Posted on 10/04/2014 1:08:54 PM PDT by EveningStar
On the field, Sandy Koufax wasn't just any baseball player. Off the field, he wasn't viewed that way either. The Hall of Fame pitcher isn't just remembered by baseball fans as "the man with the golden arm," but is revered by his Jewish admirers as "the left arm of God" for his talent as well as the public observance of his faith, most notably during the 1965 World Series.
A legendary left-handed pitcher who spent his entire career with the Dodgers, Koufax dominated batters like few ever have, atop mounds in Brooklyn and Los Angeles -- as well as just about every major league locale in between. His preternatural gifts -- notably that knee-buckling curve and relatively overlooked fastball -- earned him three Cy Young Awards and all-time great status in an injury-shortened career that lasted from 1955 through 1966. Five years after retiring at the age of 30, Koufax became the youngest player ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.
For many Jewish fans, he was something even more important than a plaque in Cooperstown. The lanky, reserved product of Lafayette High School in Brooklyn was a role model for young Jewish boys -- and girls -- who dreamt big league dreams while also bolstering the hopes of Jewish adults who hoped to find success or even simply acceptance in an America they may have felt viewed them as outsiders.
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My top two: Dizzy Dean and Steve Carlton--but I wouldn't argue with a quartet with Koufax and Ryan. Among today's pitchers, the only ones I think come close are Scherzer, Strasburg, Sale, and Price--and all four are young enough to get better.
On the other hand, Detroit revers Hank Greenberg because he did choose to play ball during the Jewish holy days. Go figure.
Don Drysale replace Koufax on the mound that day he got nail with hits when Dysdale came back off the mound I think he told Dodger coach you wish I was Jewish LOL!
Don’t forget Johnny Podres !
The weekly Shabbat is holier than Yom Kippur. Did he refuse to play on it as well?
“Respect,” Koufax responded before the 2014 season when asked by Jewish Week why he sat out the game.”
I thought Sandy Koufax had died.
“My top two: Dizzy Dean and Steve Carlton—”
Koufax, Carlton as the lefties, Gibson, Ryan as righties.As a lifelong Cards fan, cannot believe to this day that they traded Carlton. He was a monster
I didn't know that. Thanks for the info.
Did he refuse to play on it as well?
I doubt it.
Walter Johnson, of course, is the greatest pitcher of all time. Here is my top-ten list, not necessarily in order of rank:
Walter Johnson, Lefty Grove, Christy Mathewson, Warren Spahn, Grover Alexander, Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver, Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Greg Maddux.
(I'm leaving Cy Young off because he pitched much of his career pre-1900.)
No Ryan but you put Maddux on the list? that’s ridiculus. A strikeout record that will never be broken and a no hitter record that will never be broken ranks in the top ten
Maddux clearly was the better pitcher, and virtually all baseball rankings will place them that way.
Ryan also holds the all-time walk record.
“Ryan also holds the all-time walk record”
A testament to his amazing longevity, another good reason for him to be in top 10
No, your rankings place them that way. I didn’t say he wasn’t a hall of famer, just not top ten. Bob Gibson didn’t win 300 games, was Maddux better than him too?
Don Drysdale was once asked about he reacted to a batter digging in in the batter’s box. Drysdale commented that the batter had better dig the hole deep enough to crawl in to because he was going to come after him.
These guys played real baseball!
Roberto Clemente would not tolerate an inside pitch. Pitchers usually avoided throwing them at him.
Bob Gibson always threw inside to Clemente on his first pitch.
What about Randy Johnson? Once he learned the craft, from advice from Nolan Ryan, he was pure domination.
Funny, you strategically left of K's and No hitters. Geez!!!!
Drysdale and Dizzy Dean may have been two of the meanest ever on the mound. As far as they were concerned the inner part of the plate belonged to them. If you didn't like it charge the mound!!
To put it in perspective, only 13 pitchers have struck out 300 in a season. Ryan’s 5712 roughly translates to doing that over 19 seasons.
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