This Did Happen: Sandy Koufax Pitches Indoors

Sandy Koufax had a short, but successful career. The left-handed pitcher only was in the big leagues for a dozen seasons. Worse still, Sandy's first three years (1955-1957) were token appearances on the hill. Injuries plagued him in 1958-1959. And again in 1962 and '64. What might have been had Koufax stayed healthy? Imagine the lefty going beyond 1966? Oh, to wonder!

However, that's for another discussion. In Sandy Koufax's last two seasons, the Houston Astros played in a new ballpark, the first of it's kind. A domed stadium, apply named, The Astrodome! For 1965, they tried out traditional grass, before moving on with astroturf in Koufax's last year.

So did the Los Angeles Dodger great ever pitch indoors? And on astroturf? Yes. To both. 

And Koufax certainly found Houston to his liking.

Pitching at the Astrodome for the first time, the game was close. So close, this thing was going past nine innings. The game was still tied 1-1 after ten. The reason being was Sandy Koufax was pitching so well. And so was Houston's Bob Bruce. Bruce sported a 1-4 record in the 1965 season heading into this tough test.

It was too bad, really, that poor Bob Bruce had to pitch against Sandy Koufax. He'd been 15-9 in 1964, but would slip ultimately to just 9-18 the next season. His earned run average wasn't bad, 3.72. But with that ERA, you aren't likely to beat Sandy Koufax.

And Bruce did not. The May game ended for Bob Bruce in frustration. Through nine innings, a grand total of six hits were recorded by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bruce, pitching heroically, allowed them two more in the top of the tenth, but put up a "0" on the scoreboard.

But that was equaled by Sandy Koufax. Sandy was working on a three-hitter through nine. Then, he got the Astros down in the tenth, giving up just a walk. That bases on balls didn't do Houston any good. Eddie Kasko had led off the last of the tenth by drawing the third free pass of the contest off Sandy Koufax. Sandy just shrugged and got the next three men out.

Bob Bruce wasn't so lucky in the top of the eleventh. With one out, Sandy Koufax was up. He wasn't a good hitter. But here, Sandy singled. Maury Wills followed suite. Bob Bruce was out of the game, but new pitcher Hal Woodeshick had a tough row to hoe. Facing the Dodgers' Wes Parker, the Houston pitcher issued a walk. That loaded 'em up. Ron Fairly singled home Koufax and Wills to break the 1-1 deadlock.

The inning ended with Los Angeles scoring two more times. Koufax, believe it or not, had quite the adventure himself in the bottom of the eleventh. His control eluded him. With one out, Joe Morgan singled. Then Sandy hit Jim Wynn. Bob Aspromonte then ended the pitcher's night with a run-scoring single.

It was Miller Time.

Bob Miller came in to save this thing. He had three runs to work with. And Miller got Walt Bond to ground out. However, that scored Jim Wynn and moved Bob Aspromonte to second. 5-3.

It came down to Eddie Kasko, who'd coaxed that walk off Sandy Koufax an inning earlier. Perhaps that was the start of Koufax slowing down. But here, with two away and Bob Aspromonte in scoring position, it was time to settle this nonsense one way or another. Kasko popped out to Jim Lefebvre at second to end the game. The Los Angeles Dodgers were 5-3 winners. And Koufax? Well, Sandy had win number five on the season against two losses. You can't beat him outdoors. You can't beat 'em indoors.

And The Artful Dodger was more like his usual self the next time he took the mound at the Astrodome. So was Los Angeles. Koufax beat Houston 3-1 on July 3rd, but this time, it took him just nine innings. The Dodgers looked like they'd make things a little easier for him, as it looked like "One of those days" for the home team. LA knocked out Houston's starting pitcher, Larry Dierker, in the fourth inning. Dierker wasn't a bad pitcher, and was in his rookie season. He'd finish 1965 only 7-8, but showed promise with his 3.50 earned run average. By 1969, Larry was a twenty game winner for Houston.

Dierker's bullpen stopped the visitors after that. Don Nottebart relieved him with two away and a man on second in the top of the fourth. By getting Maury Wills out, Nottebart averted further trouble. From there, it was a dazzling relief effort on his part. No runs, two hits in four and a third innings pitched. Canadian Ron Taylor followed that with a scoreless ninth.

So all that promise and only three runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers. But you know Sandy Koufax: That's all he needed!

Actually, Sandy needed only two runs. The only Houston scoring play happened in the bottom of the eighth as Joe Morgan hit a solo home run. It was too little, too late. Koufax's pitching line showed him allowing just five hits and fanning ten. The win was Sandy's fourteenth of 1965. And against just three losses.

Oddly enough, the great pitcher seemed to be a little bit more human after that outing. In Koufax's next fifteen appearances, he went 7-4, picked up a save, but posted a 2.56 earned run average. Koufax had thoughts of something amiss.

So when he faced the Astros in Houston on September 5th, was Sandy human? He'd lost his last three decisions. A start on August 18th against Philly resulted in a no decision. Los Angeles went on to lose 6-3.

The start on September 5th was another no decision, but Los Angeles eventually won. Koufax looked like himself for six innings (With the exception of only five strikeouts), protecting a 2-0 lead. But then the wheels came off the chariot. Ron Brand led off with a single. A bunt moved him to second. Bob Lillis singled, scoring Brand. Lillis moved into scoring position because of an error by Willie Davis. When pitcher Robin Roberts batted for himself and singled, this thing was all tied up.

Sandy got Eddie Kasko out on a grounder to shortstop Maury Wills. But in the top of the eighth, Wally Moon batted for Sandy Koufax, ending his night. Howie Reed came in to pitch for Los Angeles and did a splendid job, retiring all six men to face him. The Dodgers eventually won, 5-3.

But could Koufax get back to where he was earlier in the season? The answer came in Sandy's next start, at home versus Chicago on September 9th. All 27 men he faced were retired. A perfect game. And the Dodgers gave him just one run to work with.

Koufax was brilliant in that outing, fanning eight of the last ten men to come to the dish. The Cubs, though, actually beat the Dodgers 2-1 a week later. Bob Hendley, who'd given up just one hit over eight innings in that heartbreaking 1-0 on the ninth, went all the way, limiting the Dodgers to just one run on four hits over nine innings.

The Los Angeles lefty kept pace with Hendley until the bottom of the sixth, when Billy Williams hit a two-run shot off Koufax, breaking a scoreless deadlock. It was Sandy's eight loss of the season. But, he also had twenty-two wins. And it was still early in September.

From there, though, Sandy looked unbeatable. He even picked up a save just two nights after losing to the Cubs. That September 16th outing was a rare relief appearance, but seemed to get Sandy Koufax back on track. He shutout the Cardinals in his next start. After getting routed by the Milwaukee Braves on the September 22nd, Koufax won his last three starts to finish the season 26-8. In those 27 innings pitched, the opposition scored one run, total against him. Sandy had 38 strikeouts.

After losing game two of the World Series against the Minnesota Twins, Sandy Koufax pitched a shutout on a nice four-hitter in game five. The Fall Classic of 1965 went the distance, with Koufax winning game seven, again with a shutout. The poor Twins managed just three hits in the finale.

1966 appeared to be "Just another excellent year" for Sandy Koufax. Sadly, though, it would be his last. Koufax had a brilliant season. He won 27 games. Posted a league-leading 1.73 earned run average. His 317 strikeouts led the National League. It was the fourth time he'd topped the Senior Circuit in that stat. He was only 30 years ago, and clearly at the peak of his career. But the arthritis in his left arm was too much, and after the season, the great Dodger announced his retirement.

The Houston Astros did not have a good season in 1966. They did win a franchise-best (To that point) 72 games. However, they were clearly not in the class of Los Angeles Dodgers. But, the grass of the Astrodome was gone, so it was sort of a new ballpark. Replacing it was astroturf, a new artificial surface that wasn't easy on the body.

Koufax would pitch twice in Houston in '66, and won both his appearances. On June 22nd, Sandy beat Houston 5-2, despite allowing ten hits in nine innings. The complete game victory ran his win-loss record to an amazing 13-2.

August 5th was a bit easier. But Sandy Koufax lasted just six innings. However, he fanned ten, allowed just a single run on five hits, and was the winning pitcher in a 12-1 rout. His record was now 18-5.

Sandy Koufax actually lost three games in August, but was simply lights out in September. 6-1, 1.50 earned run average. Batters hit .187 off him. The Los Angeles Dodgers won the pennant again that year. For Sandy, it was the sixth pennant-winning team he'd be a part of in his twelve-year career. The Dodgers went into the World Series that season against Baltimore, looking for their fifth World Championship in the last twelve years. Koufax's arrival in 1955 had been a good luck charm. But it was the Dodgers that had suddenly ran out of luck in the 1966 World Series.

Don Drysdale took the hill in game one (At home)) and was quickly knocked out. In two innings, Don allowed four hits and four runs. Baltimore pitcher Dave McNally faired no better, however. In less than three innings (Two and a third), the lefty allowed two hits, two runs and walked five. That's when reliever Moe Drabowski came in and shut the door on the Dodgers. The Baltimore Orioles were about to apply a humiliation on their opponents. The bases were loaded, and the O's were clinging a to a 4-1 lead, but the Dodgers offence was about to die, right there in the third frame.

Drabowski went to work. Wes Parker fanned. Jim Gilliam walked. It was the fourth walked that an Oriole pitcher had permitted in the inning. But Johnny Roseboro popped out, and that was it, believe me!

Moe went on to fan eleven batters in his 6 2/3 innings pitched (And Drabowski tied a Fall Classic record with six of those in a row, in addition to recording the most K's of any reliever in a single World Series contest), and Baltimore had themselves the game they needed on the road, 5-2.

Koufax trotted to the hill in the second contest and looked like he could get the Dodgers even. Through four innings he put nothing but goose eggs on the scoreboard. But the Orioles Jim Palmer was doing the same to the Dodgers. Three errors by centre fielder Willie Davis led to three unearned runs. Los Angeles did not score in the bottom of the fifth. But Baltimore went back to work against Sandy Koufax in the top of the sixth. They did not benefit from any errors by Los Angeles in this half-inning. However, they tacked on a fourth run.

Frank Robinson greeted Koufax with a leadoff triple to right. Brooks Robinson (Not related to Frank) popped up. But then Boog Powell singled home Frank Robinson. Davey Johnson singled. Ron Fairly, the Los Angeles right fielder, tried to stop Powell from getting to third. But a bad throw saw Baltimore end up with two more runners in scoring position. The poor Los Angeles Dodgers had committed four errors in two innings.

Paul Blair was put on first, loading 'em up. But Sandy Koufax got Andy Etchebarren via the strikeout. As it turns out, this would be the last batter Sandy Koufax ever faced. And it was fitting that he'd fan 'em.

Ron Perranoski relieved Koufax after Jim Palmer got the Dodgers out 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth. Perranoski had a nice 1-2-3 inning of his own in the top of the seventh, but where was the offence of Los Angeles? It was nowhere.

Certainly the offence of the Orioles was not lacking, as Perranoski would soon find out. Actually, it was Ron who made the sixth Dodger error of the contest in the eighth inning. It came when Davey Johnson singled, the ball hitting the Los Angeles' pitcher. Frank Robinson scored from third. In desperation, Perranoski tried to at least get Johnson at first. The throw went wide. That enabled the other Robinson, Brooks, to score. 6-0, O's. That ended up being the final score.

Baltimore didn't stop there. They ended up sweeping Los Angeles after beating 'em by the score of 1-0 in the next two games. A shocking sweep against a team that had thoroughly dominated the National League with it's pitching.

And a big part of the pitching was Sandy Koufax. The arthritis had been bothering him since August of 1964. You wouldn't know that from his stats. Sandy won 53 games. But the team doctor had told Koufax he could not pitch past this (1966) season, given the damage to his arm. So, it was on November 18th that the great Dodger announced his retirement.


References


Fonseca, Lew, director. World Series of 1966. Youtube, Major League Baseball Productions, 1966, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8UtDDl21eQ. Accessed 16 Dec. 2021.

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed., St. Martin's Press, 1992.

Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-By-Year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Publications International LTD, 1993.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. 04 Dec. 2021.

Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page. 16 Dec. 2021.