Some Sandy (Koufax) World Series Starts Notes

It is fairly (ode to Ron (Fairly), who we lost recently and was a member of 3 L.A. Dodgers’ title teams) well known, that Sandy Koufax did not pitch in game 1 of the 1965 World Series because of his observance of the Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur.

In reviewing Sandy’s World Series starts and for that matter, his appearances (he pitched 2 scoreless innings in relief in game 1 of the ’59 World Series) it manifests that Sandy did not pitch in any Friday or Saturday/The Jewish Sabbath World Series games.

He would have, but as it turned out, he never did.

Sandy started seven World Series games, pitching on all days but Friday and Saturday. Three of those starts were on a Thursday.

Bob Shaw, from Garden City, New York  pictured above, in Sandy’s words to me, “pitched a good game,” to win (1-0) vs Sandy and the Dodgers in game 5 of the 1959 World Series. Sandy was still living in Brooklyn, New York, where he was born.

Dick Donavan was brilliant in relief and I will have some notes on that game and series, in posts this week.