Sandy Koufax makes the final pitch of the 1963 World Series.

Sandy Koufax talked about a subject he knew too well–pain.

"Arms weren't made to do what pitchers are asked to do," said
Koufax, the former Dodgers star who retired after the 1966 season
because of persistent arm problems.

"The pitchers are dominating the hitters but because of the home
run–everyone tries to put one out on you–the pitchers have to work
harder to do it. You go through a whole lineup nowadays and you have to
worry about the long ball with every batter."

Koufax was the only person quoted in the Associated Press story out
of New York. As if another source was needed. Injuries cut
short his incredible run with the Dodgers during which he pitched four
no-hitters, including a perfect game. He won three Cy Young Awards
(1963, '65 and '66) and was named the National League's Most Valuable
Player in 1963. But the awards came at a great physical cost.

In The Times' story on Koufax's retirement in 1966, Charles Maher
wisely just let Koufax talk: "I've had a few too many shots and taken a
few too many pills. … I had to take a shot every ballgame. That's
more than I wanted to do. I had stomach aches from the pain pills. I'd
be high half the time in ballgames from the pills. I don't want that." 

 Koufax said the Dodgers asked him after the 1968 season to consider
a comeback but he turned them down. As Jim Murray put it in a 1966
column, "Baseball lost its left arm because Sandy Koufax didn't want to
lose his."

Watch a Koufax video >>>

–Keith Thursby