Sherman: When Sandy Koufax threw his first no-hitter against the Mets
From SABR member Ed Sherman at Jewish Baseball Museum on June 30, 2016:
When Sandy Koufax took the mound in Dodgers Stadium against the New York Mets on June 30, 1962, he wasn’t quite “The” Sandy Koufax yet.
Thanks to tip by catcher Norm Sherry during spring training of 1961, telling him to ease up a bit, Koufax finally found his control. Still, he was good, but not excellent during that season. He went 18-13 with a 3.52 ERA.
Koufax then started to hit his stride in 1962. However, the no-hitter against the Mets gave an inkling that something special was taking place.
Koufax set the tone from the start. The first batter, Richie Ashburn, a future Hall of Famer, struck out on three pitches. Then Rod Kanehl saw three pitches, culminating in a swinging strikeout. The next batter, Felix Mantilla, three pitches for another K.
Read the full article here: http://jewishbaseballmuseum.com/spotlight-story/no-1-four-sandy-koufax-throws-first-no-hitter-mets/
Originally published: June 30, 2016. Last Updated: June 30, 2016.