MLB History: Justin Verlander joins three no hitter club
By David Hill
Just as Larry Corcoran had a brief span of brilliance, so too did Sandy Koufax. A struggling pitcher for his first six major league seasons, Koufax dominated for his final six years before retiring due to an arthritic elbow.
Koufax did not throw his first no hitter until June 30, 1962, blanking the expansion New York Mets 5-0. It was the first Dodgers no hitter since they moved from Brooklyn, and the first they threw at Dodger Stadium (Bo Belinsky threw a no hitter for the Los Angeles Angels nearly two months prior).
From that point, no hitters were an annual event for Koufax. He threw his second against the San Francisco Giants, blanking the Dodgers rivals 8-0 on May 11, 1963. Then, on June 4, 1964, Koufax tied the record, shutting down the Phillies 3-0. The record finally fell on September 9, 1965, as Koufax notched his fourth career no hitter in a 1-0 victory over the Cubs.
Over the course of his career, Koufax was a seven time All Star, won three pitching Triple Crowns, three Cy Young awards, and was the 1963 NL MVP. He led the league in wins three times, had five ERA titles, and led the league in strikeouts four times. Overall, he posted a 165-87 record with a 2.76 ERA and a 1.106 WHiP, striking out 2396 batters with 817 walks in his 2324.1 innings. Koufax, on the strength of those six years, was named to the Hall of Fame in 1972.
One has to wonder what heights Sandy Koufax would have reached had his elbow remained healthy. As it was, he established his place in MLB history with a brilliant final six seasons.