Koufax’s last great game
Sandy Koufax wins his career-high 27th and final game of the 1966 season 57 years ago today, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 in the second game of a doubleheader and clinching the National League pennant for the Los Angeles Dodgers before a Sunday afternoon crowd of 23,215 at Connie Mack Stadium.
Koufax, who finishes the 1966 season with a 27-9 record, allows only seven hits while walking one while striking out 10 in pitching his sixth straight complete game.
Turns out the game marks the final victory in Koufax’s Hall of Fame career, as the left-hander starts – and loses – his only appearance in the Baltimore Orioles’ sweep of the Dodgers in the 1966 World Series.
Koufax retires after the ’66 Series, deciding to quit the game at age 30 rather than risk permanent injury to his left arm.
His career record of 165-87 over 12 years includes 97 victories and only 27 losses in his final four seasons.
Koufax, though, ends his career with an injury as he says “something popped” in his left shoulder while facing Phillies pinch-hitter Gary Sutherland with one out in the fifth inning of the game 57 years ago today.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Koufax between innings bolts to the visitors’ clubhouse at Connie Mack Stadium for some quick treatment before hustling back to the field to take his turn at-bat with two outs in the top of the sixth.
“Yes, we were very concerned at the time,” Dodgers trainer Bill Buhler says after the game, adding that his between-innings treatment includes popping one of Koufax’s vertebrae back into place and giving him a quick rubdown.
“I don’t think he will have any bad effects from it during the (upcoming) World Series.”
For his part, Koufax – pitching against the Phillies on just two days rest – talks less of the injury and more of beating Philadelphia to win the National League pennant.
“Sure,” Koufax says, “we had some big ones in the World Series, but getting there is the thing – not the Series itself.”
Alas, Koufax does not get another chance at one after the 1966 Series.