this was when everyone loved the dodgers. they really were americas teams. to think in the early 1960's to have black starting players a 3rd base, ss, catcher, LF, CF.... oh, and a pretty good Jewish pitcher...
@WizzoPro9476 Life is better now because things were so outdated an plain back then. I'd prefer today than back then. It was so easy to be bored back then I can tell because even the 1980's was like that so i can only imagine what it was like back then.
@BonhamRox I can tell you that they weren't having as much fun back then as they do today. Back then you had to make your own fun and pretend alot. Today you don't have to because there is so much to do.
If Koufax was overworked, its a testament to him and his durability that he was able to win as many games as he did in those 5 years. Being overworked, as some stated, at any given point...he, like any overworked pitcher, could have collapsed in terms of performance and wins.
Not to mention the faith his teammates and coaches had in him.
In the early to mid-60's, Koufax had as great a skein of years as anyone ever.
The only Dodger fan in my class in '63 and probably the whole school. What a great present from the Bums that year. I have a Koufax collection in a glass case that includes all of his Topps cards including a near mint rookie.
@garybrownfie That is very impressive, having all those Koufax baseball cards. I started collecting 1967 so I never had a Koufax card. I had Mantle and Mays and all the rest of the superstars. They were lost in the shoe boxes they were kept in when we moved. One of my greatest regrets.
The Dodgers getting swepts by the Orioles in 1966 was almost as unexpected as the Yankees being swept by the Dodgers. The times they were a changing. Who would believe by the end of the decade man would walk on the moon and the Mets would be world champs?
Koufax would not have been as effective if he had still played when baseball extended the distance from the pitchers mound to the plate 10 feet, and lowered the mound. He was great, but for only 5 seasons. The greatest pitcher of that era was Juan Marichial in my opinion.
@NkrumahTure The mound was the same distance from the plate when Koufax played as it is today. Koufax didn't play THAT long ago! Where did you get the idea it was 50 feet from home plate in the 60's?
@jln55: Correction, the mound was actually lowered after the 1968 season. Still, Koufax wouldn't have been as effective if he pitched after the mound was lowered. And, he only had 5 great seasons, not an entire career. Bob Gibson and Juan Marichial had better overall careers than Koufax had.
@NkrumahTure Over the top vertical pitch. I know, I pitched the same. Koufax destroyed his arm doing it. That all said, Hank Aaron called his Curveball "un-hittable", said he was the one pitcher he hated to face (if he says that you have to think about it). In that short time of his carear he threw 4 no-hit games in 4 years, ending it with a perfect game in 1965. Yes, Nolan Ryan threw 7 no-hit games (one which I witnessed for the Angels), but Koufax was about as as good as it gets.
@mgwilliams1000 I believe Koufax hurt his elbrow the next season on a hard tag at second base. Koufax was out a third of the season and developed what was call traumatic arthritis. Everytime he pitched, his elbow and arm would swell up to twice it's size. He conitnued to pitch in constant pain and heavily medicated. The condition eventually threatened the circulation in his arm and he was force to retire rather than risk loosing it.
@Nestor123057 Yes, you are right about that. Good baseball knowledge, I had forgtten about that play. I still think his pitching method helped end his career, and he never talks about it much to this day. I threw this way (was taught to me) at highschool varsity level. Could throw a slow 12-6 curve that nobody could hit. Never pursued a pro career (was scouted), joined the Navy instead. My arm and elbow still gives me problems today at age 53.
@mgwilliams1000 Hardly anyone throws directly overhand these days because of the strain on the arm. Three quarters seems to be the way to go. The last great pitcher I remember throwing that way was Jim Palmer. He just happened to oppose Koufax the last game Koufax pitched.
@Nestor123057 Yep. Orioles beat my Dodgers... 66? Now that was one hell of a good young pitching staff. 4 or 5 20 game winners? Reminded me of last year's Giants team.
@Nestor123057 That's been a sad part of Dodger tradition in over using their pitching staff. They were treated like horses in that if they came up lame there would always be a replacement.
@graciemaemarie11 : 1.12 ERA, Gibson. Koufax never had an earned run average that low in any of his 5 great seasons. I cannot put Koufax over Gibson nor Marichial.
@NkrumahTure bullshit in 68 hell, even tiants era was almost as good as gibson, who had more strikeouts? koufax in 65 or gibson in 68? or marichal in any year? what was gibsons record in 67? koufax in 5 years was the god of pitching,more so's, complete games, btw, koufax had 4 no hitters, how many did marichal have? how many did gibson have? no, sandy is the best... then, grove, walter johnson, tom seaver, jim palmer, whitey ford, then, maybe marichal...
@graciemaemarie11 : And I'll tell you something else you won't like, Vida Blue in 1971 threw harder than Koufax did in any of his 5 great too many appearances pitching years. Now I know that little fact pisses you off a little. But its true.
@NkrumahTure : Look...Tiant has nothing to do with the discussion, I can't believe you even mentioned him. But you're actually making my point. Koufax's 5 years, yeah. That's the point, only 5 great years, and no more.The fact remains that he never had the 1.12 ERA that Gibson had in his 5 great overworked pitching years.
I keep hearing about how the "older" fans talk about baseball when they were young, well, that was then, this is NOW, & baseball is still going strong regardless of how people like to bash the sport today. I still enjoy the game. You guys think baseball is "ruined" and all that crap, NO it is not. Today's fans probably wouldn't dig baseball back in the '60s because how was it exciting back then when they were only 2 teams running away with their respective pennants, how was this exciting??
@ckendall67 I don't need to hear the older fans gripe about how they think baseball today is so bad, & how baseball back in the '60s was better. You're too busy still living in the '60s, guess what, it's 2010 now & baseball is still being played regardless of how much you hate the sport today. People are still interested in it, although today's fans are constantly drowned out by the cynical, pessimistic, angry, old folks who constantly crap on the sport today. Get over it already!
Sandy was the greatest Jew since Jesus! (LOL) I grew up watching this man's all too brief career, There was never anyone better! He's still my favorite player of all time!
As Yogi Berra said after the Yankees were swept in four straight games, "I can understand how he (Koufax) won 25 games. What I can't understand, is how did he lose the other 5?!!" Just think what Koufax could have done as a pitcher if his arm was healthy and he didn't have to retire after the 1966 season!
Speaking of Joe Pepitone, in 1968, Mantle asked McLain to groove one for him, so he could go into 3rd place in HR's. Denny did, and Mickey did. Joe was up next, and asked McLain to groove one for him too. McLain knocked him down, LOL. Joe got up and then hit a single.
@Scoclamor Joe Pepitone really brings back memories. I remember seeing him in person after New York had traded him to the Astros. We lived east of Houston, in Louisiana and every summer we'd go to a few games at the Dome.
Yankees couldn't have pitched much better. Bouton gives up 4 hits in game 3 and loses 1-0, Ford pitches a two-hitter and loses 2-1. Drysdale and Koufax were just better.
Sorry, But back then we had a lot of fun being there and watching the game. We didn't need obnoxious music constantly going every inning!
spudwas 1 month ago
this was when everyone loved the dodgers. they really were americas teams. to think in the early 1960's to have black starting players a 3rd base, ss, catcher, LF, CF.... oh, and a pretty good Jewish pitcher...
MMSMikey 3 months ago
Life was so much simpler back then!
WizzoPro9476 5 months ago
@WizzoPro9476 Life is better now because things were so outdated an plain back then. I'd prefer today than back then. It was so easy to be bored back then I can tell because even the 1980's was like that so i can only imagine what it was like back then.
MaxxRedSox 3 months ago
@MaxxRedSox That's probably the most immature statement I have ever read on the Internet.
BonhamRox 2 months ago
@BonhamRox It's not ignorant it is fact. The old days are the boring days!
MaxxRedSox 2 months ago
@MaxxRedSox Yeah. So everyone on Earth was bored for the past 10,000 years up until the 1990's. You're brilliant.
BonhamRox 2 months ago
@BonhamRox I can tell you that they weren't having as much fun back then as they do today. Back then you had to make your own fun and pretend alot. Today you don't have to because there is so much to do.
MaxxRedSox 2 months ago
If Koufax was overworked, its a testament to him and his durability that he was able to win as many games as he did in those 5 years. Being overworked, as some stated, at any given point...he, like any overworked pitcher, could have collapsed in terms of performance and wins.
Not to mention the faith his teammates and coaches had in him.
In the early to mid-60's, Koufax had as great a skein of years as anyone ever.
Did it in the age of the home run.
HowBrownPhiladelphia 5 months ago
The only Dodger fan in my class in '63 and probably the whole school. What a great present from the Bums that year. I have a Koufax collection in a glass case that includes all of his Topps cards including a near mint rookie.
garybrownfie 6 months ago
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@garybrownfie That is very impressive, having all those Koufax baseball cards. I started collecting 1967 so I never had a Koufax card. I had Mantle and Mays and all the rest of the superstars. They were lost in the shoe boxes they were kept in when we moved. One of my greatest regrets.
Nestor123057 6 months ago
great to see the zogs get swept
graciemaemarie11 6 months ago
The Dodgers getting swepts by the Orioles in 1966 was almost as unexpected as the Yankees being swept by the Dodgers. The times they were a changing. Who would believe by the end of the decade man would walk on the moon and the Mets would be world champs?
Nestor123057 6 months ago
Koufax would not have been as effective if he had still played when baseball extended the distance from the pitchers mound to the plate 10 feet, and lowered the mound. He was great, but for only 5 seasons. The greatest pitcher of that era was Juan Marichial in my opinion.
NkrumahTure 7 months ago
@NkrumahTure The mound was the same distance from the plate when Koufax played as it is today. Koufax didn't play THAT long ago! Where did you get the idea it was 50 feet from home plate in the 60's?
jln55 7 months ago
@jln55: Correction, the mound was actually lowered after the 1968 season. Still, Koufax wouldn't have been as effective if he pitched after the mound was lowered. And, he only had 5 great seasons, not an entire career. Bob Gibson and Juan Marichial had better overall careers than Koufax had.
NkrumahTure 7 months ago
@NkrumahTure Over the top vertical pitch. I know, I pitched the same. Koufax destroyed his arm doing it. That all said, Hank Aaron called his Curveball "un-hittable", said he was the one pitcher he hated to face (if he says that you have to think about it). In that short time of his carear he threw 4 no-hit games in 4 years, ending it with a perfect game in 1965. Yes, Nolan Ryan threw 7 no-hit games (one which I witnessed for the Angels), but Koufax was about as as good as it gets.
mgwilliams1000 7 months ago
@mgwilliams1000 I believe Koufax hurt his elbrow the next season on a hard tag at second base. Koufax was out a third of the season and developed what was call traumatic arthritis. Everytime he pitched, his elbow and arm would swell up to twice it's size. He conitnued to pitch in constant pain and heavily medicated. The condition eventually threatened the circulation in his arm and he was force to retire rather than risk loosing it.
Nestor123057 6 months ago
@Nestor123057 Yes, you are right about that. Good baseball knowledge, I had forgtten about that play. I still think his pitching method helped end his career, and he never talks about it much to this day. I threw this way (was taught to me) at highschool varsity level. Could throw a slow 12-6 curve that nobody could hit. Never pursued a pro career (was scouted), joined the Navy instead. My arm and elbow still gives me problems today at age 53.
mgwilliams1000 6 months ago
@mgwilliams1000 Hardly anyone throws directly overhand these days because of the strain on the arm. Three quarters seems to be the way to go. The last great pitcher I remember throwing that way was Jim Palmer. He just happened to oppose Koufax the last game Koufax pitched.
Nestor123057 6 months ago
@Nestor123057 Yep. Orioles beat my Dodgers... 66? Now that was one hell of a good young pitching staff. 4 or 5 20 game winners? Reminded me of last year's Giants team.
mgwilliams1000 6 months ago
@Nestor123057 That's been a sad part of Dodger tradition in over using their pitching staff. They were treated like horses in that if they came up lame there would always be a replacement.
garybrownfie 6 months ago
@garybrownfie actually, that should be mules instead of horses.
garybrownfie 6 months ago
@NkrumahTure you full of itsandy best ever he had stats that blew them all away. he was in pain, and if wasnt he would have otherworldly stats
graciemaemarie11 6 months ago
@graciemaemarie11 : 1.12 ERA, Gibson. Koufax never had an earned run average that low in any of his 5 great seasons. I cannot put Koufax over Gibson nor Marichial.
NkrumahTure 6 months ago
@NkrumahTure bullshit in 68 hell, even tiants era was almost as good as gibson, who had more strikeouts? koufax in 65 or gibson in 68? or marichal in any year? what was gibsons record in 67? koufax in 5 years was the god of pitching,more so's, complete games, btw, koufax had 4 no hitters, how many did marichal have? how many did gibson have? no, sandy is the best... then, grove, walter johnson, tom seaver, jim palmer, whitey ford, then, maybe marichal...
graciemaemarie11 5 months ago
@graciemaemarie11 : And I'll tell you something else you won't like, Vida Blue in 1971 threw harder than Koufax did in any of his 5 great too many appearances pitching years. Now I know that little fact pisses you off a little. But its true.
NkrumahTure 5 months ago
Koufax should've had all those wins in the 60's, hell... He started more games than the rest of them in the same era. He was overworked anyway.
NkrumahTure 5 months ago
@NkrumahTure : Look...Tiant has nothing to do with the discussion, I can't believe you even mentioned him. But you're actually making my point. Koufax's 5 years, yeah. That's the point, only 5 great years, and no more.The fact remains that he never had the 1.12 ERA that Gibson had in his 5 great overworked pitching years.
NkrumahTure 5 months ago
Every generation has their Heroes!Someday people will be talking about how great baseball was back in the old days*2011)
hobbybunker1 8 months ago
Mickey was the best
morrieswigs 9 months ago
I keep hearing about how the "older" fans talk about baseball when they were young, well, that was then, this is NOW, & baseball is still going strong regardless of how people like to bash the sport today. I still enjoy the game. You guys think baseball is "ruined" and all that crap, NO it is not. Today's fans probably wouldn't dig baseball back in the '60s because how was it exciting back then when they were only 2 teams running away with their respective pennants, how was this exciting??
ckendall67 1 year ago
@ckendall67 I don't need to hear the older fans gripe about how they think baseball today is so bad, & how baseball back in the '60s was better. You're too busy still living in the '60s, guess what, it's 2010 now & baseball is still being played regardless of how much you hate the sport today. People are still interested in it, although today's fans are constantly drowned out by the cynical, pessimistic, angry, old folks who constantly crap on the sport today. Get over it already!
ckendall67 1 year ago
Pitching, pitching, pitching...throw in some defense and some clutch hitting and you've got a champion like the Dodgers.
ChrisDutch 1 year ago
Great stuff,, Baseball of my youth. Loved it . Steroids and greed -to much expansion spoiled it all for me . To bad.
habdon 1 year ago
Sandy was the greatest Jew since Jesus! (LOL) I grew up watching this man's all too brief career, There was never anyone better! He's still my favorite player of all time!
Bats1951 1 year ago
*sigh* this is when baseball was BASEBALL and the yankees were THE yankees
Gomorrah0 1 year ago
As Yogi Berra said after the Yankees were swept in four straight games, "I can understand how he (Koufax) won 25 games. What I can't understand, is how did he lose the other 5?!!" Just think what Koufax could have done as a pitcher if his arm was healthy and he didn't have to retire after the 1966 season!
keca1430 1 year ago
Wow....Koufax was the man in 1963: 25-5 1.88 ERA 306 K's. NL MVP and World Series MVP.
cuznvinnie818 1 year ago
Speaking of Joe Pepitone, in 1968, Mantle asked McLain to groove one for him, so he could go into 3rd place in HR's. Denny did, and Mickey did. Joe was up next, and asked McLain to groove one for him too. McLain knocked him down, LOL. Joe got up and then hit a single.
What a year 1968 was. I'll never forget it.
dahur 1 year ago
Nothing better than sweeping the Yankees.
OCdodgerfan88 1 year ago
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rayjr62 1 year ago
Damn, that Mantle was fast!
loughran03 1 year ago
7:05 That's just how amazing Koufax was. You could hit a home run off him like the Mick did and then look awful on the called 3rd strike.
bostonredsox49 1 year ago 2
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engnr1 1 year ago
I'd love to see the television coverage of the 63 Series. Does it still exist? I know that NBC covered it.
TheTweeter53 1 year ago
@TheTweeter53 Sadly, No
brmacneil1 1 year ago
WOW---- Drysdale vs. Mantle and more! What a tremendous video! Thanks 4 sharing.
3443bh 1 year ago
Poor Joe Pepitone...almost ties game 3, then (before I even watch the next game) losses the ball in the white shirts in game 4!
Scoclamor 1 year ago
@Scoclamor Joe Pepitone really brings back memories. I remember seeing him in person after New York had traded him to the Astros. We lived east of Houston, in Louisiana and every summer we'd go to a few games at the Dome.
ridgerunner721601 1 year ago
Yankees couldn't have pitched much better. Bouton gives up 4 hits in game 3 and loses 1-0, Ford pitches a two-hitter and loses 2-1. Drysdale and Koufax were just better.
markko17 1 year ago
Great stuff, thanks. Too bad though that one episode seems to be missing. Nevertheless, it's great to see this classic stuff.
corkbender 1 year ago
Thank you for posting; Great Stuff !
kirbycol4 2 years ago