Here’s my piece for Sports on Earth on Clayton Kershaw, Sandy Koufax and Opening Day 2013.
Kershaw is 11th all-time in career strikeouts before turning 25. Feliz Hernandez is the only other pitcher since 1990 on the list.
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Anonymous
Wonderful piece, Jon. And what a great opening day experience, from stem to stern!
Anonymous
Having seen both, I dont think the comparisons are exaggerated. I think Sandy threw a bit harder, but Clayton is a better hitter (though I recall seeing Sandy homer off Warren Spahn in Milwaukee, in a TV game). Sandy was a RH hitter, by the way.
Anonymous
All 2 of Koufax’s career HR’s were hit in Milwaukee.
The one off Spahn was in 1962 on Wednesday June 13th in a 2-1 complete game win. The Koufax homer made the score 2-0.
Looking at the road trip, it started after a Sunday DH in LA. The team traveled to NY to meet the Mets who were playing in their first season, not on Tuesday but for a Memorial Day DH on Wednesday May 30. This was before Memorial day became the last Monday in May. In the DH opener, Koufax, in the manner of the time, pitched a complete game even though the Dodgers were leading 10-0 in the 4th and 12-3 after 5. He faced 43 batters as he gave up 13 hits and walked 3. He struck out 10 so he must have thrown quite a few pitches. Sandy then got 4 days off, next appearing in a 5 game series in Philadelphia. There was another DH for the Dodgers on Friday plus single games the next 3 days. Sandy pitched his 4th complete game in a row, a win, in the get-away on Monday. On Tuesday, they had another DH this time in Pittsburgh. The second game of the DH was suspended in the top of the 9th with the Dodgers ahead 7-3 behind 8 innings from Drysdale. Koufax finished the bottom of the 9th inning the next day on Wednesday. After the start on Monday and the 9th inning on Wednesday, Sandy started on Friday vs the Houston Colt 45’s also in their first season, He came out in the 6th leading 2-1. I can’t tell why-perhaps he was tired. He gave up 2 hits and 3 walks but struck out 6. Eddie Roebuck relieved; let in the tying run charged to Sandy plus another run but the Dodgers won in the 13th on a walk to Wills, steals of 2nd and 3rd and a SF by Willie Davis. Larry Sherry pitched the last 4 1/3 innings for the win. Sandy then had another 4 days off before the Wednesday game in Milwaukee mentioned by WBB. Then another 4 days off until back in LA he beat Bob Gibson 1-0 in a complete game on a walk-off HR by Tommy Davis.
KT
Hope they paid you well for that article…beautifully written
On another note are you going to start having game threads again?
Jon Weisman
I had one yesterday … but because of my absence, I’m not sure I have the audience anymore to justify having a separate game chat thread.
KT
No one knows if you are going to write them or not. I didn’t and forgot to check. I’ll put out the word.
Jon Weisman
NPUT
Anonymous
Best opening day in a LONG time. Felt like a little kid again.