Celebrating the Anniversary of Sandy Koufax's Perfect Game

By Paul M. Banks

Sandy Koufax has a unique place in the hearts and minds of baseball fans. Unlike most of the icons of baseball's golden age, he left by his own volition just as he was hitting his prime. When Koufax walked away in 1966 at the age of 31, he may not have been at the peak; he was probably still ascending. In his final season, he set or tied career highs in wins (27), ERA (1.73), complete games (27), and starts (41), adding 317 strikeouts en route to a pitching triple crown.

In his penultimate season of 1965, he led the sport in wins (26), ERA (2.04), winning percentage (.765), complete games (27), shutouts (7) and strikeouts (382, a baseball record until by Nolan Ryan struck out 383 in 1973). And on Sept. 9 of that year, he achieved perfection.

Koufax's perfect game was to his body of work what "Guernica" is for Pablo Picasso. It was Koufax's fourth no-hitter and the eighth perfecto in baseball history. As we celebrate the 55th anniversary today, take a listen to broadcasting legend Vin Scully calling the bottom of the ninth:

Hearing Scully's play-by-play, describing fans "seeing the pitches with their heart," makes you feel like you're one of the 29,139 in attendance, at a still-young Dodger Stadium against the Chicago Cubs. Koufax struck out the last six men he faced, with Harvey Kuenn pinch-hitting for opposing pitcher Bob Hendley making the final out.

According to "Every Cub Ever" by Rick Kaempfer, Kuenn "will always be remembered in Milwaukee for leading the Brewers to an American League pennant." Catching the final out that night was Jeff Torborg, who went on to win the 1990 AL Manager of the Year award while leading the Chicago White Sox. Playing second base behind Koufax that night was Jim Lefebvre, who would go on to manage the Cubs.

In addition to all the future managers, there was also a ton of talent on the field that night. While the '65 Cubs were a pedestrian bunch, their lineup contained the nucleus of the '69 squad that is easily one of the top five most beloved teams in Cubs history. Koufax faced three future Hall of Famers — three times each — in first baseman and Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Billy Williams.

On Koufax's side was shortstop Maury Wills, an MVP and seven-time All-Star. The Dodgers lineup also included four more players who would earn at least one All-Star nod among Lefebrve, Ron Fairly, Willie Davis, and Jim Gilliam. The only run the hosts scored that night was unearned.

September 9, 1965: Sandy Koufax holds up four balls with zeros on them, one for each of his no-hitters.Photo byWikimedia Commons

The game holds the record for the fewest baserunners in a perfect game (both teams), with two. Hendley, in just his fifth-ever major league decision, was masterful as well, but overshadowed for obvious reasons.

Interestingly enough, it took exactly a half-century to see the Cubs get no-hit again, when the Philadelphia Phillies' Cole Hamels — later a Cub himself — no-hit them on July 25, 2015. The Cubs had gone the longest of any team, 7,920 games, without having a no-hitter pitched against them.

It was known throughout the league that Koufax regularly telegraphed his pitches, but it didn't matter because he was simply that dominant. "Actually, he would let you look at it," said Willie Mays. "And you still couldn't hit it."

Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”