SABR Digital Library: Sandy Koufax
Add a new baseball book to your collection from the SABR Digital Library:
Sandy Koufax
Edited by Marc Z. Aaron, Bill Nowlin, and Glen Sparks
Associate editors: Len Levin and Carl Riechers
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-960819-26-0, $9.99
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-960819-27-7, $24.95
8.5″ x 11″, 186 pages
SABR’s book on Sandy Koufax explores what made him so special in baseball and American society through 17 insightful essays and recaps of 36 key games in his career. Touching on subjects from Koufax’s potential basketball career, his relationship with manager Walt Alston, celebrity culture in LA, and his effect on the hurlers who came after him, to analyses of Koufax’s stats and records, Sandy Koufax takes a deep dive into one of baseball’s true greats.
Many pitchers enjoyed longer careers than Sandy Koufax. Few, however, reached the glorious heights of this Dodgers left-hander. Signed as a bonus baby at the age of 19, the Brooklyn native spent his early years battling control issues while also displaying occasional flashes of brilliance. Finally, frustrated and on the verge of retirement, he decided, “I was really going to find out how good I can be.”
In 1961, in his seventh big-league season, Koufax led the majors in strikeouts. From 1962-66, he compiled a 111-34 won-loss record and a 1.95 ERA. He led the National League in ERA every season during that span, hurled four no-hitters, and won three Cy Young awards. Hitters feared his devastating mix of fastballs and curveballs. The great slugger Willie Stargell once said, “Trying to hit Sandy Koufax was like drinking coffee with a fork.” In eight World Series games, he posted a 0.95 ERA.
Unfortunately, Koufax also battled arm injuries. Tired of all the pain medication, he called it quits after the 1966 season, a few months before his 31st birthday, his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame assured.
Koufax is revered in the Jewish community, even among non-Dodger fans, for his decision not to pitch in Game One of the 1966 World Series, which was scheduled on the Yom Kippur holy day. “There was no hard decision for me,” Koufax said. “It was just a thing of respect.”
Sandy Koufax is a collaborative effort of 47 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).
Contributors include: Marc Z. Aaron, Jake Bell, Charlie Bevis, Luis Blandón Jr., Kurt Blumenau, Thomas J. Brown Jr., Paul Browne, Ken Carrano, Alan Cohen, Carter Cromwell, Richard Cuicchi, Larry DeFillipo, John Fredland, Craig Garretson, Ed Gruver, Vince Guerrieri, Andrew Harner, Bruce Harris, Jeff Howard, Mike Huber, Mark Kanter, Norm King, Kevin Larkin, Len Levin, Scott Martire, Les Masterson, Andy McCue, Chad Moody, Bill Nowlin, Tim Odzer, Tim Otto, Byron Petraroja, Bill Pruden, Carl Riechers, Howard Rosenberg, Quentin Sallat, Paul Semendinger, Paul Sinclair, Glen Sparks, Russ Speiller, Mark S. Sternman, Aaron Tallent, William M. “Matt” Vines, Steven C. Weiner, Sarah Wexler, Paul White, Brian Williams, and Gregory H. Wolf.
SABR members, get this e-book for FREE!
- E-book: Click here to download the e-book version of Sandy Koufax for FREE from the SABR Store. Available in PDF, MOBI, EPUB/Kindle formats.
- Paperback: Get a 50% discount on the Sandy Koufax paperback edition from the SABR Store ($15.95 includes shipping/tax; delivery via Amazon Kindle Direct can take up to 4-6 weeks.)
Buy the book
- E-book: Click here to download the e-book version of Sandy Koufax for $9.99 from the SABR Store. Available in PDF, MOBI, and EPUB/Kindle formats.
- Paperback: Get the paperback edition of Sandy Koufax from the SABR Store ($29.95 includes shipping/tax; delivery via Amazon Kindle Direct can take up to 4-6 weeks.)
About the SABR Digital Library
For more than 50 years, SABR and its members have led the way in publishing the best baseball historical and statistical research. Our publications program is shifting to take advantage of new methods of publishing. Not only will we continue to publish new books like Can He Play? A Look At Baseball Scouts and Their Profession (2011); Inventing Baseball: The 100 Greatest Games of the 19th Century (2013); Scandal on the South Side: The 1919 Chicago White Sox (2015); Jackie Robinson: Perspectives on 42 (2021), ¡Arriba! The Heroic Life of Roberto Clemente (2022); and Nichibei Yakyu: US Tours of Japan (2023); which showcase the best efforts of SABR’s members, chapters and committees, but new technology makes it possible for us to bring out-of-print titles like When Boston Still Had the Babe: The 1918 World Champion Red Sox (2018); Green Cathedrals (2020); and The Miracle Has Landed: The Amazin’ Story of How the 1969 Mets Shocked the World (2021) back again.
Visit SABR.org/ebooks to find all past titles and download your favorites. Books will be available in digital formats as well as paperbacks produced by “print on demand” (POD).
SABR members can download all Digital Library e-book editions for free and save 50% on purchase of the paperback editions. If you’re not a member, click here to join SABR.
Stay tuned throughout the year for new (and old!) titles that we’ll be adding to the SABR Digital Library. To learn more about SABR Publications, contact Publications Editor Cecilia Tan at ctan@sabr.org.
Having trouble downloading our e-books? Click here for step-by-step instructions or a short tutorial video on how to download SABR digital publications.
Originally published: September 9, 2024. Last Updated: September 6, 2024.