Tag: Los Angeles Dodgers

AUG 27: A star is born

AUGUST  27, 1955 | BROOKLYN, NEW YORK • On this date, Sandy Koufax, a young, raw, Brooklyn-born, former basketball star from the University of Cincinnati, 

got his second major league start for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He two-hit the Cincinnati Reds 7-0. The 19-year old struck out 14.

It took a while for Koufax to be polished into a gem. As a kid, Koufax showed more promise in basketball. So much so that he got a scholarship to the University of Cincinnati. In an odd twist of fate, the freshman basketball coach, Ed Jucker, was the varsity baseball coach. When baseball season came along, Koufax pitched a few games for the Bearcat baseball team. He was raw. In 31 innings, he walked 30, but struck out 51. A Dodger scout saw the potential. Koufax was offered a bonus to leave the University of Cincinnati and the basketball team for baseball, which he did.

Once he put it all together, Koufax dominated. He was 129-47 from 1961 to 1966. He won the Cy Young award in 1963, 1965 and 1966 by unanimous votes. All three seasons he led the majors in wins, strikeouts and ERA – the pitching Triple Crown – and was MVP of the World Series in ’63 and ‘65. Koufax threw 4 no-hitters and 1 perfect game.

Unfortunately for him, and baseball fans who marveled at his ability, Koufax’s career ended early. He retired at 31 when arthritis in his throwing elbow threatened permanent disability.

Contributing sources: 
“Sandy Koufax: A Lefty’s Legacy,” by Jane Leavy, Harper Collins, 2002  
Koufax Reunites with Coach Jucker,” UC Magazine, University of Cincinnati   
Sandy Koufax

Oct 18: Reggie! Reggie! Reggie!

OCTOBER 18, 1977 – THE BRONX, NEW YORK | Reggie Jackson forever became “Mr. October” on this date in 1977. It was game 6 of the World Series; Yankees against Dodgers; New York against Los Angeles; the biggest stage; the two biggest television markets.

In the fourth inning, Yankee right-fielder Reggie Jackson hit Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Burt Hooton‘s 1st pitch into the right-field seats for a two-run homer. The next inning, Jackson hit Elias Sosa‘s 1st pitch to almost the same spot for 2 more runs. In the eighth inning, Jackson hit Dodger pitcher Charlie Hough‘s 1st pitch into the center-field bleachers.

Which was more amazing? Hitting 3 home runs in one World Series game? Hitting each one on the first pitch? Hitting each one off different pitchers? Or, hitting the third one 475 feet into the hitting-backdrop bleachers?

The Yankees won the game 8-4 and the Series 4 games to 2. The last player to hit 3 home runs in a World Series game before Jackson? Babe Ruth, who did it twice. Albert Pujols (2011) and Pablo Sandoval (2012) have done it since.

Contributing Sources:
1977 World Series game 6 box score/play-by-play
Reggie Jackson: Baseball Hall of Fame
Sports Illustrated Greatest Teams, By Tim Crothers, 1998

This baseball history story about Reggie Jackson is brought to you by TODAY in BASEBALL.

Oct 6: Biggest baseball crowd

OCTOBER 6, 1959 | LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – The biggest crowd to watch a major league baseball game – 92,706 – packed the Los Angeles Coliseum on this date in 1959 for game 5 of the World Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

The mammoth Coliseum was the Dodgers’ home during their first few years in Southern California (after moving from Brooklyn in 1957) until Dodger Stadium was built in 1962. A high screen had to be erected in left field because the coliseum’s dimensions (more suited for football than baseball) made the fence so short.

Oh, by the way, White Sox starter Dick Donovan beat a young Sandy Koufax 1-0.

The second and third largest baseball crowds were the other two World Series games played in Los Angeles that year. The Dodgers went on to defeat the White Sox in 6 games. It was the Dodgers first World Series appearance since leaving Brooklyn after the 1957 season, and the first White Sox World Series since the 1919 Black Sox scandal 40 years earlier.

The biggest crowd to watch a major league game of any kind was set the spring of 2008, also at the LA Coliseum. The 50th anniversary of the Dodgers playing at the Coliseum brought 115,300 out to watch an exhibition between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox.

Contributing Sources
October 6, 1959 box score & play-by-play
Baseball-Almanac
MLB attendance records

JAN. 28: CAMPANELLA PARALYZED

THIS STORY TAKES US BACK TO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF JANUARY 28, 1958 IN GLEN COVE, NEW YORK –

The sports world woke up to sad news on this date in 1958. Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella had just closed his Harlem liquor store. He was driving to his Long Island home.  His car hit a patch of ice. The vehicle flipped and hit a light pole.

The robust, rock-like catcher’s neck was broken. It wasn’t immediately certain if he would survive.

Campanella pulled through, but he would never walk again. He was paralyzed from the shoulders down. He would regain considerable use of his arms and hands through physical therapy, but he would never play baseball again.

Roy Campanella survived an accident that could have killed him and went on to live a productive life. Still, it’s tempting to imagine what could have been. He probably had a more few productive baseball-playing years in him. He was 36 when the accident happened.

While he only played 10 years, he was one of the greatest catchers of all time:

  • 8-time all-star
  • 3-time MVP
  • 242-home runs
  • 856 RBI
  • .276 life-time batting average

The Philadelphia native remained employed by the now Los Angeles Dodgers, working with young catchers in the organization. He later became assistant to the director of community relations. Roy Campanella died of a heart attack June 26, 1993 at the age of 71.

Contributing Sources:
More on Roy Campanella
United Press International (UPI), January 29, 1958
Associated Press (AP), January 29, 1958
Campanella Obituary

Aug 3 in baseball history: Let’s Play Two All-star games

AUGUST 3, 1959 | LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA • The Major League Baseball all-star game was such a hit since it was introduced in Chicago in 1933, many people thought, ‘Let’s play two all-star games.’ For four seasons that’s what was done.

A second MLB all-star game was played on this date in 1959. Dual classics were the norm for four seasons – 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1962. The American League won this contest in front of 55,105 fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum, avenging a National League victory on July 7th at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. The LA Coliseum (predominantly a football stadium) was the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who came to the west coast in 1958, while Dodger Stadium was being built.

The pitchers of record for this second mid-summer classic were the starters. Jerry Walker of the Baltimore Orioles won it for the American League. Dodger Don Drysdale, pitching in front of his hometown fans, was the loser for the National League.

Jerry Walker was a 20-year old rising star with an 8-4 record at the time of the second all-star game. He never became the kind of star this all-star game foreshadowed. Walker never won more than eight games in any season and finished his eight year major league career with a record of 34 and 44.

The highlights of the 1959 all-star game were the introductions of superstars Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals and Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox, both were reaching the ends of their careers. Both would end up in the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
The Associated Press, August 4, 1959, Los Angeles, CA
1959 All-star games

OTHER STUFF – An excellent series of articles on Midwest Ballparks in Chicago Magazine by Jeff Ruby: “Playing the Fields”