching elbow, Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1972 at the age of 36, the youngest player ever elected.

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