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80-555: The hospital first opened in 1890. In 2006, much of the nursing staff went on strike after the union and hospital were unable to reach an agreement over a reduction in benefits and pensions. Temporary nurses were brought in. While in high school, baseball pitcher Rob Kaminsky raised over $ 30,000 through his Strikeout Challenge charity for the pediatric cancer ward at Englewood Hospital, as he asked supporters to donate whatever amount they chose for each strikeout he recorded in his senior year in 2013. On October 15, 2019, HMH announced

160-492: A civil litigator for Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith in New York City. He has two older siblings, Joseph and Anna, and his grandfather is Bernard Kaminsky. Kaminsky is Jewish, and his bar mitzvah was based on a baseball theme. His boyhood hero was left-handed pitcher Sandy Koufax , and he said Koufax "stood up for what he believed in" when Koufax decided not to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it

240-655: A double play to end the bases-loaded threat and picking up another strikeout in a perfect sixth. Koufax's first start was on July 6, the second game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates . He lasted only 4.2 innings, giving up eight walks. He did not start again for almost two months. On August 27, Koufax threw a two-hit, 7–0 complete game shutout against the Cincinnati Redlegs for his first major league win. He struck out 14 batters and allowed only two hits. His only other win in 1955

320-552: A pitching coach in the Dodgers' farm system; he resigned from the position in 1990 but continues to make informal appearances during spring training . From 2013 to 2015, Koufax worked in an executive position for the Dodgers, as special advisor to chairman Mark Walter . In 1999, he was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team . His number 32 was retired by the Dodgers in 1972 and he

400-448: A three-game playoff . With an overworked pitching staff, manager Alston asked Koufax if he could start the first game. Koufax obliged but, still being rusty, was knocked out in the second inning, after giving up home runs to Willie Mays and Jim Davenport . After winning the second game of the series, the Dodgers blew a 4–2 lead in the ninth inning of the deciding third game, losing the pennant. In 1963, Major League Baseball expanded

480-541: A $ 14,000 signing bonus – and not to officially sign until after the season ended, with Irving Koufax and owner Walter O'Malley making a handshake commitment. Returning to university, Koufax also had a tryout with the Milwaukee Braves after which general manager John Quinn made him a $ 30,000 offer. Having already committed to signing with the Dodgers, Koufax turned down the Braves' offer. He also turned down

560-680: A 1.013 WHIP (9th among Cardinals minor leaguers). He was named a Baseball America Low–A All Star, and Scout named him the best left-handed starter in the Cardinals' minor league system. On July 30, 2015, the Cardinals traded Kaminsky to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for outfielder/first baseman Brandon Moss . At the time, MLB.com ranked Kaminsky the No. 3 prospect in the St. Louis organization, and 88th overall, and Scout ranked him

640-548: A 13-inning contest against the Chicago Cubs for his 18th win of the year. He pitched a complete game, throwing 205 pitches, striking out fifteen batters. In 1962, the Dodgers moved from the Los Angeles Coliseum – a football stadium which had a 250-foot (75 m) left-field line and a 40-foot (10 m) tall screen – to Dodger Stadium . The new park was pitcher-friendly, with a large foul territory and

720-532: A 2.30 ERA in 31 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings, and for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers , for whom Kaminsky was 1-0 with a 5.11 ERA in 24 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings. Kaminsky elected minor league free agency on November 4, 2019. The day he became a minor league free agent, the Cardinals made him an offer. On December 12, 2019, Kaminsky signed a minor league deal with the St. Louis Cardinals , and

800-434: A 4.91 earned run average, 29 walks and 30 strikeouts. When Koufax allowed baserunners, he was rarely permitted to finish the inning. Teammate Joe Pignatano remarked, years later, that as soon as Koufax threw a couple of balls in a row, Walter Alston would signal for a replacement to start warming up in the bullpen. Notably, teammates Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella both clashed with Alston on Koufax's usage, noting

880-536: A 6.75 ERA with 5 strikeouts across 6 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings pitched. On June 17, 2024, Kaminsky signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners . On November 6, he elected free agency. Kaminsky played for the Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic . Sandy Koufax Sanford Koufax ( / ˈ k oʊ f æ k s / ; né Braun ; born December 30, 1935), nicknamed "

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960-405: A ball, how to hold a runner on base, or even pitching signs, later saying, "The only signs I knew were one finger for fastball and two for a curve , and here there were five or six signs." His lack of minor league experience meant Koufax never fully mastered all aspects of the game and took a lot longer to develop as a pitcher. Having injured his ankle in the last week of spring training, Koufax

1040-557: A belated offer from the Pirates, promising him $ 5,000 more than what the Dodgers did. Koufax officially signed with his hometown team on December 14, 1954. At the time of Koufax's signing, the bonus rule implemented by Major League Baseball was still in effect, stipulating that if a major league team signed a player to a contract with a signing bonus in excess of $ 4,000 ($ 55,000 today), they were required to keep them on their 25-man active roster for two full seasons. In compliance with

1120-474: A few games before signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers at age 19. Due to the bonus rule he signed under, Koufax never pitched the minor leagues . His lack of pitching experience caused manager Walter Alston to distrust Koufax, who saw inconsistent playing time during his first six seasons. As a result, though he often showed flashes of brilliance, Koufax struggled early on. Frustrated with the way he

1200-605: A few local titles with the community center team. Attending Lafayette High School , Koufax would become the basketball team's captain in his senior year. That year, he ranked second in his division in scoring, averaging 16.5 points per game. He made newspaper headlines for the first time when, during a preseason exhibition game between the Lafayette basketball team and the New York Knicks , he dunked twice and showed up Knicks star Harry Gallatin . In 1951, Koufax joined

1280-489: A few times. He was also urged by Pat Auletta, the owner of a sporting goods store and founder of the Coney Island Sports League, to see Koufax pitch. Campanis arranged a tryout for him at Ebbets Field . With Dodgers manager Walter Alston and scouting director Fresco Thompson watching, Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing; he later said, "There are two times in my life

1360-573: A local youth baseball league known as the "Ice Cream League", playing for the Tomahawks. He started out as a left-handed catcher before moving to first base . He joined Lafayette's baseball team as a first baseman in his senior year at the urging of his friend Fred Wilpon . While with the high school team, he was spotted by Milt Laurie, a newspaper deliveryman and baseball coach who was the father of two Lafayette baseball players. Laurie noticed Koufax's strong throwing arm and recruited him to pitch for

1440-482: A major-league curveball right now." While in high school, Kaminsky raised over $ 30,000 through his Strikeout Challenge charity for the pediatric cancer ward at Englewood Hospital , as he asked supporters to donate whatever amount they chose for each strikeout he recorded in his senior year. Kaminsky was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals at the age of 18 in the first round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft , 28th overall, after Baseball America ranked him

1520-563: A merger with Englewood Health, a healthcare provider in Bergen County. HMH agreed to invest $ 400 million into the facility. The merger is currently pending approval from the Federal Trade Commission and New Jersey state officials. The investment included new operating rooms, additional outpatient care facilities and larger cardiac catheterization labs. The affiliation also included an expanded academic partnership with

1600-463: A pitch. A numbness soon developed in his left index finger and it slowly turned cold and pale. Due to his strong performance, Koufax ignored the condition, hoping it would clear up in due time. The condition worsened, however, with his whole hand turning numb by July. During a start against Cincinnati, his finger split open. A vascular specialist determined that Koufax had a crushed artery in his palm. Ten days of experimental medicine successfully reopened

1680-517: A point to report to spring training under his playing weight. During spring training, Dodger scout Kenny Myers discovered a hitch in Koufax's windup, where he would rear back so far he would lose sight of the target. As a result, Koufax tightened up his mechanics, believing that not only would it help better his control but would also help him disguise his pitches better. Additionally, Dodgers statistician Allan Roth helped Koufax tweak his game in

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1760-584: A previous marriage. Shortly afterwards, the family moved to the Long Island suburb of Rockville Centre . They moved back to Brooklyn in June 1949, the day after Koufax graduated from ninth grade, settling in the neighborhood of Bensonhurst . As a youth, Koufax was better known for basketball than for baseball. He had started playing it at the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst , winning

1840-508: A proposal to extend the Hudson Bergen Light Rail into eastern Bergen County. ( Englewood Route 4 and Englewood Town Center would be stops in the city.) It has also been identified as a terminal of the proposed Bergen BRT system. 40°54′17″N 73°58′01″W  /  40.904857°N 73.967068°W  / 40.904857; -73.967068 Rob Kaminsky Robert Harris Kaminsky (born September 2, 1994)

1920-558: A relatively poor hitting background. Koufax, whose numbers were hurt by the peculiar dimensions of the Coliseum, was an immediate beneficiary of the move. Subsequently, he recorded what would be his first great season, leading the NL in ERA and the majors in hits per nine innings , strikeouts per nine innings , and FIP. On April 24, Koufax tied his own record of 18 strikeouts in a 10–2 win over

2000-528: A scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers , sent the team a glowing report that was seemingly filed away and forgotten. Gene Bonnibeau, a scout for the New York Giants , learned of Koufax through a Cincinnati newspaper and invited him to try out at the Polo Grounds after his freshman year. The workout did not go well for the nervous Koufax who threw wildly over the catcher's head; he never heard back from

2080-472: A single working parent, he spent most of his childhood with his maternal grandparents and spent his summers at Camp Chi-Wan-Da, a Jewish summer camp in Ulster Park, New York , where his mother worked as a bookkeeper . Evelyn, a certified public accountant, remarried when her son was nine to Irving Koufax, an attorney, whose name Sandy took. Koufax also gained a stepsister, Edith, Irving's daughter from

2160-540: A tryout before the Pirates' front office. Upon seeing Koufax pitch in person, Rickey remarked, "This is the greatest arm I've ever seen." The Pirates, however, failed to offer Koufax a contract until after he was already committed to the Dodgers. Al Campanis , a Dodgers scout, heard about Koufax from sportswriter Jimmy Murphy of the Brooklyn Eagle who covered sandlot teams in Brooklyn and had seen him pitch

2240-629: A two-hit shutout win against the Houston Colt .45s , becoming the first NL pitcher and the second pitcher ever (after Lefty Grove ) to throw two immaculate innings. However, on April 23, he left a game against the Braves after throwing seven scoreless innings due to injuring the posterior capsule of his left shoulder. Koufax subsequently missed two weeks, returning on May 7 against the Cardinals . Koufax threw his second career no-hitter against

2320-624: Is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals . In high school, Kaminsky was the Gatorade New Jersey Baseball Player of the Year in both 2012 and 2013, named to the 2012 USA Today All-USA Team , and a 2013 Baseball America Preseason First Team All-American. In his senior year in 2013, he

2400-518: The Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field . On June 13, against the Braves at Milwaukee County Stadium , he hit his first career home run off future Hall of Famer Warren Spahn , providing the winning margin in a 2–1 victory. On June 30, Koufax threw his first career no-hitter against the expansion New York Mets ; it was also the first Dodgers no-hitter since their move to Los Angeles. In the first inning, he threw an immaculate inning , becoming

2480-616: The Coney Island Sports League's Parkviews. Koufax chose to attend the University of Cincinnati after becoming a walk-on for their freshman basketball team. Playing under coach Ed Jucker , he averaged 9.7 points per game. As a student, he was enrolled in a liberal arts major with the intention of transferring to the architectural school , and was a member of Pi Lambda Phi , a historically Jewish fraternity. One day, Koufax overheard Jucker, who also coached

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2560-646: The Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball for the Criollos de Caguas . For the Criollos, Koufax compiled a record of 3–6 with a 4.35 earned run average and 76 strikeouts in 64.2 innings pitched. Two of his wins were shutouts , including a one-hitter and a two-hitter, with Roberto Clemente getting both hits against him in the latter, his last game in Puerto Rico before being released. Besides

2640-494: The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine . The merger enabled Englewood to become a tertiary academic medical center. The merger is set to be complete within a year. In December 2020, it was announced that the Federal Trade Commission would be suing HMH to block the merger due to monopolistic practices. In 2013, the center was identified as the location of the terminus of Northern Branch Corridor Project ,

2720-435: The Milwaukee Braves , with the Dodgers trailing 7–1 in the fifth inning. Johnny Logan , the first batter Koufax faced, hit a bloop single. Eddie Mathews bunted back to the mound, and Koufax threw the ball into center field. He then walked Henry Aaron on four pitches to load the bases before striking out Bobby Thomson on a 3–2 fastball for his first career strikeout. Koufax ended up pitching two scoreless innings, inducing

2800-491: The San Francisco Giants on May 11, besting Giants ace Juan Marichal . He carried a perfect game into the eighth inning against the powerful Giants lineup which included future Hall of Famers Willie Mays , Willie McCovey , and Orlando Cepeda . The perfect game ended when he walked catcher Ed Bailey on a full count. Koufax closed out the game after walking pinch-hitter McCovey on four pitches with two out in

2880-648: The San Francisco Giants , he broke Dizzy Dean 's NL single-game record of 17 strikeouts and tied Bob Feller 's Major League record of 18. That season, the Dodgers won a tight pennant race against the Giants and the Milwaukee Braves . They faced the Chicago White Sox in the World Series . In his first World Series appearance, Koufax pitched two perfect relief innings in Game 1, though they came after

2960-538: The Seattle Mariners organization. Pitching for the Double-A Arkansas Travelers in 2022, he was 3-1 with one save, a 4.91 ERA, and 39 strikeouts across 39 relief appearances covering 36 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings. Kaminsky elected free agency following the season on November 10. On April 14, 2023, Kaminsky re-signed with the Mariners on a minor league contract. He split the year between

3040-473: The strike zone to combat what they perceived as too much offense. Compared to the previous season, walks in the NL fell 13%, strikeouts increased 6%, the league batting average fell from .261 to .245, and runs scored declined 15%. Koufax, who had reduced his walks allowed per nine innings to 3.4 in 1961 and 2.8 in 1962, reduced it further to 1.7 in 1963, which ranked fifth in the league. On April 19, Koufax threw his second immaculate inning , this time in

3120-489: The # 21 prospect in the draft. He became the 12th New Jersey player drafted in the first round directly out of high school since the initial Major League Baseball draft in 1965. He signed for a signing bonus of $ 1.785 million, foregoing his scholarship to pitch and play center field for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels . In 2013 he made his professional debut for the Gulf Coast Cardinals in

3200-641: The Dodgers were already behind 11–0. Alston gave Koufax the start in Game 5, at the Los Angeles Coliseum . In what would have been the series-clincher, Koufax allowed only one run in seven innings but lost the game 1–0 when Nellie Fox scored on a double play and the Dodgers failed to score a run in support. Returning to Chicago, the Dodgers won Game 6 and their first championship in Los Angeles. In early 1960, Koufax asked Dodgers general manager Buzzie Bavasi to trade him because he believed he

3280-403: The Dodgers, the Criollos were the only other team Koufax pitched for in his career. On May 15, the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. Alston gave him a chance to justify his place on the major league roster by giving him the next day's start. Facing the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field , Koufax struck out 13 while pitching his first complete game in almost two years. For

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3360-464: The Giants afterwards. That summer, Koufax began pitching regularly for the Parkviews. In September, Ed McCarrick, a scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates , was highly impressed with Koufax after seeing him in a few sandlot games . At McCarrick's behest, Branch Rickey , general manager of the Pirates, sent scout Clyde Sukeforth to see Koufax. Sukeforth subsequently invited him to Forbes Field for

3440-555: The Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur garnered national attention and made him an iconic figure within the American Jewish community. Since retiring, Koufax has kept a low profile and makes public appearances on rare occasions. In December 1966, he signed a 10-year contract to work as a broadcaster for NBC ; uncomfortable in front of cameras and with public speaking, he resigned after six years. In 1979, Koufax returned to work as

3520-584: The Left Arm of God ", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. Widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, Koufax was the first three-time winner of the Cy Young Award , each time winning unanimously and the only pitcher to do so when a single award was given for both

3600-740: The Rookie Gulf Coast League . Kaminsky appeared in eight games with five starts and had a 3.68 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched . Baseball America ranked him the Gulf Coast League's No. 8 prospect in 2013. Kaminsky pitched in 2014 for the Peoria Chiefs of the Single–A Midwest League In 2014, he appeared in 18 games, all starts, going 8-2 with a 1.88 ERA (the best ERA in the league of all pitchers with 100 or more innings pitched), and

3680-639: The Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers , Arkansas, and rookie–level Arizona Complex League Mariners , for whom he was a combined 6-1 with a 5.13 ERA in 32 games (2 starts) in which he pitched 40 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings. He elected free agency on November 6. On June 2, 2024, Kaminsky signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball . He made 2 starts for Staten Island, logging

3760-476: The advice, Koufax struck out the side and finished the game with seven no-hit innings. He went on to have a strong spring training. All the improvements and changes made in the offseason and during spring training resulted in 1961 becoming Koufax's breakout season. He posted an 18–13 record and led the majors with 269 strikeouts, breaking Christy Mathewson 's 58-year-old NL mark of 267, and doing so in 110 innings fewer than Mathewson had. That season also marked

3840-467: The artery, preventing the possibility of amputation . Koufax was finally able to pitch again in September, when the team was locked in a tight pennant race with the Giants. However, after the long layoff, he was rusty and ineffective in three appearances and, by the end of the regular season and in part due to Koufax's absence from the Dodgers rotation, the Giants caught up with the Dodgers and forced

3920-698: The best pitcher in the Cardinals' minor league system. Kaminsky finished 2015 with a 6-6 record and a 2.24 ERA. He was ranked the No. 3 prospect, and top pitching prospect, in the Cleveland Indians organization. Kaminsky spent the 2016 season with the Akron RubberDucks of the Double-A Eastern League , where he posted an 11-7 record and a 3.28 ERA. He was placed on the disabled list with left forearm soreness after one start for Akron in 2017, and did not pitch during

4000-494: The college baseball team , planning a last-minute road trip in his office which started in New Orleans . Eager to visit the city, he told Jucker, "I'm a pitcher" and made the team in a subsequent tryout. For the season, Koufax went 3–1 with a 2.81 earned run average, 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 32 innings pitched. While with the college baseball team, Koufax began to attract the attention of baseball scouts. Bill Zinser ,

4080-566: The early 1960s, particularly regarding the importance of first-pitch strikes and the benefits of breaking pitches. On March 23, Koufax was chosen to pitch in a B-squad game against the Minnesota Twins in Orlando, Florida , by teammate Gil Hodges who was acting manager for the day. As teammate Ed Palmquist had missed the flight, leaving the team short one pitcher, Hodges told Koufax he needed to pitch at least seven innings. Prior to

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4160-496: The final game of the season. Koufax, along with fellow Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale , served in the United States Army Reserve for two years, from 1957 to 1959. He was often stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey during the offseason. Koufax began the 1958 season 7–3, but sprained his ankle in a collision with Jim Bolger of the Chicago Cubs at first base on July 5, resulting in a long layoff. Throughout

4240-414: The first time in his career that Koufax started at least 30 games (35) and pitched at least 200 innings (255.2). He lowered his walks allowed per nine innings from 5.1 in 1960 to 3.4 in 1961, led the NL with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.80, and led the majors with a fielding independent pitching mark (FIP) of 3.00. On September 20, in the last regular season baseball game at the Coliseum, Koufax won

4320-483: The first time in his career, he was in the starting rotation , but only for two weeks. Despite winning three of his next five with a 2.90 earned run average, Koufax did not get another start for 45 days. In that start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but got no decision. On September 29, he became the last man to pitch for the Brooklyn Dodgers before their move to Los Angeles, throwing an inning of relief in

4400-433: The first to allow fewer than seven hits per nine innings pitched . Koufax, along with teammate Don Drysdale , became a pivotal figure in baseball's labor movement when the two staged a joint holdout and demanded a fairer contract from the Dodgers before the 1966 season. Koufax is also considered one of the greatest Jewish athletes in history; his decision to sit out Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it coincided with

4480-454: The game, catcher Norm Sherry told him: "If you get behind the hitters, don't try to throw so hard." This was due to Koufax's tendency to lose his temper and throw hard and wildly whenever he got into trouble. The strategy worked initially before Koufax temporarily reverted to throwing hard and walked the bases loaded with no out in the fifth. Sherry reminded Koufax of their discussion, advising him to settle down and throw to his glove; heeding

4560-480: The hair on my arms has stood up: The first time I saw the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the second time, I saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball." After the tryout, Koufax's father negotiated the contract with the Dodgers, asking for a bonus which would allow his son to finish college if his baseball career failed. They agreed on a $ 20,000 contract ($ 227,000 today) – $ 6,000 then-league minimum salary, with

4640-562: The leagues; he was also named the National League Most Valuable Player in 1963. Retiring at the age of 30 due to chronic pain in his pitching elbow, Koufax was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1972 at the age of 36, the youngest player ever elected. Born in Brooklyn, New York , Koufax was primarily a basketball player in his youth and had pitched in only

4720-542: The remainder of the season. In 2018 Kaminsky pitched two scoreless innings for Lynchburg, and then pitched only 26.1 innings over 23 games out of the bullpen for Akron, going 1-1 with 4 saves and a 3.28 ERA. Kaminsky then pitched for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League , was picked for the league's Fall Stars Game. In 2019, he pitched for both Akron, for whom he was 2-1 with

4800-421: The rule, the Dodgers placed Koufax on their major league roster. As it subsequently turned out, Koufax never played in the minor leagues . During his first spring training , Koufax struggled with his new training regime and suffered from a sore arm most of the time. Having pitched less than twenty games in the sandlots and in college combined, he did not know a lot about pitching such as how to properly field

4880-483: The season, he was also plagued with back pain which was the result of a benign tumor on his rib cage, necessitating him to undergo surgery in the offseason to have the growth removed. As a result, he finished the season at 11–11 and leading the majors in wild pitches . In 1959, on June 22, he set the record for a night game with 16 strikeouts against the Philadelphia Phillies . On August 31, against

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4960-539: The sixth NL pitcher and the 11th overall to throw one; he remains the only one to do so in a no-hitter. His no-hitter, along with a 4–2 record, 73 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA, earned him the Player of the Month Award for June. It was the only time in his career he earned this distinction. Throughout the first half of the season, Koufax dealt with an injured pitching hand. In April, while at bat, he had been jammed by

5040-495: The trash, having decided to quit baseball and devote himself to an electronics business in which he had invested. In his first six seasons, he had posted a record of 36–40 with a 4.10 earned run average. Nobe Kawano , the clubhouse supervisor, retrieved the equipment in case Koufax decided to return the following year. Koufax came to regret his decision to quit, having found working in the offseason boring. He decided to give baseball another try, remarking years later, "I decided I

5120-412: The young pitcher's talent and objecting to him being benched for weeks at a time. Pitcher Don Newcombe stated years later that Koufax faced antisemitism as a young pitcher from white players on the team who shunned him and used antisemitic slurs when referring to him. This led to black teammates rallying to Koufax's defense and supporting him during his early years. To prepare him for the 1957 season,

5200-554: Was 10-0 with a 0.10 ERA, averaging two strikeouts per inning while batting .506. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals at the age of 18 in the first round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft , 28th overall. In 2013, Baseball America ranked him the Gulf Coast League 's No. 8 prospect. In 2014, Kaminsky's 1.88 ERA was the best in the Midwest League of all pitchers with 100 or more innings pitched, and he

5280-727: Was a Baseball America Low–A All-Star. In 2015, his 2.09 ERA was 2nd-best in the Florida State League of all pitchers with 90 or more innings pitched. In 2016, his 3.28 ERA was 4th-best in the Eastern League . He made his major league debut for the Cardinals in August 2020. Kaminsky pitched for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic . Kaminsky was born in and grew up in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey . His parents are Donna Kaminsky, and Alan Kaminsky,

5360-481: Was a center fielder, and in 2011 he preferred playing the outfield. He was the Gatorade New Jersey Baseball Player of the Year , and the Star-Ledger New Jersey Player of the Year, in both 2012 and 2013. In his junior year in 2012 he was 8-2 with a 0.20 earned run average (ERA), struck out 103 batters and walked 20 in 53 innings, and pitched three no-hitters and three one-hitters. He

5440-535: Was also a shutout, a five-hitter against the Pirates on September 3. In his rookie year, Koufax threw 41.2 innings in 12 appearances, striking out 30 batters and walking 28, with a record of 2–2 and 3.02 earned run average. The Dodgers went on to win the National League pennant and the 1955 World Series over the New York Yankees , the first title in franchise history; however, even though he

5520-486: Was also named to the USA Today All-USA Team . In his senior year in 2013 Kaminsky was 10-0 with a 0.10 ERA, averaged two strikeouts per inning, gave up 14 walks as he struck out 126 in 64 innings, pitched three no-hitters and three one-hitters, while batting .506 with 3 home runs and 19 RBIs . He was also a Baseball America Preseason First Team All-American and a Rawlings -Perfect Game First Team All-American. Seattle Mariners scout Frank Rendini said: "He has

5600-476: Was being managed by the Dodgers, he almost quit after the 1960 season. After making adjustments prior to the 1961 season, Koufax quickly rose to become the most dominant pitcher in the major leagues, as well as the first major sports star on the West Coast . He was an All-Star in each of his last six seasons, leading the National League (NL) in earned run average each of his last five years, in strikeouts four times, and in wins and shutouts three times each. He

5680-417: Was honored with a statue outside the centerfield plaza of Dodger Stadium in 2022. That same year, Koufax became the first player to mark the 50th anniversary of his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Koufax was born Sanford Braun to a Jewish family on December 30, 1935, in Borough Park, Brooklyn . His parents, Evelyn (née Lichtenstein) and Jack Braun, divorced when he was three years old. The son of

5760-415: Was invited to major league spring training as a non-roster player. In July 2020 he was added to the Cardinals' 60-player roster pool. On August 15, 2020, Kaminsky was promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He made his major league debut for the Cardinals on August 16. Kaminsky was designated for assignment by the Cardinals on September 16; he cleared waivers, remained in the organization, and

5840-510: Was named the World Series MVP twice, leading the weak-hitting Dodgers to titles in 1963 and 1965 . Despite his comparatively short career, his 2,396 career strikeouts ranked seventh in major league history at the time, trailing only Warren Spahn (2,583) among left-handers; his 40 shutouts were tied for ninth in modern NL history. He was the first pitcher in history to average more than nine strikeouts per nine innings pitched , and

5920-570: Was not getting enough playing time, a request that was denied. On May 23, he pitched a one-hit shutout against the Pirates , allowing only a second-inning single by pitcher Bennie Daniels and striking out 10 batters in the process. However, the game was a highlight in an otherwise bad year for Koufax in which he went 8–13 with a 3.97 earned run average. After the last game of the season, frustrated with his lack of progress as well as resentment towards Dodger management, Koufax threw his equipment into

6000-613: Was on Yom Kippur . He is nearly completely ambidextrous ; Kaminsky writes, throws a football, and shoots a basketball right-handed, but throws a baseball left-handed. In Little League , he sometimes threw left-handed and sometimes threw right-handed. He learned how to switch-hit when he was around 10 years old. Kaminsky attended Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County , a Jewish day school, through eighth grade. Kaminsky attended Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey , graduating in 2013. Initially, he

6080-612: Was on the World Series roster, Koufax did not appear in the series. During the fall, he had enrolled in the Columbia University School of General Studies , which offered night classes in architecture; after the final out of Game 7, Koufax went straight to Columbia to attend class. The 1956 season was not very different from 1955 for Koufax. Despite his blazing fastball, Koufax continued to struggle with control. He saw little work, pitching only 58.2 innings with

6160-557: Was outrighted by the Cardinals to their alternate site. On April 18, 2021, Kaminsky signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies organization. In his lone appearance for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs , Kaminsky struck out 2 over one scoreless inning. On August 5, Kaminsky was released by the Phillies organization. On April 6, 2022, Kaminsky signed a minor league contract with

6240-495: Was placed on the disabled list for 30 days; he would be activated by the Dodgers on June 8. To make room for him, they optioned their future Hall of Fame manager, Tommy Lasorda , to their Triple-A affiliate, the Montreal Royals . Lasorda would later joke that it took "one of the greatest left-handers in history" to keep him off the Dodgers major league roster. Koufax made his major league debut on June 24, 1955, against

6320-417: Was really going to find out how good I can be." During the offseason, Koufax underwent tonsillectomy due to recurring throat issues and, as a result, reported to spring training thirty pounds under his normal playing weight. He later stated that it forced him to regain the lost muscle mass and weight through exercise and nutrition, allowing him to get into the "best shape" of his life. From then on, he made it

6400-490: Was the first pitcher in the live-ball era to post an earned run average below 2.00 in three different qualifying seasons, and the first ever to record a 300-strikeout season three times. Koufax won the Major League Triple Crown three times, leading the Dodgers to a pennant in each of those years. He was the first major league pitcher to throw four no-hitters , including a perfect game in 1965. He

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