- At age 36, he was the youngest player ever elected to baseball's Hall of Fame.
- First pitcher to win the Cy Young award multiple times.
- First pitcher to win the Cy Young award by a unanimous vote (won it unanimously in 1963, 1965 and 1966).
- Pitched a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs on Septemver 9, 1965. Struck out 382 batters that season, a major league record that stood until 1973, when Nolan Ryan posted 383 strikeouts.
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.
- Selected as the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1963.
- Won Major League Baseball's Cy Young Award for the best pitcher in professional baseball in 1963, 1965 and 1966.
- Was sidelined for two months in 1962 with a circulatory blockage in his left index finger and still led the National League in earned run average.
- Was diagnosed with arthritis in his pitching elbow in August of 1964. Took anti-inflammation drugs and cortisone shots and soaked his elbow in ice water after every game he pitched for the remainder of his career.
- Although he smoked, he would not allow his picture to be taken with a cigarette, not wanting to encourage young fans to take up the habit.
- He was selected to pitch in the opening game of the 1965 World Series -- a singular honor for a pitcher -- but turned it down because it conflicted with Yom Kippur, the Jewish holiday.
- Played Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955-1966.
- Was selected to play in Major League Baseball's All-Star game 1961-1966.
- Retired after the 1966 season, not wanting to risk permanent damage to his elbow.
- Uniform number 32 retired by the Dodgers.
- Inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1979.
- Inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.
- Made major league debut on 24 June 1955.
- He was born Sanford Braun, but used his stepfather's last name of Koufax.
- From 1962 to 1966 he led the National League in earned-run-average and shutouts and pitched four no-hitters (one a perfect game).
- After his perfect game in 1965 and until Cole Hamels's no-hitter in 2015, the Chicago Cubs managed to get at least one hit in every game.
- Inducted into the University of Cincinnati James P. Kelly Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
- Inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
- Former son-in-law of Richard Widmark and Jean Hazlewood.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content