Koufax Shuts Out Dodgers

The Los Angeles Times ^ | 02/21/2003 | Jason Reid

[GeneD]

February 21, 2003

VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax, whose brilliance on the mound captivated fans in the 1960s and defined the Dodgers' greatest era in Los Angeles, has severed ties with the club in protest of another News Corp. subsidiary.

Koufax, a very private man who established a standard for pitching excellence in four of the most dominant seasons in the game's history from 1963-66, recently informed the Dodgers he would no longer attend spring training here at Dodgertown, visit Dodger Stadium or participate in activities while they are owned by the media conglomerate, because of a report in the New York Post that apparently intimated that he is homosexual. The Post is owned by News Corp.

Through friend Derrick Hall, a Dodger senior vice president, Koufax declined comment Thursday night, but officials familiar with the situation said the legendary left-hander, and Vero Beach resident, broke off ties after 48 years in response to a two-sentence gossip item published in the Post on Dec. 19. The Post reported that a "Hall of Fame baseball hero" had "cooperated with a best-selling biography only because the author promised to keep it secret that he is gay. The author kept her word, but big mouths at the publishing house can't keep from flapping." Koufax, who was not specifically named by the paper, is the subject of Jane Leavy's acclaimed biography, "Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy," published last September.

News Corp. is undertaking steps to sell the Dodgers, but the timetable doesn't help team officials saddened by what they perceive as the Post's unfair treatment of Koufax....

[MAWG]

Hey, it's friday, lighten up. I'm just having a little fun. I remember Koufax when I was a kid. He WAS the man back then on the mound. It was like watching Nolan Ryan. You wondered if today you were gonna see a no hitter.

[Mustang]

I agree. Koufax was an exceptional athlete. I still have his 1955, Topps Rookie card (#123), and don't plan to sell it.

My Dad took me to my first professional ball game in 1957,( I was 9 years old). It was in Brooklyn, NY, at Ebbets Field. Dad worked then as a TV camerman for WPIX or WOR. I had a great seat! I met most of all the Brooklyn Dodgers, and recall Mr. Koufax. He was a real nice guy. I don't give a damn what the nitwit crowd says about him....he was one of Baseball's greatest pitchers.

Mustang sends w/Best FReegards.

[GOP_Raider]

ROTFLOL!!! Great Stuff!!!

GO GIANTS!!!!

[Iowegian]

Must be quite a shock to all those women he has dated.

[Iowegian]

Since moving to California in 1958, LA has won world championships in 59, 63, 65, 81 and 88. During all those seasons (45) in SF the Giants have how many world series titles?

[GOP_Raider]

Well, not every team can be the beneficiaries of the O'Malley Crime Family.

And if I'm not mistaken, didnt a few Dod-jerk players in the early 80's speak out in favor of gun control???

Alas, GO GIANTS!!!!

[Iowegian]

And if I'm not mistaken, didnt a few Dod-jerk players in the early 80's speak out in favor of gun control???

Not that I recall, but that can't much of an issue to a bay area resident anyway. Those are your types. It's just jealousy of success that eats on you, admit it. We Dodger fans don't hate you guys, we just feel sorry for you.

[GOP_Raider]

Well, it is and always has been with me. Heck, I just thought I was kind of unique being the only known human being alive to be both a Giants fan and a member of the NRA. But that's just me.

[Iowegian]

Well thanks for the exchange. I think I'm now in mid-season form and spring training just started. BTW, your guys are really going to miss that classy guy, Dusty. But we both know he played for those crime-boss guys. Matter of fact, your last manager Roger Craig is an old Dodger too. At least your owners know class when they see it.

[nvskibum]

Apparently, according to Reuters and AP, the NY Post is withdrawing the Koufax/gay story in their Saturday edition, and will issue an aopology to both Koufax and Leavy (author of the biography).

A.P.: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/sports/AP-BBN-Koufax-Dodgers.html?ex=1046888441&ei=1&en=8bf913d56042f93a

Reuters: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/sports/sports-mlb-koufax.html

Perhaps that puts this story to rest as incorrect B.S.?

[socal_parrot]

I think this goes way beyond a gay rumor. The Dodgers ceased being the class act of MLB several years ago. Tommy Lasorda is about the only hold out from the "good old days". They're blowing through managers while their "legacy" managers led clubs to the World Series with different teams. They also came within a hair of selling their complex in Vero Beach and moving to the Phoenix area for Spring Training. The best thing that could happen is for Murdoch to sell the team to someone who cares.

[foreverfree]

A gay co-worker of mine told me many years ago that ... Maclolm Forbes was gay. ... [I] later found out that he was right about Forbes ... .

IOW Steve Forbes is Malcolm's adopted son, right? Anyone know?

Regarding Koufax, somehow my gut feeling is that Sandy is straight, like me.

foreverfree

[Whitebread]

Malcolm Forbes did have a wife and children one of them being Steve Forbes. Therefore Old Malcolm was not technically gay but bisexual. As far as Koufax goes, I tend to believe that he is gay as he has led an especially isolated life. For a person as well loved and respected as him to shun the world leads me to suspect that there is something that he does not want to share/expose. This of course is speculation.