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NO STAT IS SAFE. NO ERA IS FORGOTTEN.
VOL. 1, NO. 16 · JUNE 15, 2026 · EVERY MONDAY
ISSUE #016 · EXPANSION
Sandy Koufax — 4 No-Hitters,
4 Cy Youngs, Retired at 30
📅 THIS DATE IN BASEBALL On September 9, 1965, Sandy Koufax threw a perfect game against the Cubs — 14 K, 0 hits, 0 walks.
THE STAT THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST 01
THE GREATEST FOUR-YEAR PITCHING PEAK IN HISTORY — THEN NOTHING.
4 No-Hitters In 4 Years. 4 Cy Youngs. Retired At 30
With A Dead Arm.
KOUFAX ERA 1963-66 STRIKEOUTS PER 9 NO-HITTERS
CY YOUNG AWARDS AGE AT RETIREMENT FINAL SEASON ERA
From 1963-66 Koufax went 97-27 with a 1.86 ERA, won 4 Cy Young awards, threw 4 no-hitters (including
a perfect game), and pitched the Dodgers to three World Series titles. He retired after 1966 at age 30 due
to traumatic arthritis in his left elbow. He could not continue.
THE GAME YOU FORGOT 02
VS Chicago Cubs SEPTEMBER 9, 1965
14 0 0 W 1-0
IP K HITS ALLOWED WALKS RESULT
The Perfect Game
27 BATTERS, 14 STRIKEOUTS, 0 HITS, 0 WALKS
On September 9, 1965, Koufax faced 27 Cubs and retired all 27. 14 strikeouts. Zero hits. Zero walks. The only
baserunner came on a 5th-inning strikeout that got by the catcher — and was immediately caught stealing.
The Dodgers won 1-0. The opposing pitcher, Bob Hendley, also threw a near-no-hitter — the only run scored
on a walk, sacrifice bunt, and passed ball. No hit required. Sandy Koufax pitched a perfect game and it was
the second-best performance of that specific baseball game.
ERA VS ERA 03
Greatest Four-Year Pitching Peak — Koufax or Pedro?
SANDY KOUFAX 1963-66 PEDRO MARTINEZ 1997-2000
FOUR-YEAR ERA PEAK ERA+ (2000)
W-L RECORD VS PEAK ERA (2000)
NO-HITTERS PEAK WHIP (2000)
4 (1 perfect game) 0.74
Koufax's 1.86 ERA is lower in raw numbers. Pedro's 291 ERA+ in 2000 is the highest single-season mark in
history — he was 191% better than league average in the steroid era. Koufax pitched in a low-offense era;
Pedro pitched during peak steroids. Both cases are unimpeachable.
Greatest four-year pitching peak in history?
KOUFAX 1963-66 PEDRO 1997-2000 GIBSON 1967-70 JOHNSON 1999-2002
THE COLDEST MOMENT 04
OCTOBER 1965 · WORLD SERIES VS MINNESOTA
Sat Out Game 1 of the '65 World Series For Yom
Kippur. Won Games 5 and 7 To Close It Out.
Koufax refused to pitch Game 1 because it fell on Yom Kippur. Don Drysdale started and was
shelled. Drysdale reportedly told manager Walter Alston: 'I bet right now you wish I was Jewish
too.' Koufax pitched Games 5, 6, and 7. Won 5 and 7. The Dodgers won the Series. His religious
conviction cost him one start and didn't cost the team the championship.
I am not a hero, and I am not a bum. I am a pitcher.
— SANDY KOUFAX
THE STAT VAULT 05
NO-HITTERS IN 4 SEASONS FOUR-YEAR ERA AVERAGE
4 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 (perfect game). 1.86 League ERA same period was 3.50.
Nobody else has thrown 4 in a 4-year Koufax was nearly 2 full runs below
span. average.
AGE AT FINAL SEASON
WINS IN FINAL FOUR SEASONS
30 Retired after 1966. His last ERA was 1.73 97
Against 27 losses. A .782 winning
— still historic. The arm forced the
percentage over four full seasons.
decision.
382 STRIKEOUTS IN 1965
Led NL in strikeouts. His K rate would be elite by modern standards.
THE FORGOTTEN MAN 06
OVERLOOKED · UNDERRATED · DESERVES MORE
Don Drysdale
LOS ANGELES DODGERS · 1956-1969
HOF · 209 WINS · 2.95 ERA · 58 CONSECUTIVE SCORELESS INNINGS (1968)
Koufax's Partner. 58 Scoreless Innings. Hall of Famer. Always Second.
Drysdale won the Cy Young in 1962 and set the consecutive scoreless innings record at 58 in 1968 (broken
by Hershiser in 1988). He spent his entire career as the second-best pitcher on his own rotation. Hall of
Famer, consistently underrated.
THE CONNECTION:
Drysdale and Koufax were the greatest pitching duo of their era. Koufax was more dominant.
Drysdale had the longer career. Together they won three championships. Koufax takes all the
attention.
COMING NEXT MONDAY
Next Monday: Bob Gibson posted a 1.12 ERA in 1968. MLB lowered the mound the next year because of him.
Who's Your Forgotten Man?
Reply with a player from any era who deserves more credit. Best answer gets featured next Monday.
All Eras. All Stats. No Debate.
Every Monday. No exceptions.