Koufax

Dallas: Taylor Publishing. Very Good+ in Near Fine dust jacket. 2000. Hardcover. 288 pages. In Koufax, the first book in more than 30 years on the legendary baseball player, Edward Gruver tells the life story of the man many consider to be the greatest left-handed pitcher of all time. For five seasons, from 1962-1966, Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers wowed fans with his hard-throwing talent and dominated the game as no pitcher had before or since. In the 1963 season alone, he went 25-5 with a 1.88 ERA, struck out a major league record 15 Yankees in a game one win over New York in the World Series, and was named the Most Valuable Player of the series. Also an observant Jew, Koufax inspired a generation of youths to embrace their religious identity. He refused to pitch the opening game of the 1965 World Series since it fell on Yom Kippur, the most solemn of Jewish holidays, and he gained lasting admiration among Jewish people for observing other religious occasions. For all his athletic brilliance, however, Koufax held the national spotlight for a relatively short time. His dazzling career was marred by severe arthritis in his throwing arm. A shy and private man, he retired in 1966 at the young age of 30 while still at the height of his game. After a brief stint as a national broadcaster, he went into self-imposed exile from the media and lived in relative seclusion. Koufax includes extensive interviews with childhood friends; Dodger teammates, opponents, and front office personnel; and sports journalists who covered his career. Koufax will reacquaint fans with a legendary player from their youth and introduce a new generation to one of baseball's greatest pitchers. .