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 A prevailing philosophy claims that you can get too much of a good thing. In the case of Sandy Koufax, however, you can never get too much simply because he won’t let you. This icon in baseball history is an intensely private man, yet to someone like me, a Midwesterner who became a Los Angeles Dodger fan in the 1960's primarily because of him, he is like an old friend that we don't see enough of. Not too long ago, I was browsing online for a some pictures of Sandy to use in a screen- saver I was making for the birthday of my Dodger buddy, Carolyn. Besides the fact that I had to work very hard to gather enough pictures, I was amazed that no one had developed a Web site for Sandy ~ at least, not one that I stumbled upon through any of the search engines I was using. I found several Web *pages* of biographical information, statistics, and memorabilia, but not an entire site dedicated to the Hall of Fame pitcher who occupies a special corner of my Dodger- blue heart. When I was in junior high, I won an essay contest writing about Sandy. After a little behind-the-scenes maneuvering from my mama, I was honored to receive from Sandy an autographed baseball with the words "Best wishes, Vikki ~ Sandy Koufax" written in his familiar (at least to me) handwriting. Collectors have since told me that the ball is devalued because Sandy wrote my name on it, too. However, to me, sentimental soul that I am, the ball became instantly priceless not only because of the personalization but also because this great man had taken the time to send it to me. Sandy, if you are reading this, I apologize for the slight intrusion into your private world. I promise I won't go too far. :) However, fans like me need a place where we can go to recapture the baseball magic that you brought into our lives as we sat on our front porches late into the summer night with our transistor radios pressed against our ears. The honeysuckle scent and the muggy air enfolded me as I listened to Harry Caray and Jack Buck call the game you were pitching against Bob Gibson. Golden voices in the velvet night, and two golden arms on the mound... For me things haven't been the same since the O'Malleys sold the Dodgers. The Fox people have managed to stomp a lifetime of Dodger blue out of my heart. As I gathered material for this Web site, however, I remembered those good ol' baseball days, and for awhile at least, I am bleeding Dodger blue again... Wherever you are, Sandy, thanks for the memories...
Vikki L. Jeanne Cleveland
Vikki's Note (19 Jun 2004): I have read a whole lot of copy on Sandy Koufax over the years. Most biographies were disappointing because they did little more than regurgitate baseball stats and facts that any Sandy Koufax fan already knew. Most of us know what an extremely private person Sandy is. He didn't even want this book to be written. However, Jane Leavy was a *persistent* lady, who was subsequently given permission to talk to many of Sandy's friends, who would never have spoken about him without his permission. Sandy inspires that kind of loyalty. *Finally* here is a biography that tells me something more about the gentleman who was my first sports hero. Those who have met him and those (like me) who have only watched from a distance seem to have at least one "Koufax memory" that is wrapped within cozy nostalgia for the way things used to be. Thank, you, Jane Leavy. Like Sandy, you help us remember.
Interview Between Jane Leavy and PBS's Terence Smith Audio of Interview Between Jane Leavy and Only a Game's Bill Littlefield Buy Jane Leavy's Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy here!
Sandy Koufax Photo Gallery Sandy Koufax Baseball Card Images Sandy Koufax Memorabilia Sandy Koufax Returns to His Alma Mater (University of Cincinnati) “Koufax’s Dominance Was Short but Sweet” by Larry Schwartz : “Sandy Koufax Had Hall-of-Fame Pitching Career” by Rob Olds “Yom Kippur and Sandy Koufax” by Sandor Slomovits “Sandy Koufax: A Baseball Legend” by Seymour “Sy” Brody “Koufax Unfairly Blindsided by Shoddy Journalism” by Hubert Mizell “Sandy Koufax Signs with Steiner” “A Pitcher and a Mentsh” by Jonathan Tobin "A Tribute to My Hero" by Molly “Koufax Returns to Dodgertown” (Associated Press) “Koufax Visits Dodgers Camp” by Jason Reid 1965 Perfect Game Report Vin Scully's Radio Call ~ 9th Inning of Sandy Koufax's Perfect Game (Transcript) Audio of Vin Scully's Call “A Half Century Announcer Announces the All-Century Team” by Ben Platt Koufax Quotations More Koufax Quotations
Baseball Historian BaseballLibrary.com BaseballPage.com Baseball Reference CNN/SI Pitching Stats Hall of Fame Biography Hickok Sports Walter O’Malley’s Official Web Site Wikipedia
Other graphics courtesy of Youth Leagues Copyright 2000-2006 by Vikki L. Jeanne Cleveland
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Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy by Jane Leavy ~ 