I saw Sandy Koufax pitch The Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3~2 victory over The Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium on July 20,1965. I must say that it was practically a religious experience! My God! What a competitor! Dandy Sandy is simply the greatest pitcher ever!
He was mightily helped by having the Mets and the Astros/Colt 45s to feast on during his peak He was 31-4 against them with a 1.67 ERA in 328 innings from 1962-66 which is disproportionately high on both wins and ERA.
Sandy is the ultimate gentleman. I was only 10 when he retired. I was born and raised in LA and in the area, (Altadena/Pasadena). I'm a lifelong Dodgers fan. Vinny and Sandy, it doesn't get any better.
My treat in my younger years in The Bay Area was watching Sandy pitch against our SF Giants. Sandy & Don versus our Juan & Gaylord on our local Channel 2. In 1964 Duke Snider was signed by the Giants & living blocks from us we became good friends so Duke would take my brother & I to the games! We would hang out in the Giants dugout prior to the game! Willie McCovey was so kind to my brother & I!
My dad is a Jewish sports writer from LA, his favorite player is and always has been Koufax. He fought for it to be my first name, then my middle name, then my brothers first name and eventually my little brothers middle name is Koufax.
Very glad to see this video! I grew up a hard-core Giants fan in the 1960s… It was an absolute honor to personally watch Koufax pitch as a kid. What a thrill I got to see Koufax and Drysdale and Marichal and Gaylord Perry. And complete games were the norm back then. However, the Dodgers did make the playoffs (of sorts ) in 1962 when they tied with the Giants and had to have a three game tiebreaker. I was only five years old and very nervous whenever Koufax pitched against my Giants. But I believe Sandy took the loss in game one of that playoff. Love your channel… Would love to see a video on Keith Hernandez. I grew up in the same town as him, four years younger. I was a fan of his when he was 12 and I was eight years old.
I believe it was Willie McCovey, who said when I go to the plate against Koufax I don’t know why I bring my bat I’m not gonna use it anyway….. Sandy Koufax barring injury would have set records that I’m sure would still stand !! Just to think he retired at 30 years old after going 27 -9 with a 1.73 ERA and 320 strikeouts in his last season !! Can you imagine he was only 30 !!
Yes , You needed to see him pitch in person. I was able to see him warm up on the third base side ( just about 10ft from the Catcher) pre season game in Triple AAA San Diego Padres Westgate Park. Up Close - Wow , The Speed of the Ball - The loud Pop in the Mitt !! How The Hell did anyone hit that pitch.
If the signing bonus clause didn't force Koufax to the major leagues right away, its possible he could have spent 3-4 years in the minor leagues, and not had enough MLB service time to qualify for the Hall of Fame. I can't imagine a world without him in it.
It has always been my opinion that the AL adopting the DH is what allowed those two to strike out more batters. They got to stay in games longer because they were not taken out for pinch hitters. At the most pitchers one got 3 ab's per game. What do you all think of that?
I've said before being from the u.k we don't get the historical info but you here these names & people talking about how good they were but for you to show us just how good they were is awesome!G another great video as always!
@@GeordieGunner96 I’ve always thought that we like what we like and why bother changing ourselves to match others! 😂 I like your mentality, and I agree the numbers is a major reason why I like baseball
My dad would tell me about Koufax when I was growing up all the time. He would see him pitch every chance he got whenever he was at Wrigley. My dad's stories of him was really the first reason I got into baseball and more specifically pitching growing up.
My first in person pro baseball game was in June of 1960. The LA Dodgers vs Cincinnati Reds. LA Coliseum. In left field a tall net was set up due to the short distance from home plate. A short fly ball to left could turn into a home run if it was hit high enough. Thats exactly what happened in the first inning. The Reds loaded the bases and the next batter hit the ball over the net. Sandy Koufax was pitching. He came out of the game in the second inning. Dodgers lost 4 to 3. I was 15.
His career has always intrigued me. Started off slow in LA coming in at 19 and didn’t improve until he had an unreal 04’. Sputtered a bit in Seattle, then hit his stride at the ripe age of 31 in Boston, and didn’t slow down in Texas until he was 39!!! And this is only offense. He played gold glove defense the whole 20 year window.
Sandy Koufax is probably the greatest"what ifs" in baseball. What if he had the proper coaching in the beginning of his career? What if they had the surgical techniques back then like we have today? What if he could have played another 5 or 6 years without pain? Sandy's legacy is great as it is, but just imagine what might have been. It staggers the imagination.
Saw him at Shea Stadium in 1965. He actually got a base hit! In 1966 I saw him again in a night game. He got stronger as the game progressed. You could barely see the ball when he threw it. The GOAT!
This was an awesome video! Koufax was incredible, and you have to wonder whether modern medicine might have done for his elbow. But I hate the modern stats. FIP, WAR, WHIP, all of the analytics-base stats are unnecessary. You can tell from Sandy's Wins, ERA, and strikeouts how great he was. And Yogi Berra said it best in 1963. "I understand how Koufax won 25 games. I don't understand how he lost 5!"
Thanks I'm glad you liked it! I can understand why you feel that way but it nonetheless serves the new generation so I chose to include it. I don't feel that any advanced stats should be viewed as "end all be all" but once you come to the knowledge of how they work, it makes sense why we use them. WHIP, however, is not advanced and merely shows how many runners a pitcher allows per inning. It's very useful when it comes to seeing how well a pitcher does at limiting baserunners.
You were on the money with the exception of his post season appearance in 1962. He did lose one game, but his injury kept him out and he wasn’t sharp enough to beat a Giants team that included Mays, McCovey, Cepeda and the Alou Bros. I’ve been a Mets fan since 62, but the first game I went to see was Sandy vs the Mets at the Polo Grounds which you mentioned here in July of 63. I was 9 yrs old and I became his fan and I’m 69 today and still my favorite player of all time. Would love to meet him someday and shake his hand, his left hand that is.
As a Jew, it is incredibly meaningful that Sandy celebrated one of our holiest days (Yom Kippur) instead of pitching in the WS. Koufax was also very supportive of Curt Flood since Judaism if done correctly is a religion of social justice. I have a Koufax signed baseball on my night table and I’m a Yankees fan
Lifelong Cardinals fan here. I saw Sandberg's cancer announcement couple days ago; wish him all the best in his treatments. I also was shocked to learn that he was a third ballot HOFer. He should have been first ballot.
You should do Lou Gehrig, unfathomable run production, runs scored and RBIs, plus the total bases are astounding. Just an example, Barry Bonds 9,847 at bats 1996 RBIs. Lou Gehrig 8,001 at bats 1995 RBIs, not to mention Bonds had only 214 more hits in those 1,846 more at bats
Apparent quote from Casey Stengel...paraphrasing..."the best leftie of all time". ."even better than Rube Waddell". This coming from the Godfather of Baseball says it all. Courtesy of Ken Burns. Great video, thank you!!
I want to see a 12 part series on Satchel Paige. One for each year he pitched in the 1930s. Or more reasonably about him in the MLB and his anti-aging witchery.
I saw pretty much every pitcher from the mid-60's until the present day. Sandy was the greatest I've ever seen and that includes Seaver, Ryan, Gibson, Jenkins, Maddux, Johnson, Martinez, pre-steroid Clemens, Marichal, Gooden, Rivera...you name 'em. Always humble...Sandy said that Warren Spahn was the best he ever saw, but I never had the privilege of seeing Spahn pitch. I did actually watch a 60-something year-old Satchel Paige throw a bullpen session at the old Fulton County Stadium in '66 or '67. The Braves signed Paige to a short-term contract...likely for pension or insurance purposes...but never actually placed him on the active roster. Satch could still make that catcher's mitt pop. There's another guy that I saw who...like Sandy...had a shortened career and may have one day matched Koufax's level of greatness...J.R. Richard. Sadly, we'll never know. Thanks for the video and stirring up some old memories.
Thank you for sharing! What a privilege that must have been to watch that star-studded list of pitchers over the years. Also, I’m really glad you enjoyed the video 😄
@@Cam23 There's only one reason why I was fortunate enough to see all those Hall of Famers...I'm old. Othani pitched at Truist a couple of years ago but I didn't attend the game. The Braves lit him up that night, but hopefully I'll get another chance to see him now that he's in the National League. I also didn't mention Smoltz, Glavine, Drysdale, Catfish, Gooden and plenty of other amazing players...Aaron, Mays, McCovey, Bench, Rose, Clemente, Stargell, Reggie, Mantle, Maris, Carew, Gwynn, Schmidt, Chipper, Banks and even Carmen Fanzone. Thanks for responding Cam...looking forward to yet another great season!!!
@@RaoulDuke-bc1pm Wow that's an amazing list! I saw Ohtani in Anaheim a year ago and it was an unbelievable experience! I'm pretty sure he picked up a hit or two that night as well. I'm sure you'd enjoy watching him pitch as well. Of course, thank you for commenting! I enjoyed hearing from you and I look forward to a great season as well 😄
There is no way Koufax measures up to Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Pedro Matinez and Greg Maddux, all of whom had better peaks and longer careers. My favorite pitcher fro that era was Sam McDowell, but there is no way Sudden Sam is as good as Sandy Koufax, and there is no way Sandy Koufax is as good as Randy, Roger, Pedro or Greg. All of them had higher bWARs for their peaks and actual full careers and better career ERA+: Martinez 154;Clemens 143; Johnson 135 and Maddux 132. And none of them got the luxury of pitching in Ddger Stadium. And yes Sandy had an amazing time from 1963-66 especially, but others have had better years and better peaks. As Casey Stengel one said: you can look it up. Koufax deserves to be in the HOF but he is not the G.O.A.T.
@JosephEshleman When Sandy Koufax started his amazing run, he pitched against seven other ballclubs. Expansion in '62 brought that total to nine teams. Half of the hitters that the modern-day pitchers faced would've been in the minor leagues.
Remarkable. Koufax pitched 27 complete games with 8 shutouts in 1965. In 2024, the most complete games by a starting pitcher was 2, and the most shutouts was 1. Pitching is totally different today in the era of specialized relief pitching and "closers". I've always thought Koufax could have had a longer career had he been born later.
Great job you’ve just earned another sub! If I could make a pitching recommendation it would be the insane prime of Pedro Martinez. Pretty cool how you had a guy under 6 feet and 200 lbs mowing down guys at the height of the steroid era. Keep up the great work 👍🏼
Ok, Sandy's 6 year run was REAL nice ! But Randy Johnson had a 6 year run that was about just as good ? Before I do the stats break down . Keep in mind these KEY [ FACTS ] . Koufax Dodgers teams were better then most of Johnsons teams were ? Sandy got to pitch with a 5 in HIGHER mound & every 4 days , per Randy's every 5 days pitching & Randy's come right THROUGH the ROIDS area in baseball . So all these keys were in Sandy's side of things . 1961 - 1966 [ Sandy ] 6 year run . Games 223 games , 1, 632 .2 innings , 129 wins , 47 lost , 1 ,713 K"S , 2.19 ERA , 6 ALL * STAR games , 3 Cy Youngs , 3 triple crowns , 1 MVP . He had [ 3 ] 300 + K"S seasons , 5 ERA titles , 4 K"S titles . 1997 - 2002 [ Randy's ] 6 year run . Games 204 , 1,487.1 innings pitched , 120 wins , 42 lost , 2037 K"S , 2.58 ERA . 5 ALL * STAR games , 4 Cy Youngs in a row , 1 triple crown . He had [ 5 ] 300 + K"S seasons , 3 ERA titles & 4 K"S titles . So with all that is said , Randy pitched in 19 less games , 145.1 less innings & a smaller K"S zone , then Sandy did , so how much MORE stats is Randy going to put up , then ?
Keep i n mind that when Koufax won his Cy Young awards, there was only ONE award each year for ALL of baseball. When Johnson (one of my favorite pitchers) got his, there was a CY Young for each league. That's a huge difference - it eliminates 50% of the competition! Also, Koufax was far more successful in "BIG GAMES" than Johnson. I remember vividly how disappointed I was in his playoff performance through the years though he was (FINALLY!) great in the 2001 W Series against the Yankees.
the '63 Series was my first and Sandy became my idol and most treasured BB card. In the decades since, I've wondered whether Alson's riding him like a rented mule contributed to the severity of his early arthritis. During those close races each September Koufax start [Dodgers were a .500 w/o him] became an elimination game and Alston frequently started him on two days' rest.
Shoutout to the GOAT pitcher. He had an insane prime but if he never had injuries, his numbers would’ve been better than what they were especially the final six years of his career. Plus his career would’ve been longer for sure
I've noticed that Sandy Koufax's 24 Consecutive Scoreless World Series Innings is never mentioned! Sandy's Consecutive Scoreless Innings was actually ended by a misplayed Frank Robinson liner to deep right by Willie Davis and Ron Fairly which was ruled a Triple in the 6th Inning of the 1966 World Series. After Brooks Robinson popped out, extending Sandy's Consecutive Scoreless World Series Innings to 24, Boog Powell then Singled Frank Robinson in to end Koufax's streak.
I use to cut out newspaper articles and pictures of Koufax, taping them to my bedroom walls. ( Thanks Mom ) I wore 32 on my shirts, and was a huge fan.
From 1963 to 1966, Koufax sustained a 172 ERA+. Only eight other pitchers have ever done better over a four-year period. It's so high that even if you stretch it out to seven years to include when he was merely very good instead of mind-boggling, he still falls within the top 20.
Lefty Grove in four years from 1929-32 had a 175 ERA+; in five years from 1935-39 Grove had a 173 ERA +. In those nine years Grove won eight (8) ERA titles and eight ERA+ titles. From 1961-66 Koufax was 156 ERA+ with five (5) ERA titles and two (2) ERA + titles. The reason Dodger Stadium was an extreme pitchers park, in an extreme pitchers era and in an expansion era. Also the dodgers rather good offense was masked by playing in Dodger Stadium. He got4.21 runs per game support in an environment that allowed and average opponent 3.76 When they tell you he had a 1.37 ERA in Dodger Stadium, they forget to tell you hat he had a 2.92 ERA on the road from 1961-66; conversely Lefty Grove had a 2.65 ERA on the road from 1928-33. From 1961-66 the NL League average ERA was 3.66; form 1928-33 the American League ERA was 4.35. Grove won 9 ERA and 9 ERA+ titles in his career because he pitched in extreme hitter's parks, Shibe Park and five years in Fenway with its looming Green Monster. From 1929-32 he was 104-25, He bookended those season with a 24-8 record in both 1928 and 1933. Koufax won 5 ERA titles but only 2 ERA+ titles. Sandy deserves to be i the HOF, but Grove deserves his due as the best lefty of all-time and perhaps the best pitcher
@@JosephEshleman Yes, Grove is one of the eight pitchers I mentioned. (However, I think Clayton Kershaw and Randy Johnson also have strong cases for the "best lefty of all time" title.)
He no-hit the Phillies, the Mets, and best of all the Giants! But he pitched a perfect game against the Cubs on Sept 1, 1965. He was a key to the Dodgers victory over the Twins in 1965.
Yooooo thank you Cam 🫡🫡🙏🏼🙏🏼💯💯💙💙🤍🤍you are the best…I was waiting on this one and you came through…best content of history of these legends 🫡💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼and thank you to your Grandpa for loving the left arm of God 🙏🏼🙏🏼
The amazing thing is that the last two years having that injury where his arm swelled like a grapefruit and was always in pain. I can't believe he was able to pitch. He had to do the ice, heat, shots, and pain pills to get him through each outing. That's the amazing thing is how he was able to get through all of this and not lose his function in his arm to go completely paralyzed. Thankfully he still going at 88.
It is remarkable to hear what he had to do during and between each start just to make it through. Sounds miserable tbh! But Sandy Koufax was tough as nails, hats off to him for making it through all things considered
He went from being a pitcher with talent who couldn't put it together (consistently) into the greatest who ever lived simply by being told hey make sure you can still see the target before releasing the ball and oh take something off that fastball to keep it in the zone. His windup and delivery could be watched ALL DAY and you'd still be hypnotized 24 hours later. Like Yogi Berra said: I understand him winning 27 games...I don't understand how he lost 9. And that was while dealing w/ a serious blood-flow issue for years. The irony of LA winning a Series in their first try after Brooklyn took 55 years (1901-1954...no dice) to win their only Series is...well it's something. Even their crosstown rivals the Giants had far better luck in the Series and even against Ruth's Yanks for a time.
Koufax only had two pitches! Fast ball and the big curve. His control was great. He had 5 seasons where he was probably the best pitcher in baseball history. He was unhittable for 5 years straight. The injury robbed him of getting 300+ wins.
@@Cam23 Haha! At first, I was thinking that was Roy Campanella but I figured that wasn't his number. He was quite eccentric I hear. Gotta look him up. I'm just getting into baseball and love the colorful characters.
@@mider-spanman5577 he definitely was! 😂there’s a Yogi Berra documentary that just came out recently, I haven’t seen it yet but I’ve heard great things about it
My old man was a die hard Yankee fan growing up. He hated the Dodgers, but without hesitation if you ask him who is the best pitcher he ever saw, he says Sandy Koufax.
Unless I missed it Koufaz had 18 games with a Game Score of 90 or more. Only two players have more Ryan with 31 and Randy Johnson with 20. Just to give you an idea how insanely good he was.
Imagine a healthy Koufax pitching into his 40s. Every pitcher would be chasing Koufax records. Also, imagine a healthy Koufax and the Dodgers adding Nolan Ryan to their staff in the 1970s.
I saw Sandy Koufax pitch The Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3~2 victory over The Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium on July 20,1965.
I must say that it was practically a religious experience!
My God!
What a competitor!
Dandy Sandy is simply the greatest pitcher ever!
He was mightily helped by having the Mets and the Astros/Colt 45s to feast on during his peak He was 31-4 against them with a 1.67 ERA in 328 innings from 1962-66 which is disproportionately high on both wins and ERA.
Sandy is the ultimate gentleman. I was only 10 when he retired. I was born and raised in LA and in the area, (Altadena/Pasadena). I'm a lifelong Dodgers fan. Vinny and Sandy, it doesn't get any better.
My mother was raised the same...and about the same age when he retired. Brilliant career. My mother adored Vin so much.
That resume is utterly insane for a 15 yr career
He did it in 6yrs
My treat in my younger years in The Bay Area was watching Sandy pitch against our SF Giants. Sandy & Don versus our Juan & Gaylord on our local Channel 2. In 1964 Duke Snider was signed by the Giants & living blocks from us we became good friends so Duke would take my brother & I to the games! We would hang out in the Giants dugout prior to the game! Willie McCovey was so kind to my brother & I!
I met Duke at a card show, and he was incredibly kind and friendly.
Koufax has been a living member of the Hall of Fame for 51 years and counting, which is a record that may never be broken.
i could see it being broken, normal career, ends at 37, elected at 42, becomes a centarian
@@smoceany9478 Don't forget increased life expectancies.
@@smoceany9478they won't have a career better than Koufax 😅
@@andrewsmith3257 who knows
So he's STILL setting records.
My dad is a Jewish sports writer from LA, his favorite player is and always has been Koufax. He fought for it to be my first name, then my middle name, then my brothers first name and eventually my little brothers middle name is Koufax.
Koufax is such a cool name.
Then why is your handle Daniel?
@@andydtran23 because that’s my name… my brothers middle name is Koufax
Very glad to see this video! I grew up a hard-core Giants fan in the 1960s… It was an absolute honor to personally watch Koufax pitch as a kid. What a thrill I got to see Koufax and Drysdale and Marichal and Gaylord Perry. And complete games were the norm back then.
However, the Dodgers did make the playoffs (of sorts ) in 1962 when they tied with the Giants and had to have a three game tiebreaker. I was only five years old and very nervous whenever Koufax pitched against my Giants. But I believe Sandy took the loss in game one of that playoff.
Love your channel… Would love to see a video on Keith Hernandez. I grew up in the same town as him, four years younger. I was a fan of his when he was 12 and I was eight years old.
I’m glad you enjoyed the video, and thank you for sharing!
i was on the young side od my teens in early sixties. my dad was a big fan so we listened or watched every game. thanks dad.
That is super cool! Thank you for sharing
I would love to see a video on Ichiro, next! Greatest Japanese player ever!
Stop Ichrio is the greatest Japanese player ever!
Ichiro is coming soon… 👀
Ohtani is the GOAT Japanese player ever.
@@UTNatlChampswe'll see what he's like after recovering from the Injury
japanese *major leaguer, ive seen the shit in the npb
I believe it was Willie McCovey, who said when I go to the plate against Koufax I don’t know why I bring my bat I’m not gonna use it anyway….. Sandy Koufax barring injury would have set records that I’m sure would still stand !! Just to think he retired at 30 years old after going 27 -9 with a 1.73 ERA and 320 strikeouts in his last season !! Can you imagine he was only 30 !!
1 Of My Dad's (R.I.P DAD) Favorite Pitchers Along With Bob Gibson. I Miss You Dad 🥹
Sandy Koufax was amazing!
I don't think people that didn't see Sandy Koufax actually pitch in person can quite realize how incredible he was. Majestic.
Yes , You needed to see him pitch in person. I was able to see him warm up on the third base side ( just about 10ft from the Catcher) pre season game in Triple AAA San Diego Padres Westgate Park. Up Close - Wow , The Speed of the Ball - The loud Pop in the Mitt !! How The Hell did anyone hit that pitch.
If the signing bonus clause didn't force Koufax to the major leagues right away, its possible he could have spent 3-4 years in the minor leagues, and not had enough MLB service time to qualify for the Hall of Fame. I can't imagine a world without him in it.
Or if he spent time in the minors he wouldn't have struggled with consistency for the first half of his career
Today he wouldn't have to swing the bat or run the bases - on the other hand he'd never get the opportunity to throw 40 shutouts.
It has always been my opinion that the AL adopting the DH is what allowed those two to strike out more batters. They got to stay in games longer because they were not taken out for pinch hitters. At the most pitchers one got 3 ab's per game. What do you all think of that?
I've said before being from the u.k we don't get the historical info but you here these names & people talking about how good they were but for you to show us just how good they were is awesome!G another great video as always!
I too thoroughly enjoy learning about these legends, some of the best to ever do it ⚾️
Thank you! Glad you’re enjoying the content 🙌🏼
@@Cam23 after our version of football baseball is what I watch the most people think I'm a bit weird but I love all the analytics that goes in to it.
@@GeordieGunner96 I’ve always thought that we like what we like and why bother changing ourselves to match others! 😂 I like your mentality, and I agree the numbers is a major reason why I like baseball
Day 12 of asking for Ted Williams
Ted Williams
@@Bradleytosh yes Ted Williams
I also vote for Ned Williams.
And subsequently Hornsby, with whose advice Ted honed his approach!
Upvote for Ted Williams
Fantastic video! I saw Sandy pitch at Dodger Stadium on 7/29/66.
Thank you! That is way cool, Koufax is a player I wish I could have seen pitch
Greatest 6 year run ever. How love a Steve Carlton prime video
Cam, an amazing and thorough presentation on Sandy Koufax! What an impressive career he had! Great job 👏
Thank you so much! 😄
My grandfather played sandlot ball with Koufax in highschool. He gave up a homer to him and Joe Torre cool story
My dad would tell me about Koufax when I was growing up all the time. He would see him pitch every chance he got whenever he was at Wrigley. My dad's stories of him was really the first reason I got into baseball and more specifically pitching growing up.
Truly a mythical player!
My first in person pro baseball game was in June of 1960. The LA Dodgers vs Cincinnati Reds. LA Coliseum. In left field a tall net was set up due to the short distance from home plate. A short fly ball to left could turn into a home run if it was hit high enough. Thats exactly what happened in the first inning. The Reds loaded the bases and the next batter hit the ball over the net. Sandy Koufax was pitching. He came out of the game in the second inning. Dodgers lost 4 to 3. I was 15.
I can't imagine pitchers in the current era matching anything close to Sandy's achievements, they'd be spending all their time whining and crying.
I think a good one would be Adrian Beltre, he’s one of my favorite players and I think he’s under appreciated
His career has always intrigued me. Started off slow in LA coming in at 19 and didn’t improve until he had an unreal 04’. Sputtered a bit in Seattle, then hit his stride at the ripe age of 31 in Boston, and didn’t slow down in Texas until he was 39!!! And this is only offense. He played gold glove defense the whole 20 year window.
Indeed, he basically had two insane primes 😂
in those days pitchers pitched many innings,and often complete games. dodgers scored much fewer runs back then.
Sandy Koufax is probably the greatest"what ifs" in baseball. What if he had the proper coaching in the beginning of his career? What if they had the surgical techniques back then like we have today? What if he could have played another 5 or 6 years without pain? Sandy's legacy is great as it is, but just imagine what might have been. It staggers the imagination.
The best I ever saw, period. Great video, tyvm.
Thank you, I appreciate you for watching the video!
Saw him at Shea Stadium in 1965. He actually got a base hit! In 1966 I saw him again in a night game. He got stronger as the game progressed. You could barely see the ball when he threw it. The GOAT!
Johnny Bench I’ve been asking for a while
I was a huge MLB FAN in the 50-70’s. Sandy was insane and always a treat to see on the hill.
This was an awesome video! Koufax was incredible, and you have to wonder whether modern medicine might have done for his elbow.
But I hate the modern stats. FIP, WAR, WHIP, all of the analytics-base stats are unnecessary. You can tell from Sandy's Wins, ERA, and strikeouts how great he was.
And Yogi Berra said it best in 1963. "I understand how Koufax won 25 games. I don't understand how he lost 5!"
Thanks I'm glad you liked it!
I can understand why you feel that way but it nonetheless serves the new generation so I chose to include it. I don't feel that any advanced stats should be viewed as "end all be all" but once you come to the knowledge of how they work, it makes sense why we use them. WHIP, however, is not advanced and merely shows how many runners a pitcher allows per inning. It's very useful when it comes to seeing how well a pitcher does at limiting baserunners.
You were on the money with the exception of his post season appearance in 1962. He did lose one game, but his injury kept him out and he wasn’t sharp enough to beat a Giants team that included Mays, McCovey, Cepeda and the Alou Bros. I’ve been a Mets fan since 62, but the first game I went to see was Sandy vs the Mets at the Polo Grounds which you mentioned here in July of 63. I was 9 yrs old and I became his fan and I’m 69 today and still my favorite player of all time. Would love to meet him someday and shake his hand, his left hand that is.
As a Jew, it is incredibly meaningful that Sandy celebrated one of our holiest days (Yom Kippur) instead of pitching in the WS. Koufax was also very supportive of Curt Flood since Judaism if done correctly is a religion of social justice. I have a Koufax signed baseball on my night table and I’m a Yankees fan
I envy you that prized possession, and I'm a Met fan.
How about a video on George Brett and/or Ryne Sandberg. Preferably both. Great video, keep them coming!
Both please lol
Lifelong Cardinals fan here. I saw Sandberg's cancer announcement couple days ago; wish him all the best in his treatments. I also was shocked to learn that he was a third ballot HOFer. He should have been first ballot.
Great video, as always…Placing a vote for an “Insane Prime” video on Bob Gibson.
I remember his lifelong rivalry with Bob Gibson. It was great
You should do Lou Gehrig, unfathomable run production, runs scored and RBIs, plus the total bases are astounding. Just an example, Barry Bonds 9,847 at bats 1996 RBIs. Lou Gehrig 8,001 at bats 1995 RBIs, not to mention Bonds had only 214 more hits in those 1,846 more at bats
We need an Insane Prime of the late great Dick Allen.
Learned quite a bit today about Sandy! Thanks Cam! Another job well done 🎉🎉
I’m glad to hear that! And thank you Chris it’s always great to hear from you 🙌🏼
@@Cam23 likewise sir! Always a pleasure listening and watching your content.. keep up the outstanding work bud and Happy Holidays!
@@chrisholden615 Happy Holidays!
Apparent quote from Casey Stengel...paraphrasing..."the best leftie of all time". ."even better than Rube Waddell". This coming from the Godfather of Baseball says it all. Courtesy of Ken Burns. Great video, thank you!!
High praise! Thank you for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed the video 🙌🏼
Hey cam I like that you're taking the time the starting pitchers and relievers need to be more recognized
considering the era, and how athletic he was for the time, im sure he would’ve started in the nba.
Great video, thanks!
Thank you for watching!
Great video like always.
Thank you so much!
I want to see a 12 part series on Satchel Paige. One for each year he pitched in the 1930s. Or more reasonably about him in the MLB and his anti-aging witchery.
probably zero vids on non-mlb games. I'd to see them tho'.
To me Sandys pitching motion was "poetry in motion"
you should do one on matt Holliday he super underrated and was always amazing in the postseason
Nice video I’ll sub
Thank you! 🙌🏼
I saw pretty much every pitcher from the mid-60's until the present day. Sandy was the greatest I've ever seen and that includes Seaver, Ryan, Gibson, Jenkins, Maddux, Johnson, Martinez, pre-steroid Clemens, Marichal, Gooden, Rivera...you name 'em. Always humble...Sandy said that Warren Spahn was the best he ever saw, but I never had the privilege of seeing Spahn pitch. I did actually watch a 60-something year-old Satchel Paige throw a bullpen session at the old Fulton County Stadium in '66 or '67. The Braves signed Paige to a short-term contract...likely for pension or insurance purposes...but never actually placed him on the active roster. Satch could still make that catcher's mitt pop. There's another guy that I saw who...like Sandy...had a shortened career and may have one day matched Koufax's level of greatness...J.R. Richard. Sadly, we'll never know. Thanks for the video and stirring up some old memories.
Thank you for sharing! What a privilege that must have been to watch that star-studded list of pitchers over the years.
Also, I’m really glad you enjoyed the video 😄
@@Cam23 There's only one reason why I was fortunate enough to see all those Hall of Famers...I'm old. Othani pitched at Truist a couple of years ago but I didn't attend the game. The Braves lit him up that night, but hopefully I'll get another chance to see him now that he's in the National League. I also didn't mention Smoltz, Glavine, Drysdale, Catfish, Gooden and plenty of other amazing players...Aaron, Mays, McCovey, Bench, Rose, Clemente, Stargell, Reggie, Mantle, Maris, Carew, Gwynn, Schmidt, Chipper, Banks and even Carmen Fanzone. Thanks for responding Cam...looking forward to yet another great season!!!
@@RaoulDuke-bc1pm Wow that's an amazing list! I saw Ohtani in Anaheim a year ago and it was an unbelievable experience! I'm pretty sure he picked up a hit or two that night as well. I'm sure you'd enjoy watching him pitch as well.
Of course, thank you for commenting! I enjoyed hearing from you and I look forward to a great season as well 😄
There is no way Koufax measures up to Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Pedro Matinez and Greg Maddux, all of whom had better peaks and longer careers. My favorite pitcher fro that era was Sam McDowell, but there is no way Sudden Sam is as good as Sandy Koufax, and there is no way Sandy Koufax is as good as Randy, Roger, Pedro or Greg.
All of them had higher bWARs for their peaks and actual full careers and better career ERA+: Martinez 154;Clemens 143; Johnson 135 and Maddux 132. And none of them got the luxury of pitching in Ddger Stadium. And yes Sandy had an amazing time from 1963-66 especially, but others have had better years and better peaks. As Casey Stengel one said: you can look it up. Koufax deserves to be in the HOF but he is not the G.O.A.T.
@JosephEshleman When Sandy Koufax started his amazing run, he pitched against seven other ballclubs. Expansion in '62 brought that total to nine teams. Half of the hitters that the modern-day pitchers faced would've been in the minor leagues.
Class And Humility ...............
Remarkable. Koufax pitched 27 complete games with 8 shutouts in 1965. In 2024, the most complete games by a starting pitcher was 2, and the most shutouts was 1.
Pitching is totally different today in the era of specialized relief pitching and "closers". I've always thought Koufax could have had a longer career had he been born later.
Not only that. That year he pitched in 33 games on three-days rest.
Great job you’ve just earned another sub!
If I could make a pitching recommendation it would be the insane prime of Pedro Martinez. Pretty cool how you had a guy under 6 feet and 200 lbs mowing down guys at the height of the steroid era. Keep up the great work 👍🏼
Thank you, I appreciate that! And Pedro will no doubt be getting a video in the future
Excellent rehash of an all-time great pitcher.
Thank you for the suggestion 😉
How about Vida blue? Excellent video btw👍👍👍
YES!! THE 🐐 lefty! IMO
Ok, Sandy's 6 year run was REAL nice ! But Randy Johnson had a 6 year run that was about just as good ? Before I do the stats break down . Keep in mind these KEY [ FACTS ] . Koufax Dodgers teams were better then most of Johnsons teams were ? Sandy got to pitch with a 5 in HIGHER mound & every 4 days , per Randy's every 5 days pitching & Randy's come right THROUGH the ROIDS area in baseball . So all these keys were in Sandy's side of things . 1961 - 1966 [ Sandy ] 6 year run . Games 223 games , 1, 632 .2 innings , 129 wins , 47 lost , 1 ,713 K"S , 2.19 ERA , 6 ALL * STAR games , 3 Cy Youngs , 3 triple crowns , 1 MVP . He had [ 3 ] 300 + K"S seasons , 5 ERA titles , 4 K"S titles . 1997 - 2002 [ Randy's ] 6 year run . Games 204 , 1,487.1 innings pitched , 120 wins , 42 lost , 2037 K"S , 2.58 ERA . 5 ALL * STAR games , 4 Cy Youngs in a row , 1 triple crown . He had [ 5 ] 300 + K"S seasons , 3 ERA titles & 4 K"S titles . So with all that is said , Randy pitched in 19 less games , 145.1 less innings & a smaller K"S zone , then Sandy did , so how much MORE stats is Randy going to put up , then ?
Keep i n mind that when Koufax won his Cy Young awards, there was only ONE award each year for ALL of baseball. When Johnson (one of my favorite pitchers) got his, there was a CY Young for each league. That's a huge difference - it eliminates 50% of the competition! Also, Koufax was far more successful in "BIG GAMES" than Johnson. I remember vividly how disappointed I was in his playoff performance through the years though he was (FINALLY!) great in the 2001 W Series against the Yankees.
Nolan next
its funny you can see a fan swiping a few hats from the players at 4:20 after they ran on the field, I would love to know what happened to those hats
the '63 Series was my first and Sandy became my idol and most treasured BB card. In the decades since, I've wondered whether Alson's riding him like a rented mule contributed to the severity of his early arthritis.
During those close races each September Koufax start [Dodgers were a .500 w/o him] became an elimination game and Alston frequently started him on two days' rest.
I wouldn't doubt that, but Koufax certainly had the workhorse mentality. No one could take that ball from him! 😂
Please do Derek Jeter next!
Shoutout to the GOAT pitcher. He had an insane prime but if he never had injuries, his numbers would’ve been better than what they were especially the final six years of his career. Plus his career would’ve been longer for sure
I've noticed that Sandy Koufax's 24 Consecutive Scoreless World Series Innings is never mentioned!
Sandy's Consecutive Scoreless Innings was actually ended by a misplayed Frank Robinson liner to deep right by Willie Davis and Ron Fairly which was ruled a Triple in the 6th Inning of the 1966 World Series.
After Brooks Robinson popped out, extending Sandy's Consecutive Scoreless World Series Innings to 24, Boog Powell then Singled Frank Robinson in to end Koufax's streak.
I use to cut out newspaper articles and pictures of Koufax, taping them to my bedroom walls. ( Thanks Mom ) I wore 32 on my shirts, and was a huge fan.
From 1963 to 1966, Koufax sustained a 172 ERA+. Only eight other pitchers have ever done better over a four-year period. It's so high that even if you stretch it out to seven years to include when he was merely very good instead of mind-boggling, he still falls within the top 20.
Lefty Grove in four years from 1929-32 had a 175 ERA+; in five years from 1935-39 Grove had a 173 ERA +. In those nine years Grove won eight (8) ERA titles and eight ERA+ titles. From 1961-66 Koufax was 156 ERA+ with five (5) ERA titles and two (2) ERA + titles. The reason Dodger Stadium was an extreme pitchers park, in an extreme pitchers era and in an expansion era. Also the dodgers rather good offense was masked by playing in Dodger Stadium. He got4.21 runs per game support in an environment that allowed and average opponent 3.76
When they tell you he had a 1.37 ERA in Dodger Stadium, they forget to tell you hat he had a 2.92 ERA on the road from 1961-66; conversely Lefty Grove had a 2.65 ERA on the road from 1928-33. From 1961-66 the NL League average ERA was 3.66; form 1928-33 the American League ERA was 4.35.
Grove won 9 ERA and 9 ERA+ titles in his career because he pitched in extreme hitter's parks, Shibe Park and five years in Fenway with its looming Green Monster. From 1929-32 he was 104-25, He bookended those season with a 24-8 record in both 1928 and 1933.
Koufax won 5 ERA titles but only 2 ERA+ titles. Sandy deserves to be i the HOF, but Grove deserves his due as the best lefty of all-time and perhaps the best pitcher
@@JosephEshleman Yes, Grove is one of the eight pitchers I mentioned. (However, I think Clayton Kershaw and Randy Johnson also have strong cases for the "best lefty of all time" title.)
The goat i saw him pitch
Players who playrd against him agreed anf feared battong against him. He was su h a vlass act . Truly a wonder to watch
😅
Willie Mays please
The professor would make a great video, also dave justice deserves a solo vid love the mention of him in that other video
He no-hit the Phillies, the Mets, and best of all the Giants! But he pitched a perfect game against the Cubs on Sept 1, 1965. He was a key to the Dodgers victory over the Twins in 1965.
The reason I went to sf giants games in the 1960's!!
Yooooo thank you Cam 🫡🫡🙏🏼🙏🏼💯💯💙💙🤍🤍you are the best…I was waiting on this one and you came through…best content of history of these legends 🫡💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼and thank you to your Grandpa for loving the left arm of God 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thank you for watching! This video was one of my favorites I’ve ever done. Sandy was an unbelievably gifted player!
@@Cam23 sucks the arthritis screwed him of maybe another 6-8 years maybe more of his greatness but glad he showed how awesome he was 💙🤍🙏🏼 thank you
The amazing thing is that the last two years having that injury where his arm swelled like a grapefruit and was always in pain. I can't believe he was able to pitch. He had to do the ice, heat, shots, and pain pills to get him through each outing. That's the amazing thing is how he was able to get through all of this and not lose his function in his arm to go completely paralyzed. Thankfully he still going at 88.
It is remarkable to hear what he had to do during and between each start just to make it through. Sounds miserable tbh! But Sandy Koufax was tough as nails, hats off to him for making it through all things considered
He went from being a pitcher with talent who couldn't put it together (consistently) into the greatest who ever lived simply by being told hey make sure you can still see the target before releasing the ball and oh take something off that fastball to keep it in the zone.
His windup and delivery could be watched ALL DAY and you'd still be hypnotized 24 hours later. Like Yogi Berra said: I understand him winning 27 games...I don't understand how he lost 9. And that was while dealing w/ a serious blood-flow issue for years.
The irony of LA winning a Series in their first try after Brooklyn took 55 years (1901-1954...no dice) to win their only Series is...well it's something. Even their crosstown rivals the Giants had far better luck in the Series and even against Ruth's Yanks for a time.
He is not as good as Lefty Grove.
Koufax only had two pitches! Fast ball and the big curve. His control was great. He had 5 seasons where he was probably the best pitcher in baseball history. He was unhittable for 5 years straight. The injury robbed him of getting 300+ wins.
He was smooth as silk best of his era ⚾️
César Cedeño video? Very underrated player
PLEASEEEEE do the INSANE Prime of WILL CLARK. love this channel
Will “The Thrill” Clark, what a sweet swing
3:49 that catcher was going in on that umpire! 😂
Ole Yogi Berra didn't like the call 🤣
@@Cam23 Haha! At first, I was thinking that was Roy Campanella but I figured that wasn't his number. He was quite eccentric I hear. Gotta look him up. I'm just getting into baseball and love the colorful characters.
@@mider-spanman5577 he definitely was! 😂there’s a Yogi Berra documentary that just came out recently, I haven’t seen it yet but I’ve heard great things about it
I really like to watch this content,can you make a video about ozzie smith
I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying it and thank you for the suggestion!
My old man was a die hard Yankee fan growing up. He hated the Dodgers, but without hesitation if you ask him who is the best pitcher he ever saw, he says Sandy Koufax.
That's high praise!
Unless I missed it Koufaz had 18 games with a Game Score of 90 or more. Only two players have more Ryan with 31 and Randy Johnson with 20. Just to give you an idea how insanely good he was.
Very impressive! Surprisingly I'm only slightly familiar with Game score, but familiar enough to know how incredible that feat is. Thanks for sharing!
Can we please get one on manny rameriez? He was such a monster at the plate
Do one of the all time reds, bench, rose, Larkin, Joe Morgan
Hank Aaron was a lifetime .362 hitter against Koufax. Aaron was one of the guys Koufax couldn't solve.
Whitey Ford. The Original Chairman of the Board.
I hope you'll do the guy who idoled Koufax and eventually broke his major Records. The Ryan Express, Nolan Ryan
Ryan was a bit puzzling. Much of the time he was un-hit able, yet he posted a 3.19 career ERA, and a somewhat pedestrian 52% win percentage.
Imagine a healthy Koufax
pitching into his 40s. Every pitcher would be chasing Koufax records. Also, imagine a healthy Koufax and the Dodgers adding Nolan Ryan to their staff in the 1970s.
Look up what Pete Rose, the best hitter in all of baseball, had to say about Koufax's curveball while talking with Frank Thomas on ESPN.
You should do one on Thurman Munson
Can you do one on Jim Thome
Sandy Kofax was great. Can you do Yogi Berra
Ted Williams
Can you do one on Harmon Killebrew
Now you gotta do a Kershaw and Pedro video
Requests:
Pedro Martinez
Reggie Jackson
Frank Robinson
Mark McGwire
Lefty Grove
Hank Greenberg
Roger Clemens
Dwight Gooden
Sammy Sosa
Ernie Banks
As long as you’re at it, how about Pumpsie Green.
The insanely short prime of Elly De La Cruz
Get ready for a 2 minute upload 🤣
yep you should go into absolute depth on every aspect on his cycle and stolen base cycle@@Cam23
Do one on the best lefthander of all-time and maybe the best pitcher period Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove
George Brett
⚾💙🔥
How about Joe Carter