Sandy Koufax's performance in game 1 of the 1963 World Series was not his first World Series start.
As mentioned by me earlier, Koufax was part of the 1959 Dodgers, who had just moved to Los Angeles in 1958. Sandy was also on the Dodgers in Brooklyn in 1955 and 1956, but did not pitch in the World Series.
So in 1959, Koufax was only 8-6, but the Dodgers made it to the World Series anyways. The Chicago White Sox stood in the way of LA's quest to bring the World Series out west for the first time ever. This version of the Sox was dubbed the "Go-Go Sox", because of their great speed.
Koufax took the hill in game 5 on October 6, 1959. 92,706 fans took this one in at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was another great pitcher's duel.
Could Sandy put the speedsters away?
Koufax had a 1-2-3 first and a 1-2-3 second.
In the 3rd, he gave up 2 singles. But Luis Aparicio, with that blinding speed, decided to try for second on his hit, and was thrown out. That got Sandy out of that inning.
But Koufax would not be so lucky in avoiding damage the next inning.
The first two White Sox batters, Nellie Fox and Jim Landis, singled. Fox, another Sox speedster, made it to third. First and third and no one out!
But Koufax got Sherman Lolar to do what all pitchers love: GIDP
Fox scored in the meantime, but Koufax got out of the inning with no more harm.
In the 5th, he settled down some. While he allowed a walk, he fanned two batters.
In the 6th, Aparicio led off with a single, but Koufax got the next three batters out. He got Landis on another K.
In the 7th, Ted Kluszewski flied out, Al Smith fanned and Bubba Phillips also flied out.
Koufax was then due up in the bottom of the frame with a man on first and one out. Duke Snider, a relic for so many years on this Dodgers team, batted for him. He hit into a force. Here's where things got really strange.
Johnny Podres, still pitching well for the Dodgers, came into the game to run for Snider. Interesting since Don Zimmer had run for Chuck Essegian earlier in the inning. But a pitcher as a pinch-runner? The Dodgers', you'd think would've had someone else ready for this!
Jim Gilliam, an underrated Dodger, singled to keep the inning going. Another substitution was about to transpire. And it would be very crucial.
Al Smith moved from right to left in the outfield. In right, came in Jim Rivera!
A wild pitch moved up both runners.
Charlie Neal, who had hit the ball well in the Series so far, was at the plate with a chance to give the Dodgers the lead with only a single.
But Neal didn't get a single. All he could do is fly out. But what a fly out it was! Rivera made a spectacular catch in the gap in right-center! With both runners off with the crack of the bat, you gotta think it saved two runs. As it turned out, it saved the game.
It would not be Podres who took the hill for the Dodgers, as you might expect. Rather, it was Stan Williams.
Williams had some trouble with the White Sox in the top of the eight, but got out and had the Dodgers' 4th 1-2-3 inning in the 9th.
Now, all of this should have been enough for a win, yes? And now it's time to let you in on a secret I've been holding back: The Dodgers were up 3 games to 1 coming into this game!
Which means, a win here and...
Alas, standing in the way of the champagne and the parade to follow was Bob Shaw, who went 7 1/3 innings, gave up 9 hits but no runs. Billy Pierce (actually, I shouldn't mention him because he didn't retire a batter!) and Dick Donovan gave up no hits the rest of the way. White Sox, 1, Dodgers, 0.
The Dodgers won game 6, back in Chicago, 9-3. But Koufax's fine effort (7IP, 5H, 1ER, 1BB, 6K) had been wasted.
Actually, this wasn't Koufax's first World Series game, either. He pitched game 1 out of the bullpen. Tossing 2 perfect innings, it didn't matter. The game was already hopelessly lost.
But 4 years later, Koufax's efforts would not go unnoticed.
References
Downey, Mike. “Koufax Has Facts On 1959.” Tribunedigital-Chicagotribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2005, <articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-06-14/sports/0506140207_1_al-lopez-rivera-in-right-field-world-series>. Web.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 02 Oct 2013.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oS1PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E04DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5431,5756383&dq=world+series+koufax&hl=en
As mentioned by me earlier, Koufax was part of the 1959 Dodgers, who had just moved to Los Angeles in 1958. Sandy was also on the Dodgers in Brooklyn in 1955 and 1956, but did not pitch in the World Series.
So in 1959, Koufax was only 8-6, but the Dodgers made it to the World Series anyways. The Chicago White Sox stood in the way of LA's quest to bring the World Series out west for the first time ever. This version of the Sox was dubbed the "Go-Go Sox", because of their great speed.
Koufax took the hill in game 5 on October 6, 1959. 92,706 fans took this one in at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was another great pitcher's duel.
Could Sandy put the speedsters away?
Koufax had a 1-2-3 first and a 1-2-3 second.
In the 3rd, he gave up 2 singles. But Luis Aparicio, with that blinding speed, decided to try for second on his hit, and was thrown out. That got Sandy out of that inning.
But Koufax would not be so lucky in avoiding damage the next inning.
The first two White Sox batters, Nellie Fox and Jim Landis, singled. Fox, another Sox speedster, made it to third. First and third and no one out!
But Koufax got Sherman Lolar to do what all pitchers love: GIDP
In the 5th, he settled down some. While he allowed a walk, he fanned two batters.
In the 6th, Aparicio led off with a single, but Koufax got the next three batters out. He got Landis on another K.
In the 7th, Ted Kluszewski flied out, Al Smith fanned and Bubba Phillips also flied out.
Koufax was then due up in the bottom of the frame with a man on first and one out. Duke Snider, a relic for so many years on this Dodgers team, batted for him. He hit into a force. Here's where things got really strange.
Johnny Podres, still pitching well for the Dodgers, came into the game to run for Snider. Interesting since Don Zimmer had run for Chuck Essegian earlier in the inning. But a pitcher as a pinch-runner? The Dodgers', you'd think would've had someone else ready for this!
Jim Gilliam, an underrated Dodger, singled to keep the inning going. Another substitution was about to transpire. And it would be very crucial.
Al Smith moved from right to left in the outfield. In right, came in Jim Rivera!
A wild pitch moved up both runners.
Charlie Neal, who had hit the ball well in the Series so far, was at the plate with a chance to give the Dodgers the lead with only a single.
But Neal didn't get a single. All he could do is fly out. But what a fly out it was! Rivera made a spectacular catch in the gap in right-center! With both runners off with the crack of the bat, you gotta think it saved two runs. As it turned out, it saved the game.
It would not be Podres who took the hill for the Dodgers, as you might expect. Rather, it was Stan Williams.
Williams had some trouble with the White Sox in the top of the eight, but got out and had the Dodgers' 4th 1-2-3 inning in the 9th.
Now, all of this should have been enough for a win, yes? And now it's time to let you in on a secret I've been holding back: The Dodgers were up 3 games to 1 coming into this game!
Which means, a win here and...
Alas, standing in the way of the champagne and the parade to follow was Bob Shaw, who went 7 1/3 innings, gave up 9 hits but no runs. Billy Pierce (actually, I shouldn't mention him because he didn't retire a batter!) and Dick Donovan gave up no hits the rest of the way. White Sox, 1, Dodgers, 0.
Actually, this wasn't Koufax's first World Series game, either. He pitched game 1 out of the bullpen. Tossing 2 perfect innings, it didn't matter. The game was already hopelessly lost.
But 4 years later, Koufax's efforts would not go unnoticed.
References
Downey, Mike. “Koufax Has Facts On 1959.” Tribunedigital-Chicagotribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2005, <articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-06-14/sports/0506140207_1_al-lopez-rivera-in-right-field-world-series>. Web.
Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.
Fonseca, Lew, director. 1959 World Series. Performance by Vince Scully, Major League Baseball Productions, 1959. DVD produced by A&E Home Video.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.
Reichler, Joe. “Gettysburg Times.” Google News Archive Search, Google, <news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19630926&id=hn0lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=D_MFAAAAIBAJ&pg=963,2560497&hl=en>. Web.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 02 Oct 2013.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oS1PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E04DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5431,5756383&dq=world+series+koufax&hl=en
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