Thursday, January 9, 2014

World Series: Did You Know?

Sandy Koufax was invovled in a shutout in his first World Series game, first start, and last game!

It all started in 1959, as Koufax came in to pitch in game 1.

The White Sox really gave it to Koufax's Dodgers in this game. Led by Ted Kluszewski's 5 RBI's, the Chicago White Sox decided this one early, racing out to a 11-0 lead by the bottom of the 4th!

Roger Craig and Chuck Churn were driven out by this eruption. Clem Labine came with nobody out in the bottom of the 4th after Chicago scored their 10th and 11th run of the game. Clem got the next 3 batters out.

Koufax then came in after Labine was removed for a pinch hitter. Sandy pitched 2 fine innings, giving up not a hit or a walk. He also fanned pitcher Early Wynn for his first World Series K!

Sandy left the game for a pinch hitter. But the Dodgers didn't score then, or at all in the game. It was a laugher, 11-0 Chicago.

LA won the next 3 games and turned to Koufax in game 5 for the knockout blow. It was Sandy's first World Series start. And it was a dandy! The Dodgers looked to have it all wrapped up at home. But LA couldn't get the bundle home. Or even get a base runner home!

All Sandy did was toss 7 fine innings, give up just 5 hits and 1 walk while fanning 6. Stan Williams came in for Koufax and gave up no hits and 2 walks in then next two innings.

But the Los Angeles Dodgers' failed to score. They even got 9 hits in the game. But Bob Shaw, with help from Dick Donovan, stopped the Dodgers on this day. 1-0 was the final score.

Sandy Koufax's last World Series game, last World Series start, and last game period was game 2 of the 1966 World Series. The Baltimore Orioles proved to be too strong for the Dodgers, alas.

After Luis Aparicio led of the game with a single for the O's, Koufax settled down and had a 1-2-3 2nd and 3rd. In the 4th, Koufax survived a walk and an error. The game was still scoreless.

In the top of the 5th, three errors by Willie Davis led to 3 runs by Baltimore. None of the runs were earned.

In the top of the 6th, a Boog Powell single scored Frank Robinson. This run was earned, but Koufax got out of the inning without any more damage. When Ron Perranoski took the hill in the top of the 7th for Los Angeles, Koufax was done for the Series, season and for all time!

The Dodgers had no luck with a young Jim Palmer. He shutout the Dodgers on a fine 4-hitter. It was his first World Series start, and he became the youngest pitcher to toss a World Series shutout!

But that paled in comparison to the fact that Sandy had left the hill for the last time!


References

Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

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.

Retrosheet. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.  <www.retrosheet.org>

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.

Snyder, John S. World Series!: Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1995. Print.

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