View source for Sandy Koufax

{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1935)}}
{{Redirect|Koufax|other uses|Koufax (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2023}}
{{Use shortened footnotes|date=June 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name        = Sandy Koufax
| image       = Sandy Koufax.jpg
| caption     = Publicity still of Koufax, {{c.|1965}}
| alt         = Black and white photo of a man in a white baseball jersey and dark baseball cap with an interlocked white "LA" on the front, smiling at the camera.
| position    = [[Pitcher]]
| bats        = Right
| throws      = Left
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1935|12|30}}
| birth_place = [[Brooklyn]], New York, U.S.
| debutleague = MLB
| debutdate   = June 24
| debutyear   = 1955
| debutteam   = Brooklyn Dodgers
| finalleague = MLB
| finaldate   = October 2
| finalyear   = 1966
| finalteam   = Los Angeles Dodgers
| statleague  = MLB
| stat1label  = [[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
| stat1value  = 165–87
| stat2label  = [[Earned run average]]
| stat2value  = 2.76
| stat3label  = [[Strikeout]]s
| stat3value  = 2,396
| teams       =
* [[Brooklyn Dodgers|Brooklyn]] / [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] ({{mlby|1955}}–{{mlby|1966}})
| highlights=
* 7× <!-- PLEASE NOTE: there were TWO All-Star Games for the years 1959 to 1962; Koufax made both 1961 teams and one of the 1962 teams. Hence, he is a 7× All-Star, NOT six. --> [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1961 Major League Baseball All-Star Game (first game)|1961]]–[[1962 Major League Baseball All-Star Game (first game)|1962]], [[1963 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1963]]–[[1966 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1966]]) 
* 4× [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1955}}, {{wsy|1959}}, {{wsy|1963}}, {{wsy|1965}})
* [[NL MVP]] (1963)
* 3× [[Cy Young Award]] (1963, 1965, 1966)
* 2× [[World Series MVP]] (1963, 1965)
* 3× [[Triple Crown (baseball)|Triple Crown]] (1963, 1965, 1966)
* 3× [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|MLB wins leader]] (1963, 1965, 1966)
* 5× [[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders|NL ERA leader]] (1962–1966)
* 4× [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders|MLB strikeout leader]] (1961, 1963, 1965, 1966)
* Pitched a [[Sandy Koufax's perfect game|perfect game]] on September 9, 1965
* Pitched four [[no-hitter]]s
* [[Los Angeles Dodgers#Retired numbers|Los Angeles Dodgers No. 32]] retired
* [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]]
* [[Major League Baseball All-Time Team]]
| hoflink     = National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
| hoftype     = National
| hofdate     = [[1972 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|1972]]
| hofvote     = 86.9% (first ballot)
}}

'''Sanford Koufax''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|oʊ|f|æ|k|s}}; né '''Braun'''; born December 30, 1935), nicknamed "'''the Left Arm of God'''", is an American former [[baseball]] player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest [[pitcher]]s in baseball history, he played 12 seasons in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) for the [[Brooklyn Dodgers|Brooklyn]] / [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] from 1955 to 1966. Koufax was the first three-time winner of the [[Cy 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 the [[MLB Most Valuable Player award|National League Most Valuable Player]] in 1963. Retiring at age 30 due to [[chronic pain]] in his pitching elbow, Koufax was elected to the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[1972 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|1972]] at age 36, the youngest player ever elected.

Born in [[Brooklyn, New York]], Koufax was primarily a basketball player in his youth and had pitched in only a few games before signing with the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] at age 19. Due to the [[bonus rule]] he signed under, Koufax never pitched in the [[minor league baseball|minor leagues]]. His lack of pitching experience caused manager [[Walter 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 the [[American West Coast|West Coast]]. He was an [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] in each of his last six seasons, leading the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) in earned run average each of his last five years, in [[strikeout]]s four times, and in wins and [[shutout (baseball)|shutouts]] three times each. He was the first pitcher in the [[live-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 a [[300 strikeout club|300-strikeout season]] three times.

Koufax won the Major League Pitchers' [[Triple Crown (baseball)#Pitching Triple Crown|Triple Crown]] three times, leading the Dodgers to a pennant in each of those years. He was the first major league pitcher to throw four [[no-hitter]]s, including a [[Sandy Koufax's perfect game|perfect game]] in 1965. He was named the [[World Series Most Valuable Player Award|World Series MVP]] twice, leading the weak-hitting Dodgers to titles in {{wsy|1963}} and {{wsy|1965}}. Despite his comparatively short career, his 2,396 career strikeouts ranked seventh in major league history at the time, trailing only [[Warren 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 nine [[strikeouts per nine innings pitched]], and the first to allow fewer than seven [[hits per nine innings|hits per nine innings pitched]]. Koufax, along with teammate [[Don Drysdale]], became a pivotal figure in baseball's [[labor relations|labor movement]] when the two staged a [[Koufax–Drysdale holdout|joint 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 of [[Observance of Yom Kippur by Jewish athletes|Yom Kippur]] garnered national attention and made him a revered figure within the [[American 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 a [[sports commentator|broadcaster]] for [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]]; uncomfortable in front of cameras and with public speaking, he resigned after six years. In 1979, Koufax returned to work as a [[Coach (baseball)|pitching coach]] in the Dodgers' farm system; he resigned from the position in 1990 but continues to make informal appearances during [[spring training]]. From 2013 to 2015, Koufax worked in an executive position for the Dodgers, as special advisor to chairman [[Mark Walter]]. In 1999, he was named to the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]]. His number 32 was retired by the Dodgers in 1972 and he was honored with a [[statue of Sandy Koufax|statue]] outside the centerfield plaza of [[Dodger 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.

==Early life==
Koufax was born Sanford Braun to a [[American Jews|Jewish]] family on December 30, 1935, in [[Borough Park, Brooklyn]].<ref name="SABR Koufax">{{cite web |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/sandy-koufax/ |title=Sandy Koufax (SABR BioProject) |work=Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref> 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, a [[Jewish summer camp]] in [[Ulster Park, New York]], where his mother worked as a [[bookkeeper]].<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 16, 38; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 28–29, 51–52.</ref>

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.<ref name="theatlantic"/> Shortly afterwards, the family moved to the [[Long Island]] suburb of [[Rockville Centre, New York|Rockville Centre]]. They moved back to Brooklyn in June 1949, the day after Koufax graduated from ninth grade, settling in the neighborhood of [[Bensonhurst, Brooklyn|Bensonhurst]].<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 19–22; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 29.</ref>

As a youth, Koufax was better known for basketball than for baseball. He had started playing it at the [[Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst]], winning a few local titles with the community center team. Attending [[Lafayette High School (New York City)|Lafayette 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.<ref name="theatlantic"/> He made newspaper headlines for the first time when, during a preseason exhibition game between the Lafayette basketball team and the [[New York Knicks]], he dunked twice and showed up Knicks star [[Harry Gallatin]].<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 22–28; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 37–40.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sandomir |first1=Richard |title=Koufax's Roundball Once Trumped His Fastball |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/15/sports/basketball/before-baseball-left-brooklyn-sandy-koufax-left-basketball.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 14, 2012}}</ref>

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-handed [[catcher]] before moving to [[first baseman|first base]]. He joined Lafayette's baseball team as a first baseman in his senior year at the urging of his friend [[Fred Wilpon]].<ref name="SABR Koufax"/> 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 the [[Coney Island]] Sports League's Parkviews.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 32–39.</ref>

{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = horizontal
| caption_align = center
| total_width = 450
| image1 = The Cincinnatian. 1954 baseball.png
| alt1 = A team photograph of the 1954 University of Cincinnati baseball team.
| image2 = The Cincinnatian. 1954 freshman basketball.png
| alt2 = A team photograph of the 1954 University of Cincinnati freshman baseball team.
| footer = Koufax with the 1954 [[University of Cincinnati]] baseball team (''left; top row, 5th from the left'') and freshman basketball team (''right; standing, 2nd from the right'')
}}

Koufax chose to attend the [[University of Cincinnati]] after becoming a [[walk-on (sports)|walk-on]] for their freshman basketball team. Playing under coach [[Ed Jucker]], he averaged 9.7 points per game.<ref name="theatlantic"/> As a student, he was enrolled in a liberal arts major with the intention of transferring to the [[School of Architecture and Interior Design|architectural school]],<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], p. 30.</ref> and was a member of [[Pi Lambda Phi]], a historically Jewish fraternity.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 48.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Famous Pilams |url=https://www.pilambdaphi.org/about/famous-pilams/ |website=Pi Lambda Phi |access-date=September 9, 2024}}</ref>

One day, Koufax overheard Jucker, who also coached the college [[Cincinnati Bearcats baseball|baseball team]], planning a last-minute road trip in his office which started in [[New Orleans]]. Eager to visit the city, he told Jucker, "I'm a pitcher" and made the team in a subsequent tryout.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 43–44.</ref> For the season, Koufax went 3–1 with a 2.81 earned run average, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings pitched.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sandy Koufax's season with UC Bearcats remembered |url=http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/university-of-cincinnati/2014/04/30/sandy-koufax-season-with-uc-bearcats-remembered/8512237/ |last1=Dyer |first1=Mike |work=[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]] |date=May 4, 2014}}</ref>

===Major League tryouts===
While with the college baseball team, Koufax began to attract the attention of baseball scouts. [[Bill Zinser]], a scout for the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]], sent the team a glowing report that was seemingly filed away and forgotten.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 44–45; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 50.</ref> Gene Bonnibeau, a scout for the [[New York Giants (baseball)|New York Giants]], learned of Koufax through a Cincinnati newspaper and invited him to try out at the [[Polo 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.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 46–48; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 52.</ref>

That summer, Koufax began pitching regularly for the Parkviews. In September, Ed McCarrick, a scout for the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]], was highly impressed with Koufax after seeing him in a few [[sandlot baseball|sandlot games]].<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 50–53.</ref> At McCarrick's behest, [[Branch Rickey]], [[General Manager (baseball)|general manager]] of the Pirates, sent scout [[Clyde Sukeforth]] to see Koufax. Sukeforth subsequently invited him to [[Forbes 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."<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 53–54.</ref> The Pirates, however, failed to offer Koufax a contract until after he was already committed to the Dodgers.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 70–74.</ref>

[[Al Campanis]], a Dodgers scout, heard about Koufax from sportswriter [[Jimmy Murphy (sportswriter)|Jimmy Murphy]] of the ''[[Brooklyn Eagle]]'' who covered sandlot teams in Brooklyn and had seen him pitch a few times.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], p. 61.</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=Jimmy |last1=Murphy |title=In Great Demand |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle/13733090/ |work=[[Brooklyn Eagle]] |date=August 17, 1954}}</ref> 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 at [[Ebbets Field]].<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 54–55</ref> With Dodgers manager [[Walter Alston]] and scouting director [[Fresco 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 the [[Sistine Chapel]] and the second time, I saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball."<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 55.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Dave |title=Sandy Koufax and the Sistine Chapel |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/01/28/archives/sandy-koufax-and-the-sistine-chapel-sports-of-the-times.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 28, 1979}}</ref>

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.<ref name="theatlantic"/> They agreed on a $20,000 contract (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|20000|1954|r=-3}}}} today) – $6,000 then-league minimum salary, with a $14,000 [[signing bonus]] – and not to officially sign until after the season ended, with Irving Koufax and owner [[Walter O'Malley]] making a handshake commitment.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 56–57.</ref>

Returning to university, Koufax also had a tryout with the [[Milwaukee Braves]] after which general manager [[John Quinn (baseball executive)|John 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.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 67–69; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 57–58.</ref> Koufax officially signed with his hometown team on December 14, 1954.<ref>{{cite news |title=Koufax, Boro Sandlot Star, Newest Dodger |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle/143974989/ |access-date=June 29, 2024 |work=[[Brooklyn Eagle]] |date=December 15, 1954}}</ref>

==Professional career==
At the time of Koufax's signing, the [[bonus rule]] implemented by [[Major 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 $4,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|4000|1947|r=-3}}}} today), they were required to keep them on their 25-man active roster for two full seasons.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/Bonus_Babies.shtml |title=MLB Bonus Babies |website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref> In compliance with the rule, the Dodgers placed Koufax on their major league roster. As it subsequently turned out, Koufax never played in the [[minor league baseball|minor leagues]].<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 73–74.</ref>

During his first [[spring training]], Koufax struggled with his new training regime and suffered from a sore arm most of the time.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 75–94.</ref> Having pitched fewer than twenty games in the sandlots and college combined, he did not know a lot about [[Pitch (baseball)|pitching]], 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 for [[fastball]] and two for a [[curveball|curve]], 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.<ref name=look-koufax/>

===Early years (1955–1960)===
[[File:Cincinnati Redlegs at Brooklyn Dodgers 1955-08-27 (ticket).jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.65|A ticket from the August 27, 1955, game between the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] and the [[Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Redlegs]], where Koufax earned his first career win|alt="A ticket from an August 1955 game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds at Ebbets Field."]]

Having injured his ankle in the last week of spring training, Koufax was placed on the [[injured list|disabled 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, the [[Montreal 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.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 63–64.</ref>

Koufax made his major league debut on June 24, 1955, against the [[1955 Milwaukee Braves season|Milwaukee Braves]], with the Dodgers trailing 7–1 in the fifth inning. [[Johnny Logan (baseball)|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 walked [[Hank Aaron|Henry Aaron]] on four pitches to load the bases before striking out [[Bobby Thomson]] on a 3–2 fastball for his first career strikeout.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 95–97.</ref> Koufax ended up pitching two scoreless innings, inducing a [[double play]] to end the bases-loaded threat and picking up another strikeout in a perfect sixth.<ref>{{cite web |title=Brooklyn Dodgers vs Milwaukee Braves Box Score: June 24, 1955 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MLN/MLN195506240.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

Koufax's first start was on July 6, the second game of a [[doubleheader (baseball)|doubleheader]] against the [[1955 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]]. He lasted only 4.2 innings, giving up eight walks.<ref>{{cite news|title=Koufax Recalls His Wild Start At Forbes Field |last1=Biederman |first1=Lester J. |work=[[The Pittsburgh Press]] |date=May 16, 1966|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IL0bAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TE8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7234%2C179287 |archive-date=September 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230911173806/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IL0bAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TE8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7234%2C179287 |page=18}}</ref> He did not start again for almost two months.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 74.</ref>

On August 27, Koufax threw a two-hit, 7–0 complete game shutout against the [[1955 Cincinnati Redlegs season|Cincinnati Redlegs]] for his first major league win. He struck out 14 batters and allowed only two hits.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cincinnati Redlegs vs Brooklyn Dodgers Box Score: August 27, 1955 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BRO/BRO195508270.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=McGowen |first1=Roscoe |title=Koufax, Dodgers, Tops Redlegs, 7–0|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1955/08/28/archives/dodgers-win-koufax-is-victor-dodger-allows-2-hits-fans-14-in.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 28, 1955 |via=TimesMachine |url-access=subscription}}</ref> His only other win in 1955 was also a shutout, a five-hitter against the Pirates on September 3.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pittsburgh Pirates vs Brooklyn Dodgers Box Score: September 3, 1955 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BRO/BRO195509030.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

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.<ref name="bbref-skoufax">{{cite web |title=Sandy Koufax Career Statistics |website=Baseball-Reference.com |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/koufasa01.shtml}}</ref> The [[1955 Brooklyn Dodgers season|Dodgers]] went on to win the National League pennant and the [[1955 World Series]] over the [[1955 New York Yankees season|New 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 the [[Columbia 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.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 3, 105–107; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. xx, 75–76.</ref>

[[File:Sandy Koufax by E.F. Collins.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.9|Koufax warming up at [[Wrigley Field]], {{circa|1957}}|alt="A young baseball player wearing a ballcap with the initial 'B'."]]

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.<ref name="SABR Koufax"/> When Koufax allowed baserunners, he was rarely permitted to finish the inning. Teammate [[Joe 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.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 84–86.</ref>

Notably, teammates [[Jackie Robinson]] and [[Roy 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. Pitcher [[Don Newcombe]] stated years later that Koufax faced [[antisemitism]] 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.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kashatus |first1=William C. |title=Jackie and Campy: The Untold Story of Their Rocky Relationship and the Breaking of Baseball's Color Line |date=2014 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |isbn=978-0803246331 |url=https://archive.org/details/jackiecampyuntol0000kash/page/164/mode/2up |pages=164–165}}</ref>

To prepare him for the 1957 season, the [[1957 Brooklyn Dodgers season|Dodgers]] sent Koufax to [[Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente|Puerto Rico]] to play winter ball for the [[Criollos de Caguas (baseball)|Criollos de Caguas]].<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 117–199.</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://beisbol101.com/jugador/sandy-koufax/ |title=Sandy Koufax stats in Puerto Rico |publisher=Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico |work=[[Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente|Beisbol 101]]}}</ref> Two of his wins were [[shutout (baseball)|shutouts]], including a one-hitter and a two-hitter, with [[Roberto 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.<ref name="SABR Koufax"/>

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 the [[1957 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]] at [[Wrigley 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 the [[starting 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.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 117–124; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 87–90.</ref>

[[File:Drydale_and_Koufax_on_active_duty_training.jpg|thumb|Koufax and teammate [[Don Drysdale]] changing parts on a military truck at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in [[Van Nuys, California]]|alt="Two men in military uniform at an Army base, ponder over instructions on how to change parts of a military truck."]]

Koufax, along with fellow Dodgers pitcher [[Don Drysdale]], served in the [[United States Army Reserve]] for two years, from 1957 to 1959. He was often stationed at [[Fort Dix, New Jersey]], during the offseason.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 107, 124, 127, 140.; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 203.</ref>

Koufax began the 1958 season 7–3, but sprained his ankle in a collision with [[Jim Bolger (baseball)|Jim Bolger]] of the [[Chicago 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.<ref name=look-koufax>{{cite magazine |last1=Koufax |first1=Sandy |last2=Gross |first2=Milton |title=I'm Only Human |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_look_1963-12-31_27_26_0/page/50/mode/2up |magazine=[[Look (American magazine)|Look]] |date=December 31, 1963 |url-access=registration}}</ref> As a result, he finished the season at 11–11 and leading the majors in [[wild pitch]]es.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 130–132.</ref>

In 1959, on June 22, he set the record for a night game with 16 strikeouts against the [[1959 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Philadelphia Phillies vs Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score: June 22, 1959 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN195906220.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Down |first1=Fred |title=Koufax Whiffs 16 Phils, One Shy of NL Record |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee-1959-06-23-mlb-notes/87591850/ |newspaper=[[The Sacramento Bee]] |date=June 23, 1959}}</ref> On August 31, against the [[1959 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco Giants]], he broke [[Dizzy Dean]]'s NL single-game record of 17 strikeouts and tied [[Bob Feller]]'s [[List of Major League Baseball single-game strikeout leaders|Major League record]] of 18.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 125–138; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 90–92.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN195908310.shtml|title=San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score: August 31, 1959 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Down |first1=Fred |title=Koufax Ties Strikeout Mark of 18 in L.A. win |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee-1959-09-01-mlb-notes/87815074/ |newspaper=[[The Sacramento Bee]] |date=September 1, 1959}}</ref>

That season, the Dodgers won a tight pennant race against the Giants and the [[1959 Milwaukee Braves season|Milwaukee Braves]]. They faced the [[1959 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]] in the [[1959 World Series|World 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 the [[Los Angeles Coliseum]]. In what would have been the series-clincher, Koufax allowed only one run in seven innings but lost the game 1–0 when [[Nellie 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.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 139–141.</ref><ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 262–265.</ref>

In early 1960, Koufax asked Dodgers general manager [[Buzzie 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 the [[1960 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pirates]], allowing only a second-inning single by pitcher [[Bennie Daniels]] and striking out 10 batters in the process.<ref>{{cite web |title=Los Angeles Dodgers vs Pittsburgh Pirates Box Score: May 23, 1960 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT196005230.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> 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.<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/>

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 an [[electronics]] business in which he had invested.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Elysian Fields of Brooklyn: The Parade Ground |url=https://sabr.org/journal/article/the-elysian-fields-of-brooklyn-the-parade-ground/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research |quote=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.}}</ref> 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.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 142–147; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 93–95.</ref>

===Domination (1961–1964)===
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."<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 101.</ref> During the offseason, Koufax underwent [[tonsillectomy]] 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.<ref name="theatlantic"/><ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 147–148.</ref>

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.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 102.</ref> 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.{{efn|Throughout his career, Koufax fought a tendency to "tip" pitches which he never fully overcame; it was well known in the league when he would throw a fastball or a curve. Despite that, players such as [[Willie Mays]] and [[Joey Amalfitano]] believed that it made little difference as hitters "still couldn't hit him" due to the effectiveness of his pitches.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 24.</ref>}}<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], p. 153.</ref> Additionally, Dodgers [[statistician]] [[Allan Roth]] helped Koufax tweak his game in the early 1960s, particularly regarding the importance of first-pitch strikes and the benefits of breaking pitches.<ref name="theatlantic">{{cite magazine|title=The Incomparable Career of Sandy Koufax|last1=Orfalea |first1=Gregory |magazine=[[The Atlantic]]|date=October 6, 2016|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/10/sandy-koufax/503036/ |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 148–152.</ref>

On March 23, Koufax was chosen to pitch in a B-squad game against the [[Minnesota Twins]] in [[Orlando, Florida]], by teammate [[Gil Hodges]] who was acting manager for the day. As teammate [[Ed 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, catcher [[Norm 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.<ref name="theatlantic"/>

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.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 153–155; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 102–103.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Whitmarsh |first1=Al |title=Koufax Credits Hitless Stint to Reliance on Fastball |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-koufax-7-innings-n/105127670/ |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |date=March 24, 1961}}</ref>

====1961 season====
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, breaking [[Christy Mathewson]]'s 58-year-old NL mark of 267, and doing so in 110 innings fewer than Mathewson had.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 157–159; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 115–116.</ref>

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 his [[Bases on  balls per nine innings pitched|walks allowed per nine innings]] from 5.1 in 1960 to 3.4 in 1961, led the NL with a [[strikeout-to-walk ratio]] of 2.80, and led the majors with a [[fielding independent pitching]] mark (FIP) of 3.00.<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/>

On September 20, in the last regular season baseball game at the Coliseum, Koufax won a 13-inning contest against the [[Chicago Cubs]] for his 18th win of the year. He pitched a complete game, throwing 205 pitches, striking out fifteen batters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chicago Cubs vs Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score: September 20, 1961 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN196109200.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

====1962 season====
In 1962, the Dodgers moved from the Los Angeles Coliseum – a [[American football|football]] stadium which had a {{convert|250|ft|adj=on|round=5}} left-field line and a {{convert|40|ft|adj=on|round=5}} tall screen – to [[Dodger 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.{{efn|Between 1958 and 1961, while the Dodgers were at the Coliseum, Koufax's home record was 17–23, with a 4.33 ERA and 56 home runs allowed while his road record was 28–20 with a 3.57 ERA and 33 home runs allowed.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Home Like No Other: The Dodgers in L.A. Memorial Coliseum |url=https://sabr.org/journal/article/a-home-like-no-other-the-dodgers-in-l-a-memorial-coliseum/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research |quote=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.}}</ref>}}<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 127–128; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 116.</ref> Subsequently, he recorded what would be his first great season, leading the NL in ERA and the majors in [[hits per nine innings]], [[strikeouts per nine innings]], and FIP.<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/>

[[File:Portrait of the baseball player Sandy Koufax ca1950 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Koufax at [[Dodger Stadium]], {{circa|1962}} |alt="A man in the Los Angeles Dodgers home uniform and cap with a glove, posing in fielding position."]]

On April 24, Koufax tied his own record of 18 strikeouts in a 10–2 win over the [[1962 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]] in [[Wrigley Field]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN196204240.shtml |title=Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Box Score: April 24, 1962 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> On June 13, against the Braves at [[Milwaukee County Stadium]], he hit his first career [[home run]] off future Hall of Famer [[Warren Spahn]], providing the winning margin in a 2–1 victory.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 116.</ref>

On June 30, Koufax threw his first career [[no-hitter]] against the expansion [[1962 New York Mets season|New York Mets]]; it was also the first Dodgers no-hitter since their move to Los Angeles. In the first inning, he threw an [[immaculate 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/june-30-1962-sandy-koufax-hurls-first-career-no-hitter-against-mets/ |last1=Aaron |first1=Marc |title=June 30, 1962: Sandy Koufax hurls first career no-hitter against Mets |work=Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref><ref name="9pitch9strike">{{cite web |title=Immaculate Innings |website=Baseball Almanac |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats17.shtml }}</ref> His no-hitter, along with a 4–2 record, 73 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA, earned him the [[Major League Baseball Player of the Month Award|Player of the Month Award]] for June. It was the only time in his career he earned this distinction.<ref>{{cite web|title=Major League Baseball Players of the Month |website=Baseball-Reference.com |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/mlb-players-of-the-month.shtml}}</ref>

Throughout the first half of the season, Koufax dealt with an injured pitching hand.<ref name=look-koufax/> 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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Finch |first1=Frank |title=Koufax to Return for Treatment |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-koufax-treatment/116614830/ |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=July 18, 1962}}</ref> 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 of [[amputation]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Creamer |first1=Robert |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1963/03/04/an-urgent-matter-of-one-index-finger|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513192352/https://vault.si.com/vault/1963/03/04/an-urgent-matter-of-one-index-finger|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 13, 2021|title=An Urgent Matter of One Index Finger |date=March 4, 1963}}</ref>

Koufax was finally able to pitch again in September, when the team was locked in a tight pennant race with the Giants.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 165–176; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 120–121.</ref> 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 a [[1962 National League tie-breaker series|three-game playoff]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Plaut |first1=David |title=Chasing October: The Giants-Dodgers Pennant Race of 1962 |url=https://archive.org/details/chasingoctoberdo00plau |year=1994 |pages=84–87 |publisher=Diamond Communications|isbn=978-0912083698 |url-access=registration}}</ref>

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 to [[Willie Mays]] and [[Jim 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.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 176–177; [[#Leahy|Leahy]], pp. 54–59.</ref>

====1963 season====
In 1963, Major League Baseball expanded the [[strike zone]] to combat what they perceived as too much offense.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/strike_zone_rules_history.shtml|title=The Strike Zone: A History of Official Strike Zone Rules|website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref> Compared to the previous season, walks in the NL fell 13%, strikeouts increased 6%, the league [[batting average]] fell from .261 to .245, and runs scored declined 15%.<ref>{{cite web |title=Major League Batting Year-by-Year Averages |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/bat.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> Koufax, who had reduced his [[Bases on balls per nine innings pitched|walks 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.<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/>

On April 19, Koufax threw his second [[immaculate inning]], this time in a two-hit shutout win against the [[1963 Houston Colt .45s season|Houston Colt .45s]], becoming the first NL pitcher and the second pitcher ever (after [[Lefty Grove]]) to throw two immaculate innings.<ref name="9pitch9strike"/> However, on April 23, he left a game against the [[1963 Milwaukee Braves season|Braves]] after throwing seven scoreless innings due to injuring the [[Capsule of the glenohumeral joint|posterior capsule]] of his left shoulder. Koufax subsequently missed two weeks, returning on May 7 against the [[1963 St. Louis Cardinals season|Cardinals]].<ref name="SABR Koufax"/>

Koufax threw his second career no-hitter against the [[1963 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco Giants]] on May 11, besting Giants ace [[Juan Marichal]]. He carried a [[Perfect game (baseball)|perfect game]] into the eighth inning against the powerful Giants lineup which included future Hall of Famers [[Willie Mays]], [[Willie McCovey]], and [[Orlando Cepeda]]. The perfect game ended when he walked catcher [[Ed Bailey]] on a full count. Koufax closed out the game after walking pinch-hitter McCovey on four pitches with two out in the ninth.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 181–183; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 122–123.</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Aaron |first1=Marc |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/may-11-1963-sandy-koufax-throws-second-no-hitter-to-beat-marichal-giants/ |title=May 11, 1963: Sandy Koufax throws second no-hitter to beat Marichal, Giants |work=Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref>

From July 3 to 16, Koufax pitched 33 consecutive scoreless innings, pitching three shutouts to lower his [[earned 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 pitcher [[Denny Lemaster]] to propel the team to a 5–4 win; it was his only game with three [[run batted in|runs batted in]].<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/>

In 1963, Koufax won the first of three pitching [[Triple Crown (baseball)|Triple Crowns]], leading the majors in wins (25), strikeouts (306), and earned run average (1.88).<ref name="triplecrown">{{cite web |title=Triple Crown of Pitching|url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/pitrip.shtml |website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref> He threw 11 shutouts, eclipsing [[Carl Hubbell]]'s 30-year, post-1900 mark for a left-handed pitcher of 10 and setting a record that stands to this day. Only [[Bob Gibson]], with 13 shutouts in his iconic 1968 season (known as "the year of the pitcher"), has thrown more since.<ref>{{cite web|title=Single-Season Leaders & Records for Shutouts|website=Baseball-Reference.com|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/SHO_season.shtml}}</ref>

Koufax won the National League [[MLB Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]],<ref name="mvp">{{cite web |title=MLB Most Valuable Player MVP Award Winners |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/mvp.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> and was the first unanimous selection for the [[Cy Young Award]], winning at a time when only one was awarded for both leagues.{{efn|Separate Cy Young Awards for each league started being awarded in {{mlby|1967}}, the year after Koufax retired.}}<ref name="cyyoungaward">{{cite web |title=MLB Cy Young Award Winners |website=Baseball-Reference.com |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/cya.shtml}}</ref> He was also named the [[Associated Press Athlete of the Year|Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year]] for the first time, and was awarded the [[Hickok Belt]] as the athlete of the year.<ref name="hickokbelt">{{cite web |title=Hickok Belt winner: Sandy Koufax (1963 & 1965) |url=http://hickokbelt.com/winners/past-winners/winners/sandy-koufax/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918033832/http://hickokbelt.com/winners/past-winners/winners/sandy-koufax/ |archive-date=September 18, 2012 |website=[[Hickok Belt]]}}</ref>

[[File:Roseboro and Koufax celebrate Yankees sweep.jpg|thumb|Koufax and catcher [[John Roseboro]] celebrate the Dodgers' victory over the Yankees in the [[1963 World Series]]|alt="Two baseball players jumping and hugging each other in celebration."]]

Clinching the pennant on September 27, the Dodgers faced the heavily favored [[1963 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] in the [[1963 World Series]]. In Game 1, Koufax beat [[Whitey Ford]] 5–2. He struck out the first five batters and 15 overall, breaking [[Carl Erskine]]'s decade-old record of 14. The Dodgers won Games 2 and 3 behind the pitching of [[Johnny Podres]], [[Ron Perranoski]], and [[Don 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 by [[Mickey Mantle]].<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 280–284.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Zimmerman |first1=Paul |title=Dodgers Make Series History by Beating Yanks Four in Row |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/28892188/ |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=October 7, 1963}}</ref>

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 the [[World Series Most Valuable Player Award]].<ref>{{cite web |title=World Series Pitching Records |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/rb_ws6.shtml |website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref><ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 184–216; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 132–143.</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Leggett |first1=William |title=Koo-Foo the Killer |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1963/10/14/koofoo-the-killer |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=October 14, 1963}}</ref>

===Salary dispute===
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."<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], p. 278.</ref> However, during his meeting with Dodgers general manager [[Buzzie 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.<ref>[[#Leahy|Leahy]], p. 147–151.</ref>

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 for [[spring training]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Koufax Signs $70,000 Contract As Dodgers Double His Salary |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/29/archives/koufax-signs-70000-contract-as-dodgers-double-his-salary.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |agency=United Press International |date=February 29, 1964}}</ref> Soon after his signing, however, the ''[[Los 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 with [[Frank Finch]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' that he did neither of those things, saying: "I've been hurt by people I thought were my friends."<ref>[[#Leahy|Leahy]], p. 173–175.</ref>

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 owner [[Walter 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bavasi Says Koufax Still On Good Terms |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/06/archives/bavasi-says-koufax-still-on-good-terms.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |agency=United Press International |date=March 6, 1964}}</ref>

====1964 season====
On April 14, Koufax made the only [[Opening Day]] start of his career, pitching a 4–0 shutout against the [[1964 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]].<ref>{{cite web |title=St. Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score: April 14, 1964 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN196404140.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> In his next start, he struck out three batters on nine pitches in the third inning of a 3–0 loss to the [[1964 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]], becoming the first pitcher in Major League history to throw three immaculate innings.<ref name="9pitch9strike"/> On April 22 in St. Louis, however, Koufax "felt something let go" in his arm during the first inning, resulting in three [[Hydrocortisone|cortisone shots]] in his left elbow and three missed starts.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 150.</ref>

On June 4, against the [[1964 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]] in [[Connie Mack Stadium]], Koufax threw his third career no-hitter, tying [[Bob 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 to [[Dick Allen]] in the fourth inning. Allen walked and was thrown out trying to [[stolen base|steal]] second base; he was the Phillies' only baserunner that day.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 219–221; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 151–153.</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Aaron |first1=Marc |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/june-4-1964-sandy-koufax-puts-everything-together-in-third-career-no-hitter/ |title=June 4, 1964: Sandy Koufax 'puts everything together' in third career no-hitter |work=Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref>

On August 8, during a game against the [[1964 Milwaukee Braves season|Milwaukee Braves]], Koufax jammed his pitching elbow while diving back to second base to beat a pick-off throw by [[Tony 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 physician [[Robert Kerlan]] with traumatic [[arthritis]].{{efn|Dr. [[Frank Jobe]], inventor of the [[Tommy John surgery]], later disagreed with Koufax's diagnosis. He believed that Koufax suffered a torn [[Ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint|ulnar collateral ligament]] but stated there were no means to diagnose or treat such an injury when Koufax was an active player.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pouliot |first1=Matthew |title=Dr. Frank Jobe: 'It could have been Sandy Koufax surgery' |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/news/dr-frank-jobe-it-could-have-been-sandy-koufax-surgery |work=[[NBC Sports]] |date=July 14, 2012}}</ref>}}<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 222–228; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 155–157.</ref> 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.<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/>

===Playing in pain (1965–1966)===
[[File:SandyKoufaxArm1966.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|In his final seasons, Koufax iced his arm for hours after every game he pitched|alt=A dark-haired man looks on while his arm is placed in a tub of ice]]

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 the [[Chicago White Sox]] to find his entire left arm swollen and [[bruise|black and blue]] from [[hemorrhage|hemorrhaging]]. 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.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 156.</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Baseball: With Trauma, Stress & It |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=July 30, 1965 |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,834075,00.html}}</ref>

Before each start, Koufax had [[capsaicin]]-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 an [[inner 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 a [[Hydrocortisone|cortisone shot]] in the elbow joint. For the pain, Koufax took Empirin with [[codeine]] every night and occasionally during a game. He also took [[Phenylbutazone|Butazolidin]], a drug used to treat inflammation caused by arthritis which was eventually taken off the market due to its toxic side effects.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 228–239; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 156–160.</ref>

====1965 season====
Despite the constant pain in his pitching elbow, Koufax pitched a major league-leading 335.2 innings and 27 complete games, leading the [[1965 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Dodgers]] to another pennant. He won his second pitching Triple Crown, leading the Majors in wins (26), earned run average (2.04), and strikeouts (382).<ref name="triplecrown"/> Koufax captured his second unanimous Cy Young Award,<ref name="cyyoungaward"/> and was runner-up for the National League MVP Award, behind [[Willie Mays]].<ref name="mvp"/>

Koufax's 382 strikeouts broke [[Rube Waddell]]'s modern record of 349 strikeouts in 1904, and was the highest modern-day total at the time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Single-Season Leaders & Records for Strikeouts|website=Baseball-Reference.com|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/SO_p_season.shtml}}</ref> 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.<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/>

Koufax was the pitcher for the Dodgers during the [[Battle of Candlestick|game on August 22]], when Giants pitcher [[Juan Marichal]] clubbed Dodgers catcher [[John Roseboro]] in the head with a bat.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Fight of Their Lives: How Juan Marichal And John Roseboro Turned Baseball's Ugliest Brawl Into A Story Of Forgiveness And Redemption |last1=Rosengren |first1=John |year=2014 |url=https://archive.org/details/fightoftheirlive0000rose |pages=107–141 |publisher=Lyons Press|isbn=978-0762787128 |url-access=registration}}</ref> The game, which came in the middle of a heated pennant race, had been tense since it began, with Marichal [[brushback pitch|brushing back]] Dodgers outfielder [[Ron Fairly]] and shortstop [[Maury Wills]], and Koufax retaliating by throwing over the head of [[Willie Mays]]. After Koufax's retaliation, both benches were warned by umpire [[Shag 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."<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 179–180.</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stone |first1=Kevin |title=Juan Marichal clubbed John Roseboro 50 years ago in ugly, iconic incident |url=https://www.espn.in/mlb/story/_/id/13463881/juan-marichal-hit-john-roseboro-bat-ugly-baseball-brawl-50-years-ago |work=[[ESPN]] |date=August 19, 2015}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants Box Score: August 22, 1965 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN196508220.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

=====Perfection=====
{{Main|Sandy Koufax's perfect game}}
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 the [[1965 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/september-9-1965-a-million-butterflies-and-one-perfect-game-for-sandy-koufax/ |last1=Huber |first1=Mike |title=September 9, 1965: 'A million butterflies' and one perfect game for Sandy Koufax |work=Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref>

The game also set a record for the fewest hits in a major league contest as Cubs pitcher [[Bob Hendley]] pitched a one-hitter and allowed only two batters to reach base.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/bob-hendley-one-hitter-loses-to-sandy-koufax/c-148255150 |last1=Noble |first1=Marty |date=September 9, 2015 |title=The Day Hendley Allowed Just One Hit, Koufax Was Perfect |website=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref> Both pitchers had no-hitters intact until the seventh inning. The winning run was [[earned run|unearned]], scored in the fifth inning without a hit when Dodgers left fielder [[Lou Johnson]] walked, reached second on a [[sacrifice hit|sacrifice]], stole third, and scored on a throwing [[error (baseball)|error]] by Cubs catcher [[Chris Krug]]. The only hit was a bloop double by Johnson to shallow right in the seventh inning.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chicago Cubs vs Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score: September 9, 1965 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN196509090.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

=====World Series and Yom Kippur decision=====
The Dodgers won the NL pennant on the second-to-last game of the season, against the [[1965 Milwaukee Braves season|Milwaukee 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.{{efn|In his career, Koufax pitched in nine games on two days' rest, starting eight times. He never lasted less than seven innings, winning seven of those games and pitching a complete game six times.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 185–186.</ref>}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Milwaukee Braves vs Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score: October 2, 1965 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN196510020.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

Koufax garnered national attention when he declined to start Game 1 of the [[1965 World Series]] as it [[Observance of Yom Kippur by Jewish athletes|clashed with Yom Kippur]], the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Rosengren |first1=John |title=Sandy Koufax, Yom Kippur and the 1965 World Series |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2015/09/23/sandy-koufax-yom-kippur-1965-world-series |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=September 23, 2015}}</ref> Instead, Drysdale pitched the opener, but was hit hard by the [[1965 Minnesota Twins season|Minnesota Twins]]. When Dodgers manager [[Walter Alston]] came out to remove Drysdale from the game, the latter quipped: "I bet right now you wish I was Jewish, too."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Larry |title=Drysdale Didn't Quite Have It This Day |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-04-sp-briefing4-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=November 4, 2003}}</ref>

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 by [[Claude 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 to [[Metropolitan Stadium]] for Game 6, which the Twins' [[Mudcat Grant|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.<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 290–292.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Briere |first1=Tom |title=L.A. Wins, 2–0, Take Series |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-1965-world-series/66578834/ |work=[[Star Tribune|Minneapolis Tribune]] |date=October 15, 1965}}</ref>

For his performance, Koufax won the [[World 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.<ref name="hickokbelt"/> That year, he was named the [[Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year|Sportsman of the Year]] by ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' and [[Associated Press Athlete of the Year|Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year]] for a second time.<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], pp. 256–268; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 167–194.</ref>

===Holdout===
{{Main|Koufax–Drysdale holdout}}
In the offseason, prior to the 1966 season, Koufax and Drysdale met separately with general manager [[Buzzie 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.<ref>[[#Leahy|Leahy]], pp. 146–151, 173–175.</ref> 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.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 204.</ref>

[[File:Koufax Drysdale Holdout Press Conference 1966.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb|Koufax and Drysdale, with Dodgers' GM [[Buzzie Bavasi]] ''(second from left)'' and actor [[Chuck Connors]] ''(far right)'', at a press conference announcing the signing of the pair to one-year contracts and the end of their joint holdout|alt="Four men sit on a couch; three look on as the fourth speaks to a group of reporters off camera"]]

Ginger Drysdale, who had worked as a model and actress and was once a member of the [[Screen 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.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 205; [[#Leahy|Leahy]], p. 344.</ref><ref name="holdout">{{cite news |title=Book Excerpt: Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale 1966 Million-Dollar Contract Holdout |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/news/book-excerpt-1966-sandy-koufax-don-drysdale-contract-holdout |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=March 18, 2020}}</ref>

In a highly unusual move for the time, they were represented by entertainment lawyer [[J. William Hayes]], Koufax's business manager. Also unusual was their demand of $1 million (${{Inflation|US|1|1966|r=1}} million today), divided equally over the next three years, or $167,000 (${{Inflation|US|0.167|1966|r=2}} 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 a [[public relations]] campaign against the pair.<ref name="holdout"/>

Koufax and Drysdale did not report to spring training in February 1966. Instead, both signed to appear in the movie ''[[Warning Shot (1967 film)|Warning Shot]]''. Additionally, Koufax had signed a book deal to write his autobiography, ''Koufax'', with author [[Ed Linn]].<ref name="holdout"/> Meanwhile, Hayes unearthed a state law, the result of the ''[[De 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 the [[reserve clause]]. When Dodgers owner [[Walter O'Malley]] found out about this, the team's front office softened their stance towards the pair.<ref name="holdout"/>

Actor and former baseball player [[Chuck 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 $125,000 (${{Inflation|US|0.125|1966|r=2}} million today) and Drysdale for $110,000 (${{Inflation|US|0.110|1966|r=2}} million today).<ref name="holdout"/> The deal made Koufax the highest paid player in [[Major League Baseball]] for 1966.<ref>{{cite web |title=MLB's annual salary leaders since 1874 |url=https://sabr.org/research/article/mlbs-annual-salary-leaders-since-1874/ |work=Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref>

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 unionist [[Marvin Miller]] used the Koufax–Drysdale holdout as an argument for [[collective bargaining]] while campaigning for players' votes during spring training; he would soon be elected by the players as first executive director of the [[Major League Baseball Players Association]].<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 205–210; [[#Leahy|Leahy]], pp. 342–348.</ref>

====1966 season====
[[File:Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia Phillies 1966-10-2.jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.65|A ticket from the October 2, 1966, game between the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] and the [[Philadelphia Phillies]], where Koufax earned his final career win|alt="A ticket from an October 1966 game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies at Shibe Park."]]

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.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 222.</ref>

He posted a 27–9 win-loss record, with 317 [[strikeout]]s and a 1.73 [[earned run average]], and won his third pitching Triple Crown.<ref name="triplecrown"/> Koufax won his third unanimous Cy Young Award, the first pitcher ever to win three,<ref name="cyyoungaward"/> and was again runner-up for the National League MVP Award, finishing behind [[Roberto Clemente]] of the Pirates.{{efn|While Koufax received more first place votes than Clemente did in the 1966 MVP race, the latter had a higher vote share, edging out Koufax by 78% to 74%.}}<ref name="mvp"/>

On September 25, the day after Yom Kippur, Koufax matched up with [[Ken Holtzman]] of the [[1966 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]], a fellow Jewish southpaw.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sherman |first1=Ed |title=Sandy Koufax vs. Ken Holtzman: The 1966 matchup of two Jewish pitching stars |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2016/09/15/sandy-koufax-vs-ken-holtzman-the-1966-matchup-of-two-jewish-pitching-stars/ |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=September 15, 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> At [[Wrigley 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 two hits. It was Koufax's last regular season loss.<ref>{{cite web |title=Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Box Score: September 25, 1966 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN196609250.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

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 faced [[Jim Bunning]] for the second time that season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI196610022.shtml|title=Los Angeles Dodgers vs Philadelphia Phillies Box Score: October 2, 1966|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> On two days' rest, Koufax pitched a 6–3 complete-game victory to clinch the pennant, the final win of his career.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sandy Koufax's final victory might have been his best. |url=https://www.espn.in/mlb/story/_/id/17671148/los-angeles-dodgers-pitcher-sandy-koufax-relives-finest-game |last1=Wulf |first1=Steve |work=[[ESPN]] |date=September 30, 2016}}</ref>

During the fifth inning, Koufax injured his back while pitching to [[Gary Sutherland]] who was pinch-hitting for Bunning. After the inning, he went to the trainer's room where the injury was diagnosed as a [[slipped disc]]. Dodger trainers Bill Buehler and Wayne Anderson applied Capsolin on his back and, along with former Dodger [[Don Newcombe]], pulled Koufax in opposite directions until the disc slipped back into place.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 232–233.</ref>

The Dodgers went on to face the [[1966 Baltimore Orioles season|Baltimore Orioles]] in the [[1966 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.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Skelton |first1=David E. |title=A Season-Ending Doubleheader and its Impact on the 1966 World Series |url=https://sabr.org/journal/article/a-season-ending-doubleheader-and-its-impact-on-the-1966-world-series/ |work=Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref>

In Game 2, his third start in eight days, Koufax shut out the Orioles for the first four innings. However, three errors by Dodgers centerfielder [[Willie Davis (baseball)|Willie 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 by [[Frank Robinson]] which fell for a triple; Robinson subsequently scored on a single by [[Boog Powell]]. Koufax did not receive any run support either; Baltimore's 20-year-old future Hall of Famer [[Jim Palmer]] pitched a four-hit shutout, and the Orioles won 6–0.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 234–236.</ref>

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.<ref>[[#Schoor|Schoor]], pp. 293–295.</ref>

===Retirement===
[[File:Sandy_Koufax_at_press_conference.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|Koufax announces his retirement, November 1966|alt="A man with black hair and in a suit speaks into a collection of microphones in front of him]]

On November 18, 1966, Koufax announced his retirement from baseball in a press conference at the [[Beverly Wilshire Hotel]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Koufax, Dodger Pitching Star, Retires Because of Ailing Arm |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1966/11/19/archives/koufax-dodger-pitching-star-retires-because-of-ailing-arm-fearing-a.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |agency=Associated Press |date=November 19, 1966 |via=TimesMachine |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Too Many Shots, Too Many Pills |url=https://time.com/archive/6889792/baseball-too-many-shots-too-many-pills/ |access-date=June 21, 2024 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=November 25, 1966}}</ref> 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:

{{blockquote|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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Video: Dodgers icon Sandy Koufax retires at the age of 30 |url=https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/27250314 |work=[[ESPN]]|date=July 24, 2019}}</ref>}}

With the Dodgers touring [[Japan]] at the time, nobody from the team's front office was present at the press conference. Koufax, who told [[Buzzie Bavasi]] of his decision a few days before the conference, refused his request to delay his retirement until after the [[winter meetings]] in order to facilitate a few deals in the Dodgers' favor or to wait until owner [[Walter 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.<ref>[[#Leahy|Leahy]], p. 390.</ref>

The announcement of his retirement came as a shock, particularly to his teammates. Soon afterwards, Koufax told an incredulous [[Dick 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 and [[pitcher#pitching biomechanics|pitching]]. 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.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 236–239; [[#Leahy|Leahy]], pp. 389–391.</ref>

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 three [[National League (baseball)|National League]] pennants and two [[World Series]] titles, in both of which he was named the series MVP. He won [[Cy Young Award]]s in each of the pennant-winning years and also won the [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|NL Most Valuable Player Award]] in 1963.<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/> During this period, he was named [[Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year|''Sports Illustrated'' Sportsman of the Year]] in 1965,<ref>{{cite magazine |date=November 30, 2023 |title=Every Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |url=https://www.si.com/sports-illustrated/sports-illustrated-sportsperson-year-covers |access-date=August 14, 2025 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref> and ''[[The Sporting News]]'' named him as [[The Sporting News MLB Player of the Year Award|MLB Player of the Year]] in 1963 and 1965, and [[The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award|NL Pitcher of the Year]] for four consecutive seasons, from 1963 to 1966.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MLB The Sporting News Pitchers of the Year & The Sporting News Major League Players of the Year |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/tsn.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

==Career overall==
===Statistics and achievements===
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.<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Career Leaders & Records for Hits per 9 IP |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/hits_per_nine_career.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Career Leaders & Records for Strikeouts per 9 IP |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/strikeouts_per_nine_career.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sandy Koufax: First Among Equals |url=https://sabr.org/journal/article/sandy-koufax-first-among-equals/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research |quote=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.}}</ref>

Koufax was the first pitcher to win three [[Cy Young Award]]s, 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.<ref name="cyyoungaward"/>

He became the first pitcher in baseball history to have [[List of Major League Baseball single-game strikeout leaders|two 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).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.statmuse.com/mlb/ask?q=most+games+with+10+or+more+strikeouts+by+a+pitcher+all-time |title=Most Games with 10 or more Strikeouts, All-time |website=StatMuse.com}}</ref> In his last ten seasons, from 1957 to 1966, batters hit .203 against him, with a .271 [[on-base percentage]] and a .315 [[slugging percentage|slugging average]].<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/> His run of five consecutive [[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders|ERA titles]] is a Major League record.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yearly League Leaders & Records for Earned Run Average |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/earned_run_avg_leagues.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> He also led the majors in [[Walks plus hits per inning pitched|WHIP]] four consecutive times and [[Fielding independent pitching|FIP]] six consecutive times, both also records.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yearly League Leaders & Records for Walks & Hits per IP |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/whip_leagues.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Yearly League Leaders & Records for Fielding Independent Pitching |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/fip_leagues.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

Since the start of the [[live-ball era]], Koufax is one of only nine pitchers to record multiple 10+ [[Wins above replacement|WAR]] seasons. He is also the only one to record an [[Earned run average|ERA]] under 1.90 in three different qualifying seasons. In each of his last ten seasons, from 1957 to 1966, Koufax finished top ten in [[strikeouts]], 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.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Simon |first1=Andrew |title=11 stats that show why Koufax is a legend |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/sandy-koufax-s-best-stats-and-accomplishments |website=[[MLB.com]] |date=December 30, 2022}}</ref>

Koufax is considered one of the greatest big game pitchers in baseball history. Sabermetrician [[Bill James]] described Koufax as having a bigger impact on pennant races than any other pitcher in the 20th and 21st centuries,<ref>{{cite book |last1=James |first1=Bill |title=The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract |date=2003 |publisher=Free Press |url=https://archive.org/details/newbilljameshist0000jame_p1y9/page/976/mode/2up |isbn=978-0743227223 |pages=977–978 |url-access=registration}}</ref> and though his [[Win–loss record (pitching)|record]] across four World Series is 4–3, his 0.95 ERA and two [[World Series Most Valuable Player Award|World Series MVP Awards]] testify to how well he actually pitched.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/WS_pitching.shtml |title=All-time and Single-Season World Series Pitching Leaders|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/postmvp.shtml|title=MLB Postseason Willie Mays World Series MVP Awards|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> 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.<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/> His 22 consecutive World Series [[Scoreless innings streak#Postseason|scoreless innings streak]] is the fourth-longest in World Series history and ninth-longest in postseason history.<ref>{{cite web |title=MLB Consecutive Scoreless Innings Pitched Records |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/consecutive_scoreless_innings_pitched.shtml |website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref>

He was selected as an [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] for six consecutive seasons and made seven out of eight possible All-Star Game appearances those seasons.{{efn|Major League Baseball held two All-Star Games for the years from 1959 to 1962.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/sports/baseball/15sandomir.html?ref=sports |title=When Midsummer Had Two Classics |last1=Sandomir |first1=Richard|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 15, 2008}}</ref>}} Koufax pitched six innings across four All-Star games; he was the winning pitcher in the [[1965 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1965 All-Star Game]], and was the starting pitcher in the [[1966 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1966 All-Star Game]], throwing three innings of one-run ball on two days' rest.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sandy Koufax All-Star Stats |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/playerpost.php?p=koufasa01&ps=asg |website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref>
{{clear}}
{|class="wikitable"  style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
![[Baseball statistics|Category]]!![[Win–loss record (pitching)#Winning pitcher|W]]!![[Win–loss record (pitching)#Losing pitcher|L]]!![[Earned run average|ERA]]!![[Games pitched|G]]!![[Games started|GS]]!![[Complete game|CG]]!![[Shutout (baseball)|SHO]]!![[Save (baseball)|SV]]!![[Innings pitched|IP]]!![[Hits allowed|H]]!![[Run (baseball)|R]]!![[Earned run|ER]]!![[Home runs allowed|HR]]!![[Base on balls|BB]]!![[Intentional base on balls|IBB]]!![[Strikeout|SO]]!![[Hit by pitch|HBP]]!![[Adjusted ERA+|ERA+]]!![[Fielding independent pitching|FIP]]!![[Walks plus hits per inning pitched|WHIP]]!![[Hits per nine innings|H9]]!![[Strikeouts per nine innings pitched|SO9]]!!{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
|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||<ref name="bbref-skoufax"/>
|}

===Pitching style and repertoire===
[[File:Sandy Koufax Pitching Motion 1964.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Koufax striding towards home plate|alt=a baseball pitcher on the mound and in full-stride, throwing towards home plate]]

Koufax was a [[power 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 put [[spin rate|heavy spin]] on his pitches and control the direction in which they would break.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 9, 11–14.</ref>

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."<ref>[[#Leahy|Leahy]], p. 223.</ref> Though not a headhunter like teammate [[Don 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."<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 180.</ref>

Throughout his career, Koufax relied heavily on two pitches.<ref>[[#JamesNeyer|Neyer and James]], pp. 270–271.</ref> His [[four-seam fastball]] gave batters the impression of rising as it approached them, due to heavy backspin he created by pulling on the seams.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 7–8, 79.</ref> His overhand [[curveball]], spun with the middle finger, dropped vertically 12 to 24&nbsp;inches due to his arm action; it is considered by many as being the best curve of all time.<ref>[[#JamesNeyer|Neyer and James]], p. 34.</ref>

Though he had a [[changeup]], Koufax almost never threw it, eventually replacing it with a [[forkball]] which he used more regularly as a third pitch.<ref>{{cite book |title=Tim McCarver's Diamond Gems: Favorite Baseball Stories from the Legends of the Game  |publisher=McGraw Hill |year=2006 |url=https://archive.org/details/timmccarversdiam0000unse/page/224/mode/2up |pages=224–225 |isbn=978-0071545945 |first1=McCarver |last1=Tim |first2=Jim |last2=Moskovitz}}</ref> Shortstop [[Roy McMillan]] described its movement as being not unlike that of a [[spitball#Legal spits|spitball]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Donnelly |first1=Joe |title=Sandy Worth His Wait in Cold |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-koufax-donnelly/114566218/ |work=[[Newsday]] |date=July 15, 1966}}</ref> In his final seasons, Koufax also began throwing a [[cut fastball|cutter]] to compensate for drop in velocity.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 227.</ref>

==Post-playing activities==
[[File:L.A. Dodgers players Sandy Koufax and Don Sutton during spring training in Florida.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.8|Koufax ''(left)'' as a [[Coach (baseball)#Pitching and bullpen coaches|pitching coach]] for the Dodgers during [[spring training]], {{circa|1979}}|alt="Two men wearing Los Angeles Dodgers uniforms and caps; one is older with hands on his hips and listens to the younger man make conversation."]]

Soon after his retirement, Koufax signed a 10-year contract with [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]] for $1 million (${{Inflation|US|1|1967|r=1}}&nbsp;million today) to be a broadcaster on the ''[[Major League Baseball Game of the Week|Saturday Game of the Week]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Koufax Makes Bow as Star with N.B.C. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1967/01/27/archives/koufax-makes-bow-as-star-with-nbc.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |agency=Associated Press |date=January 27, 1967 |via=TimesMachine |url-access=subscription}}</ref> During his tenure, he also served as the color commentator for the [[List of Major League Baseball All-Star Game broadcasters|All-Star Game]] and as a pre-game analyst for the [[List of World Series broadcasters|World Series]].<!--Note: links to the lists serve as references.-->

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.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 251; [[#Leahy|Leahy]], pp. 435–436.</ref>

In 1979, Koufax was hired by the Dodgers as a minor league pitching coach in their farm system.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Boswell |first1=Thomas |title=Baseball's disappearing man, Koufax, returns to game |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1979/03/21/koufax/3139f66f-996a-485f-8cce-8f7671152136/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=March 21, 1979}}</ref> During his tenure, he worked with a number of pitchers, including [[Orel Hershiser]], [[Dave Stewart (baseball)|Dave Stewart]], [[John Franco]], [[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]], and fellow Hall of Famers [[Don Sutton]] and [[Pedro Martínez]].<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 10, 252–253.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Shpigel |first1=Ben |title=Koufax Visits and Pedro Talks |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/23/koufax-visits-and-pedro-talks/ |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 23, 2008}}</ref> Koufax, with the help of former teammate [[Roger Craig (baseball)|Roger Craig]], taught himself how to throw a [[split-finger fastball]], a popular pitch in the 1980s, in order to be able to teach it to pitchers in the Dodgers' minor league system.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 254.</ref>

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 manager [[Tommy Lasorda]] who reportedly resented Koufax working with his pitchers. Despite this, Koufax continued to make informal visits to spring training.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 255–258.</ref>

During this time, Koufax also began to make spring training visits with other teams, particularly with the [[New York Mets]] who were then owned by his childhood friend [[Fred Wilpon]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hermoso |first1=Rafael |title=Mets Look to Lefties To Help Get It Right |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/02/sports/baseball-mets-look-to-lefties-to-help-get-it-right.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=April 2, 2003}}</ref> Notably, Mets pitcher [[Al Leiter]] credited Koufax for helping him become a better pitcher.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 10, 256.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=From One Late Bloomer to Another. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/27/sports/baseball-from-one-late-bloomer-to-another.html |last1= Diamos |first1=Jason |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 27, 1999}}</ref>

In 2002, the ''[[New York Post]]'' published a false story about Koufax in connection to a biography on him by sportswriter [[Jane Leavy]], titled ''[[Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy]]'', insinuating that he only agreed to cooperate because Leavy threatened to [[outing|out him as gay]] if he did not.<ref>{{cite news |title=Koufax severs ties with the Dodgers over gossip item |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/2003/0221/1512135.html |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=Associated Press |date=February 21, 2003}}</ref> The ''Post'' retracted the story after Leavy denied there was such a deal, calling it "thoroughly erroneous on all counts."<ref>{{cite news |title=Newspaper Retracts Koufax Gossip Item |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2003/02/22/newspaper-retracts-koufax-gossip-item/711ea438-9157-4720-8573-7bb4bf062714/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=February 22, 2003}}</ref> Koufax cut ties with the Dodgers as both the team and the newspaper were, at the time, owned by [[Rupert Murdoch]]'s [[News Corp]] and he did not want to help promote any of their [[subsidiaries]].<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 260.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Penner |first1=Mike |title=He Has Risen Above the Greatest of Sleaze |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-22-sp-penner22-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=February 22, 2003}}</ref> He reconnected with the organization in 2004, when the News Corp sold the Dodgers to [[Frank McCourt (executive)|Frank McCourt]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Koufax Ends Boycott, but He's Only Visiting. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-mar-06-sp-dodgers6-story.html |last1=Reid |first1=Jason |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=March 6, 2004}}</ref>

Prior to the 2013 season, the Dodgers again hired Koufax, this time in a front office role as a special advisor to team chairman [[Mark Walter]], to work with pitchers during spring training at [[Camelback Ranch]] and consult during the season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sandy Koufax To Join Dodgers As Special Adviser |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/sandy-koufax-to-join-dodgers-as-special-adviser/ |work=[[CBS News]] |agency=Associated Press |date=January 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Dodgers welcome Sandy Koufax back to spring training |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/dodgers/2013/02/24/sandy-koufax-welcomed-back-to-spring-training/1942453/ |work=[[USA Today]] |agency=Associated Press |date=February 24, 2013}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hernandez |first1=Dylan |title=Sandy Koufax struck in head by line drive in Dodgers camp |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-sandy-koufax-struck-in-head-20140221-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=February 21, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Axisa |first1=Mike |title=Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax hit in the head by line drive at Dodgers' camp |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/hall-of-famer-sandy-koufax-hit-in-the-head-by-line-drive-at-dodgers-camp/ |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date=February 21, 2014}}</ref> He underwent a precautionary [[CT scan]] and returned to the spot where he had been hit the following day.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gurnick |first1=Ken |title=Koufax returns to spot where he was hit by liner |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/dodgers-hall-of-famer-sandy-koufax-returns-to-spot-where-he-was-hit-by-batting-practice-line-drive/c-68196436 |website=[[MLB.com]] |date=February 22, 2014}}</ref> Koufax retired from the front office role prior to the 2016 season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Koufax retires, but still part of Dodgers |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/sandy-koufax-retires-but-still-part-of-dodgers-c165666526 |last1=Gurnick |first1=Ken |website=[[MLB.com]] |date=February 28, 2016}}</ref>

Since its founding, Koufax has been closely involved with the activities of the [[Baseball 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,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/mlb_official_story_headline.jsp?story_page=bat_home |website=[[MLB.com]] |title= Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.) |access-date= December 1, 2020 |archive-date= October 19, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211019223930/http://www.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/mlb_official_story_headline.jsp?story_page=bat_home |url-status= live }}</ref> and has been a regular attendee at the annual B.A.T. dinner.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Berkow |first1=Ira |title=When Old Ballplayers Are in Need of Help |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/21/sports/sports-of-the-times-when-old-ballplayers-are-in-need-of-help.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 21, 1998}}</ref> He also serves on the board of directors for the [[Hole 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Legends' Tour |url=https://www.courant.com/2009/06/25/legends-tour/ |access-date=May 19, 2025 |work=[[Hartford Courant]] |date=June 25, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Solomon |first1=Dave |title=Day 1 goes to Sandy Koufax |url=https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/Day-1-goes-to-to-Sandy-Koufax-11895260.php |work=[[The Middletown Press]] |date=June 24, 2009}}</ref>

==Honors and recognition==
{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = LAret32.PNG
|Name   = Sandy Koufax
|Number = 32
|Team   = Los Angeles Dodgers
|Year   = 1972
|align  = left
|}}
Koufax was elected to the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] in {{bhofy|1972}}, his first year of eligibility. At 36 years and 20 days old, he became the youngest person ever elected, five months younger than [[Lou Gehrig]] was at the time of his special election in December 1939.{{efn|In 2022, Koufax became the first person to mark the 50th anniversary of their election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Frommer |first1=Frederic J. |title=50 years later, here's how Sandy Koufax made it to the Hall of Fame |url=https://forward.com/news/513183/sandy-koufax-baseball-hall-of-fame-50th-anniversary/ |work=[[The Forward]] |date=August 5, 2022}}</ref>}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Berra, Koufax inducted amid star-studded Class of 1972. |url=https://baseballhall.org/discover/inside-pitch/berra-koufax-inducted-amid-star-studded-class-of-1972 |last1=Murray |first1=Janey |work=National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum}}</ref> He was also the second Jewish player elected to the Hall of Fame, after [[Hank Greenberg]] who was elected in {{bhofy|1956}}.

[[File:Sandy Koufax HOF Plaque.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.75|Koufax's plaque at the Baseball Hall of Fame|alt=Baseball Hall of Fame plaque of pitcher Sandy Koufax]]

On June 4, 1972, the Dodgers retired Koufax's uniform number 32, alongside those of [[Roy Campanella]] (39) and [[Jackie Robinson]] (42).<ref>{{cite web|title=Dodgers Retired Numbers|website=[[MLB.com]]|url=https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/history/retired-numbers}}</ref> On June 18, 2022, a [[Statue of Sandy Koufax|statue of Koufax]] was unveiled at [[Dodger Stadium]], next to that of Robinson, his former teammate.<ref>{{cite web|title=Los Angeles Dodgers unveil Sandy Koufax statue outside stadium |agency=Associated Press |work=[[ESPN]]|date=June 18, 2022|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34113661/los-angeles-dodgers-unveil-sandy-koufax-statue-stadium}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ardaya |first1=Fabian |title=Dodgers unveil statue honoring Sandy Koufax: 'One of the greatest honors of my life' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3372517/2022/06/18/dodgers-unveil-statue-honoring-sandy-koufax-one-of-the-greatest-honors-of-my-life/ |work=[[The Athletic]] |date=June 19, 2022}}</ref>

In 1999, ''[[The Sporting News]]'' placed Koufax at number 26 on its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Baseball's 100 Greatest Players: No. 26, Sandy Koufax |magazine=[[The Sporting News]]|date=April 26, 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050416222917/http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/100/index-26.html |archive-date=April 16, 2005 |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/100/index-26.html}}</ref> That same year, he was also named one of 30 players on the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The All-Century Team|website=[[MLB.com]]|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_history_moreinfo.jsp|access-date=February 15, 2007|archive-date=January 19, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119065808/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_history_moreinfo.jsp|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, ''[[The Athletic]]'' ranked him at number 70 on its "Baseball 100" list, complied by sportswriter [[Joe Posnanski]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Posnanski |first1=Joe |title=The Baseball 100: No. 70, Sandy Koufax |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1533776/2020/01/17/the-baseball-100-no-70-sandy-koufax/ |magazine=[[The Athletic]] |date=January 17, 2020}}</ref> In 2022, [[ESPN]] ranked him 32nd on its list of the "Top 100 MLB players of All-Time."<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 1, 2022 |title=Top 100 MLB Players of All-Time |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33145121/top-100-mlb-players-all |access-date=August 14, 2025 |website=[[ESPN.com]]}}</ref>

Koufax was voted as one of the four greatest living players by [[Major League Baseball]] fans, alongside [[Willie Mays]], [[Hank Aaron|Henry Aaron]], and [[Johnny Bench]], as a part of the 2015 season's "Franchise Four" vote.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Newman |first1=Mark |title=MLB unveils greatest living players, Franchise Four |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/greatest-living-players-franchise-fours-named/c-136694204 |website=[[MLB.com]] |date=July 15, 2015}}</ref> Before the [[2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2015 All-Star Game]] in Cincinnati, he threw the ceremonial first pitch to Bench from in front of the base of the mound.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dyer |first1=Mike |title=Koufax tosses All-Star Game first pitch to Johnny Bench |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/redsblog/2015/07/14/sandy-koufax-all-star-game-ceremonial-first-pitch-johnny-bench/30167215/ |newspaper=[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]] |date=July 14, 2015}}</ref>

In 2022, as part of their SN Rushmore project, ''[[The Sporting News]]'' named Koufax on their "Los Angeles Mount Rushmore of Sports", along with [[Los Angeles Lakers]] basketball players [[Magic Johnson]], [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]], and [[Kobe 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."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fagan |first1=Ryan |last2=DeCourcy |first2=Mike |title=Los Angeles Mount Rushmore of Sports: Magic Johnson, Sandy Koufax, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar named best of the best |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/los-angeles-mount-rushmore-sports-magic-johnson-sandy-koufax-kobe-bryant-kareem-abdul-jabbar/potsi2a1sfbuo4ccduezvbwi |work=[[The Sporting News]] |date=July 27, 2022}}</ref> That same year, [[MLB.com]] writers voted Koufax as being the greatest player in Dodgers franchise history, just ahead of Jackie Robinson:

{{blockquote|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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Every MLB team's greatest player ever |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/every-mlb-team-s-greatest-player |website=[[MLB.com]] |date=January 8, 2022}}</ref>}}

==Legacy==
===Impact within the Jewish community===
Koufax's importance in the [[American Jews|Jewish community]] came from his athleticism; Jewish men were [[Jewish stereotypes|stereotyped]] as being weak and unathletic and Koufax, who became a star athlete sixteen years after the [[Shoah]], helped break that image. His [[Observance of Yom Kippur by Jewish athletes|sitting out]] Game 1 of the [[1965 World Series]] due to it falling on [[Yom Kippur]] helped cement his status as an icon for American Jews. Rabbi [[Rebecca Alpert]] explained the significance of his decision in 2014:

{{blockquote|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.<ref>{{cite news |work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |title=The secret history of Jews in baseball |first1=Dara |last1=Lind |url=https://www.vox.com/2014/10/2/6877671/the-secret-history-of-jews-in-baseball |date=October 2, 2014}}</ref>}}

Rabbi [[Bruce Lustig]] told biographer [[Jane Leavy]] that Koufax helped change the perception of Jews: "Think of the stereotype of the Jew in literature. The ugly avariciousness of [[Shylock]]. 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."<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 174.</ref>

[[File:Sandy_Koufax_at_the_White_House,_May_2010.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|Koufax in the [[East Room]] during the [[White House]] celebration of [[Jewish American Heritage Month]], May 2010|alt=Baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax in White House East Room during Jewish American Heritage Month 2010.]]

Koufax was inducted into the [[International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame]] in 1979,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/SanfordKoufax.htm |title=Sanford 'Sandy' Koufax, inductee (Class of 1979) |website=International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame}}</ref> and in the [[National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame]] in 1993.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sandy Koufax |website=National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame |url=http://www.jewishsports.org/jewishsports/detail.asp?id=9 |archive-date=February 10, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210150633/http://www.jewishsports.org/jewishsports/detail.asp?id=9 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> In 1990, he was inducted in the inaugural class of the [[Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sandy Koufax|website=Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame|url=https://scjewishsportshof.com/koufax.html|archive-date=June 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160618223436/http://scjewishsportshof.com/koufax.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Koufax's likeness is a part of the [[mural]] outside [[Canter's Deli]] in [[Fairfax, Los Angeles]] which commemorates the [[History of the Jews in Los Angeles|history of the Jewish community]] in the city.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fairfax Community Mural |url=https://www.themcla.org/murals/fairfax-community-mural |website=Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles}}</ref>

On May 27, 2010, Koufax was among the group of prominent [[Jewish Americans]] honored at the White House reception for [[Jewish American Heritage Month]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-honors-jewish-americans-at-white-house-reception/|title=Obama Honors Jewish Americans at White House Reception |last1=Knoller |first1=Mark |work=[[CBS News]] |date=May 28, 2010}}</ref> In his opening remarks, President [[Barack 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Remarks by the President at Reception in Honor of Jewish American Heritage Month |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/realitycheck/the-press-office/remarks-president-reception-honor-jewish-american-heritage-month |work=The Obama White House |via=[[National Archives and Records Administration]] |date=May 27, 2010}}</ref>

That same year, he was one of two main subjects of the film ''[[Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story]]'', alongside Hall of Famer [[Hank Greenberg]] of the [[Detroit Tigers]]. Koufax agreed to sit down for a rare interview, remarking to [[Ira Berkow]], the writer of the film: "It doesn't make sense if it's 'Jews and Baseball' and I'm not in it."<ref>{{cite news |title=Reluctantly, Koufax Steps Back Into the Light for a Film About Jewish Ballplayers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/sports/baseball/31koufax.html |last1=Sandomir |first1=Richard |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 31, 2010}}</ref>

===Relationship with fellow minorities===
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.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Leahy |first1=Michael |title=Book Excerpt: Sandy Koufax, Maury Wills and the Dodgers in 1960s America |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2016/05/18/dodgers-sandy-koufax-maury-wills-excerpt |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=May 18, 2016}}</ref> Pitcher [[Joe 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 manager [[Nobe Kawano|Nobe]] who used to help her husband out at [[Dodger 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 catcher [[Earl 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."<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 76.</ref>

Leavy stated that Koufax identified with minorities because he himself was one. One of the few [[Jews in baseball|Jewish 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 a [[White Anglo-Saxon Protestant]] who played clean and kept his nose clean, he'd have been proclaimed the second coming of [[Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy|Jack Armstrong]]. But he was a Jew. So he was moody, aloof, curt, intellectual, different" and, as teammate [[Lou 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."<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 76, 177, 186.</ref>

==In media culture==
===Television appearances===
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 series ''[[Shotgun Slade]]''. The following year, he made three television cameos: in ''[[77 Sunset Strip]]'' as a policeman, in ''[[Bourbon Street Beat]]'' as a doorman, and in ''[[Colt .45 (TV series)|Colt .45]]'' as a character called Johnny.<ref name="cut4">{{cite web |last1=Cosman |first1=Ben |title=On Sandy Koufax's birthday, let's look back at his illustrious television career |url=https://www.mlb.com/cut4/on-sandy-koufaxs-79th-birthday-lets-look-back-at-his-illustrious-television-career/c-105188760 |website=[[MLB.com]] |date=December 30, 2014}}</ref>

Twice, Koufax made appearances as himself on television series. In 1962, he appeared on ''[[Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)|Dennis 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 on ''[[Mister Ed]]'' in the episode "Leo Durocher Meets Mister Ed" in which he gave up an [[inside-the-park home run]] to the title character, a talking horse.<ref name="cut4"/>

After the [[1963 World Series]], Koufax, along with teammates [[Don Drysdale]] and [[Tommy Davis (outfielder)|Tommy Davis]], appeared in a sketch on ''[[Bob Hope television specials|The Bob Hope Show]]'' with comedian [[Bob Hope]] before performing a dance routine.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bob Hope Comedy Special |url=https://archive.org/details/the-bob-hope-show-koufax-davis-drysdale-1963_202311 |series=The Bob Hope Show |network=[[NBC]] |date=October 25, 1963 |access-date=September 9, 2024 |language=English}}</ref><ref>[[#Leahy|Leahy]], p. 91.</ref> After their joint holdout in 1966, Koufax and Drysdale appeared on ''[[The Hollywood Palace]]'', with host [[Gene Barry]] and comedian [[Milton Berle]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cole |first1=Howard |title=Koufax on Mister Ed, Big D with Greg Brady, and Hollywood's love affair with the Dodgers |url=https://www.laweekly.com/koufax-on-mister-ed-big-d-with-greg-brady-and-hollywoods-love-affair-with-the-dodgers/ |work=[[LA Weekly]] |date=September 4, 2013}}</ref>

===Cultural references===
In 1965, as part of ''[[The Sound of the Dodgers]]'', an album with songs dedicated to the team, comedian and singer [[Jimmy Durante]] recorded a song about Koufax called "Dandy Sandy".<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Durante, Jimmy |title=Dandy Sandy |type=[[Vinyl record]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN00Yp20HnA |publisher=Jaybar Records |date=1965}}</ref>

Koufax, along with [[Whitey Ford]], is one of the central figures in [[Robert Pinsky]]'s poem "[[The Night Game (poem)|The Night Game]]".<ref>{{cite news |title=Poetry: World Series |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/poetry-world-series |work=[[PBS News Hour]] |date=October 22, 2002}}</ref> 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":

{{poem quote
|text=
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 (film)|''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'']], after not being allowed to watch it on television, [[Jack Nicholson]]'s character [[Randle McMurphy]] narrates an imaginary account of the [[1963 World Series]] in which Koufax gets knocked out of the game after surrendering a double and two home runs to three consecutive Yankees.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Caple |first1=Jim |title=The World Series finds its way into the culture far beyond baseball |work=[[ESPN]] |date=October 22, 2012 |url=https://www.espn.in/mlb/playoffs/2012/story/_/id/8534260/the-world-series-finds-way-culture-far-baseball}}</ref>

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!"<ref>{{cite news |last1=Siegel |first1=Alan |title=God vs. the World Series: Sandy Koufax's Yom Kippur Sacrifice |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/09/god-vs-the-world-series-sandy-koufaxs-yom-kippur-sacrifice/63094/ |work=[[The Atlantic]] |date=September 17, 2010}}</ref>

Koufax is referenced in the television show ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]''{{'}}s episode "Palestinian Chicken" (S8 E3) when [[Larry David]]'s character incredulously asks Marty Funkhouser, played by [[Bob Einstein]], "You're Koufaxing us?" after Marty decides against participating in a golf tournament due to it coinciding with [[Shabbat]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Davidson |first1=Steven |title=Why 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Is The Seminal Jewish Comedy |url=https://forward.com/schmooze/383886/curb-your-enthusiasm-epitome-of-jewish-humor/ |work=[[The Forward]] |date=September 29, 2017}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Sandy Koufax 2014.jpg|thumb|Koufax at the 2014 [[Baseball Writers' Association of America]] dinner|alt="Sandy Koufax, in formal wear, makes a speech at a podium during a dinner party."]]

Koufax was raised in a [[Jewish secularism|secular Jewish]] household and did not have a [[bar mitzvah]]. Biographer [[Jane Leavy]] described him as being a "very Jewish being" who was "very Jewish in his thinking."<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 182.</ref> His grandfather Max Lichtenstein, an immigrant with [[socialist]] views, instilled [[Jewish values]] and culture in his grandson, often taking Koufax to the [[Yiddish theatre]] and [[Yiddish music|concerts]].<ref>[[#Koufax and Linn|Koufax and Linn]], p. 16; [[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 28–29, 207</ref>

His refusal to pitch on [[Jewish holidays]] throughout his career was made out of respect for his culture rather than religious devotion.{{efn|Other than [[Yom Kippur]], other [[Jewish holidays]] Koufax would not pitch on included the first night of [[Passover]] and [[Rosh Hashanah]], notably not attending workouts before Game 4 of the [[1959 World Series]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Sandy Koufax Responded to a Higher Calling on Yom Kippur in 1965|last1=Rothenberg |first1=Matt |work=National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum |url=https://baseballhall.org/discover/sandy-koufax-sits-out-game-one}}</ref>}}<ref>{{cite news |date=October 9, 2015 |title=Sandy Koufax's refusal to pitch on Yom Kippur still resonates today |url=https://www.espn.in/mlb/story/_/id/13710996/los-angeles-dodgers-legend-sandy-koufax-decision-not-pitch-game-1-1965-world-series-yom-kippur-resonates-today |work=[[ESPN]] |last1=Caple |first1=Jim}}</ref> According to friends, Koufax would later become an avid reader of [[Jewish literature|Jewish]] and [[Holocaust literature]].<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 194</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Getlin |first1=Josh |title=Ode to a Private Man |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-05-10-ls-64590-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=May 10, 1995}}</ref> Even during his career he was known for being shy and reserved, resulting in the perception that Koufax was reclusive and aloof.<ref>{{cite news |title=There Are Players, And Stars - And Koufax |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/08/17/there-are-players-and-stars-and-koufax/ |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=August 17, 1986}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Koufax discusses his career, life after |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/1999/1024/132366.html |website=[[ESPN]] |date=October 24, 1999 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> 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."<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 248, 250, 272.</ref>

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.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 176.</ref><ref>{{cite news |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1965/12/20/koufax-on-koufax |title=Koufax on Koufax |date=December 20, 1965 |first1=Jack |last1=Olson}}</ref>

In 1962, to supplement his player's salary, Koufax invested in the [[Tropicana Motel]] in [[West Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beschloss |first1=Michael |title=How Sandy Koufax's Motel Helped Lead to Baseball's Big-Money Era |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/31/upshot/how-sandy-koufaxs-motel-helped-lead-to-baseballs-big-money-era.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 30, 2014}}</ref> He also founded the [[KYRA (FM)|KNJO]] radio station in [[Thousand Oaks, California]], one of the first FM radio stations to broadcast in stereo.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pascual |first1=Psyche |title=Thousand Oaks: Radio Station KNJO Sold for $1.1 Million |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-05-20-me-119-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=May 20, 1992 |quote=KNJO, one of the county's oldest stations, was founded in 1963 by Dodger pitcher Sandy Koufax}}</ref> 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 actor [[Richard Widmark]]; they divorced in 1982. His second marriage, to personal trainer Kimberly Francis, lasted from 1985 to 1998.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 252.</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=People |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1969/01/13/people |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |quote=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. |date=January 13, 1969}}</ref> 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 artist [[John Clem Clarke]] and has two step-grandchildren.<ref name="SABR Koufax"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/28/arts/john-clem-clarke-dead.html |title=John Clem Clarke, a Pop Art Perennial in SoHo, Dies at 83 |date=June 28, 2021 |last1=Traub |first1=Alex |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

In 2009, Koufax was listed among the clients who had invested with financier [[Bernie Madoff]] and was one of the victims of his [[Madoff investment scandal|Ponzi scheme]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Toobin |first1=Jeffrey |title=Madoff's Curveball |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/05/30/madoffs-curveball |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=May 23, 2011 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax amongst those swindled by Bernie Madoff. |url=https://www.espn.in/mlb/news/story?id=3885392 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=Associated Press |date=February 5, 2009}}</ref> His close friend, [[New York Mets|Mets]] owner [[Fred Wilpon]] had recommended to Koufax that he invest with Madoff.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sandy Koufax visits Mets, offers support |url=https://www.espn.in/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6138652 |last1=Rubin |first1=Adam |work=[[ESPN]] |date=February 19, 2011}}</ref> Despite this, Koufax supported Wilpon and offered to testify on behalf of the Mets' ownership before a settlement averted a civil trial.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sandy Koufax On Bernard Madoff-Mets Trial Witness List |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/sandy-koufax-on-madoff-mets-ny-trial-witness-list/ |agency=Associated Press |work=[[CBS News]] |date=March 13, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Abad-Santos |first1=Alexander |title=Mets Will Settle with Trustee for Madoff Fraud Victims for $162 Million |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/03/mets-will-settle-trustee-madoff-fraud-victims-162-million/330409/ |work=[[The Atlantic]] |date=March 19, 2012 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

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."<ref>{{cite web |title=2012 Lifetime Achievement Honorees |url=https://haroldpumpfoundation.com/index.php/gallery/videos |website=Harold & Carol Pump Foundation |access-date=June 5, 2024}}</ref>

He currently resides in [[Vero Beach, Florida]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Begley |first1=Janet |title=Centennial: Vero Beach, Indian River County had big share of famous sports celebrities over the years |url=https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/verobeachcentennial/2019/03/14/centennial-sports-celebrities-frequented-vero-over-years/3056358002/ |work=[[Treasure Coast Newspapers|TCPalm]] |date=March 14, 2019}}</ref> and lives part-time in [[Hellertown, Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bodani |first1=Frank |title=More than wins, losses for Orioles' Jack Fisher |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/baseball/2016/02/13/more-than-wins-losses-orioles-jack-fisher/80266568/ |work=[[York Daily Record]] |date=February 15, 2016 |quote=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.}}</ref>

In his forties and fifties, Koufax became an exercise enthusiast. He took up [[running]] to stay in shape, taking part in [[marathons]] both at home and abroad.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], pp. 252, 255.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Shirley |first1=Bill |title=Still Elegant After All These Years |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-03-04-sp-15141-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=March 4, 1986}}</ref> A lifelong golfer, he often entered amateur golf championships and participated in charity [[pro-am]] tournaments and still remains active in the sport. A [[college basketball]] fan, he regularly attends the [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA Final Four]] championships.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Auclair |first1=T.J. |title=How oversleeping led to golfer's lifelong friendship with Sandy Koufax |url=https://www.pga.com/archive/how-oversleeping-led-golfers-lifelong-friendship-sandy-koufax |website=[[PGA Tour|PGA.com]] |date=October 12, 2017}}</ref> Until his late sixties, he also occasionally played [[Pick-up game|pick-up]] basketball games.<ref>{{cite news |title=Koufax visits with Dodgers |url=https://www.espn.in/mlb/news/story?id=1751939 |access-date=July 7, 2025 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=Associated Press |date=March 6, 2004 |quote=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.}}</ref>

Koufax is a [[Oenophilia|wine enthusiast]], with extensive knowledge of the subject. He reportedly brings a different bottle of wine to [[The Otesaga Hotel]] Hall of Fame dinner whenever he attends the annual induction ceremony.<ref>[[#Leavy|Leavy]], p. 252.</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sandomir |first1=Richard |title=A Night of Wine and Memories |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/12/sports/baseball/12kiner.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 12, 2007 |quote=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.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=35em}}
* [[Major League Baseball titles leaders]]
* [[Triple Crown (baseball)|Major League Baseball Triple Crown]]
* [[List of Los Angeles Dodgers team records]]
* [[List of Jewish Major League Baseball players]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career WHIP leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career FIP leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career shutout leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball individual streaks]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball no-hitters]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball perfect games]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball single-game strikeout leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball pitchers who have thrown an immaculate inning]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise]]
* [[List of baseball players who went directly to Major League Baseball]]
* [[List of World Series starting pitchers]]
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Book sources===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|last1=Koufax |first1=Sandy|last2=Linn |first2=Ed |title=Koufax |url=https://archive.org/details/koufax00kouf |url-access=registration |publisher=Viking Press |year=1966 |isbn=978-0670415083 |ref=Koufax and Linn}}
* {{cite book |last1=Schoor |first1=Gene |title=The History of the World Series: The Complete Chronology of America's Greatest Sports Tradition |year=1990 |publisher=William Morrow and Company |isbn=978-0688079956 |ref=Schoor |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofworld00scho}}
* {{cite book |last1=Leavy |first1=Jane |title=Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy |publisher=HarperCollins |year=2002 |isbn=978-0060195335  |url=https://archive.org/details/sandykoufaxlefty0000leav_b6b7 |ref=Leavy}}
* {{cite book|last1=Neyer |first1=Rob |last2=James |first2=Bill|title=The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers|publisher=Simon & Schuster |year=2004 |isbn=978-0743261586 |url=https://archive.org/details/neyerjamesguidet00jame |ref=JamesNeyer}}
* {{cite book|last1=Leahy |first1=Michael |url=https://archive.org/details/lastinnocentscol0000leah |title=The Last Innocents: The Collision of the Turbulent Sixties and the Los Angeles Dodgers |publisher=HarperCollins |year=2016 |isbn=978-0062360564 |ref=Leahy}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
===Articles===
* {{cite magazine |last1=Olsen |first1=Jack |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1994/04/25/the-very-best-act-in-town-when-this-si-classic-ran-in-1963-sandy-koufax-was-in-his-prime-but-wary-about-how-long-it-would-last-this-is-one-of-40-classic-sports-illustrated-stories-to-be-presented-during-1994-as-a-special-bonus-t |title=The Very Best Act in Town |date=July 29, 1963}}
* {{cite news |last1=Berkow |first1=Ira |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/03/sports/sport-of-the-times-koufax-is-no-garbo.html |title=Koufax is No Garbo |date=July 3, 1985}}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Verducci |first1=Tom  |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2014/08/01/vault-sandy-koufax-the-left-arm-of-god |title=The Left Arm of God |date=July 12, 1999}}
* {{cite news |last1=Leavy |first1=Jane |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2002/09/03/in-general-a-private-koufax/3050241f-7d55-4c82-8264-b98e5ff72ed2/ |title=In General, a Private Koufax |date=September 3, 2002}}
* {{cite news |last1=Lipman |first1=Steve |url=https://www.jta.org/2014/03/12/ny/where-have-you-gone-sandy-koufax |title=Where Have You Gone, Sandy Koufax? |date=March 12, 2014 |newspaper=[[The Jewish Week]]}}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Coffey |first1=Alex |magazine=[[The Athletic]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1808367/2020/05/13/how-sandy-koufax-unleashed-dave-stewarts-stare-on-the-baseball-world/ |title=How Sandy Koufax unleashed Dave Stewart's stare on the Baseball World |date=May 13, 2020}}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Dreier |first1=Peter |magazine=[[The Nation]] |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/society/sandy-koufax-don-drysdale-labor-baseball-union/# |title=Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale Belong in the Labor Movement Hall of Fame |date=September 1, 2025}}

===Books===
* {{cite book |last1=Gruver |first1=Edward |title=Koufax |publisher=Taylor Publishing |isbn=978-1493049325 |year=2000 |url=https://archive.org/details/koufax0000gruv/mode/2up}}
* {{cite book |last1=Adelman |first1=Tom |title=Black and Blue: Sandy Koufax, the Robinson Boys, and the World Series That Stunned America |year=2007 |publisher=Little, Brown and Company |url=https://archive.org/details/blackbluesandyko0000adel/mode/2up |isbn=978-0316067157}}
* {{cite book |title=Jewish Jocks: An Unorthodox Hall of Fame |last1=Leavy |first1=Jane |year=2013 |publisher=Twelve Books |isbn=978-1455-5161-31 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/jewishjocksunort0000foer/page/117/mode/2up |chapter=Sandy Koufax: Best Bar Mitzvah Guest Ever |editor1=Franklin Foer |editor2=Marc Tracy}}
* {{cite book |title=American Jews and America's Game: Voices of a Growing Legacy in Baseball |last1=Ruttman |first1=Larry |year=2013 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |isbn=978-0-8032-6475-5 |chapter=Sandy Koufax: Pitcher Nonpareil and Perfect Gentleman |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/americanjewsamer0000rutt/page/126/mode/2up}}
* {{cite book |last1=Passan |first1=Jeff |title=The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports |year=2016 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0062-4003-76 |url=https://archive.org/details/arminsidebillion0000pass/mode/2up}}
* {{cite book |title=One Nation Under Baseball: How the 1960s Collided with the National Pastime |chapter=Chapter 11: Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale & the 1966 Million-Dollar Contract Holdout |last1=Florio |first1=John |last2=Shapiro |first2=Ousie |year=2017 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |isbn=978-1-4962-1406-5 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/onenationunderba0000flor/page/100/mode/2up}}
* {{cite book |last1=Aaron |first1=Marc Z. |last2=Nowlin |first2=Bill |title=Sandy Koufax |date=2024 |publisher=Society for American Baseball Research |url=https://sabr.org/latest/sabr-digital-library-sandy-koufax/ |isbn=978-1960819277}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{baseballstats|mlb=117277|espn=23910|br=k/koufasa01|brm=koufax001san|fangraphs=1007124|retro=K/Pkoufs101}}
* {{bbhof|koufax-sandy}}
* {{sabrbio|e463317c}}
* {{IMDb name|id=1620721|name=Sandy Koufax}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box
|title=[[List of Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day starting pitchers|Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day <br /> Starting pitcher]]
|years=1964
|before=[[Don Drysdale]]
|after=[[Don Drysdale]]
}}
{{succession box
|title=[[Major League Baseball Player of the Month Award|Major League Player of the Month]]
|years=June 1962
|before=[[Bob Purkey]]
|after=[[Frank Howard (baseball)|Frank Howard]]
}}
{{succession box
|title=[[List of Major League Baseball perfect games|Perfect game pitcher]]
|years=[[Sandy Koufax's perfect game|September 9, 1965]]
|before=[[Jim Bunning]]
|after=[[Catfish Hunter]]
}}
{{succession box
|title=[[List of Major League Baseball no-hitters|No-hitter pitcher]]
|years=June 30, 1962<br />May 11, 1963<br />June 4, 1964<br />September 9, 1965
|before=[[Earl Wilson (baseball)|Earl Wilson]]<br />[[Jack Kralick]]<br />[[Ken Johnson (right-handed pitcher)|Ken Johnson]]<br />[[Jim Maloney]]
|after=[[Bill Monbouquette]]<br />[[Don Nottebart]]<br />[[Jim Bunning]]<br />[[Dave Morehead]]
}}
{{S-end}}

{{Navboxes|list1=
{{1955 Brooklyn Dodgers}}
{{1959 Los Angeles Dodgers}}
{{1963 Los Angeles Dodgers}}
{{1965 Los Angeles Dodgers}}
{{MLBACT}}
{{MLBATT}}
{{NL MVPs}}
{{MLB Combined Cy Young}}
{{World Series MVPs}}
{{Babe Ruth Award}}
{{Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award}}
{{Hutch Award}}
{{Hickok Belt}}
{{The Sporting News MLB Player of the Year Award}}
{{Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year Award}}
{{SI Sportsman of the Year}}
{{APAthleteOTY}}
{{MLB perfect games}}
{{MLB Triple Crowns (pitchers)}}
{{NL wins champions}}
{{NL ERA champions}}
{{NL strikeout champions}}
{{300 strikeout club}}
{{Los Angeles Dodgers retired numbers}}
{{Los Angeles Dodgers HOF}}
{{Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day starting pitchers}}
{{1972 Baseball HOF}}
{{Baseball Hall of Fame members}}
{{Major League Baseball on NBC}}
{{Major League Baseball on NBC Radio}}
}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Baseball|New York City|Greater Los Angeles}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Featured article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koufax, Sandy}}
[[Category:Sandy Koufax| ]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]
[[Category:American adoptees]]
[[Category:American color commentators]]
[[Category:American men marathon runners]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:American radio executives]]
[[Category:American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Sephardic-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American radio sports commentators]]
[[Category:American secular Jews]]
[[Category:American television sports commentators]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Dodgers players]]
[[Category:California Democrats]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Bearcats baseball players]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Columbia University School of General Studies alumni]]
[[Category:Criollos de Caguas players]]
[[Category:Cy Young Award winners]]
[[Category:Florida Democrats]]
[[Category:Forwards (basketball)]]
[[Category:International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Jewish American baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Jewish American baseball players]]
[[Category:Jewish American basketball players]]
[[Category:Jewish American sports commentators]]
[[Category:Jews from New York City]]
[[Category:Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente pitchers]]
[[Category:Lafayette High School (New York City) alumni]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Dodgers executives]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Dodgers players]]
[[Category:National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:National League All-Stars]]
[[Category:National League Most Valuable Player Award winners]]
[[Category:National League pitching Triple Crown winners]]
[[Category:National League ERA champions]]
[[Category:National League strikeout champions]]
[[Category:National League (baseball) wins champions]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball broadcasters]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball pitchers]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball pitchers who have pitched a perfect game]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball players with retired numbers]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball coaches]]
[[Category:People from Bensonhurst, Brooklyn]]
[[Category:People from Borough Park, Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Rockville Centre, New York]]
[[Category:United States Army reservists]]
[[Category:World Series Most Valuable Player Award winners]]
[[Category:Yiddish-speaking people]]