The
next “Turn Back the Clock” card in the thread celebrates and remembers
the third and final Cy Young Award for the Dodgers great pitcher Sandy
Koufax, who put in yet another dominating season on the mound, but soon
had to walk away because of arm trouble:
Koufax was unstoppable yet again in 1966, posting an incredible 27-9
record along with a 1.72 earned run average and 317 strikeouts in 41
starts, along with five shutouts and 27 complete games.
Along with an easy Cy Young Award, giving him an unprecedented third
such claim to baseball’s top pitching prize, he finished second to the
Pirates’ Roberto Clemente for league MVP.
It was the fifth season in a row that Koufax over-powered National
League batters, leading the league in ERA each and every time, along
with THREE 25+ win & 300+ strikeout campaigns.
But sadly and shockingly, Koufax would have to retire at the top of his
game because of recurring arm problems that could have left him without
the use of his left arm the rest of his life.
Rather than suffer long-term injury, Koufax left the game and many of us
to wonder so many “what-if’s” had he been able to continue on into the
1970’s.