Sandy Koufax: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1972

Born: December 30, 1935

1954: Made Varsity at University of Cincinnati

1954: Signed with Brooklyn Dodgers

Debut: June 24, 1955 (Dodgers)

1955: Enrolled in Columbia University (took night classes)

1955: Dodgers win World Series

1956: Dodgers win Pennant

1956: Played winter ball

1957: Dodgers move to Los Angeles

1959: Had 16 and 18 strikeout games

1959: Dodgers win World Series

1959-63: Appeared in various television shows

1960-1: Almost quit baseball

1961: Set NL record for strikeouts (269)

1962: Dodgers move out of the Coliseum and begin play at Dodger Stadium

1962-6: NL Pitching Title

1962: No-hit Mets

1962: Struck out side on 9 pitches vs. Mets in no-hitter

1963: No-hit Giants

1963: Struck out 15 Yankees in Game 1 of World Series

1963: Dodgers win World Series

1963: WS MVP

1963: Wins Triple Crown (25-5, 1.88, 306 strikeouts)

1963: Wins MVP and Cy Young Award

1963-6: TSN Pitcher of the Year

1964: Struck out side on 9 pitches (Reds)

1964: No-hit Phillies

1964: Diagnosed with arthritis

1965: Perfect game vs. Cubs

1965: Declined to pitch Game 1 of WS to observe Yom Kippur

1965: Defeats Jim Kaat in Game 7 to win World Series

1965: Dodgers win World Series

1965: SI Sportsman of the Year

1965: Wins Triple Crown (26-8, 2.04, 382 Strikeouts)

1965: Sets record w/382 strikeouts (Since broken)

1965: WS MVP

1965: NL Cy Young

1966: Held out for more money

1966: Dodgers win Pennant

1966: Wins Triple Crown (27-9, 1.73, 317 strikeouts)

1966: NL Cy Young

1966: Hutch Award

1966: Retires

1967-72: Sportscaster for the Saturday Game of the Week

1972: Elected to Hall of Fame (First Ballot)

1972: Dodgers retired #32

1979-90: Minor league pitching coach

1999: All-Century team

2004: Returned to Dodgers

2013: Special Advisor to team chairman

Accomplishments:

4x World Champion

7x All Star

1963 NL MVP

3x Cy Young

3x Triple Crown

2x World Series MVP

Four no-hitters (one perfect game)

All-Century Team

382 Strikeouts (1965)

Won Game 7 of 1965 World Series

165-87

.655 win percentage

2.76 ERA

397 Games-314 starts

137 CG

40 SHO

2324.1 IP

2396 Strikeouts

1.106 WHIP

15+ wins: 5x

25+ wins: 3x

Led league in wins: 3x

Led league in win %: 2x

Led league in ERA: 5x

Sub 3.50 ERA: 5x

Sub 3.00 ERA: 5x

Sub 2.50 ERA: 4x

Sub 2 ERA: 3x

Led league in GS (41): 1966

10+ CG: 6x

15+ CG: 5x

20+ CG: 3x

Led league in CG: 2x

11 SHO (1963)

Led league in SHO: 3x

200+ IP: 5x

300+ IP: 3x

Led league in IP: 2x

200+ Strikeouts: 6x

300 Strikeouts: 3x

Led league in strikeouts: 3x

Led league in WHIP: 4x

1.0            WHIP or less: 4x

Postseason: 4-3, 0.95 ERA, 8 games-7starts, 4 CG, 2 SHO, 57 IP, 0.825 WHIP (4 World Series)

Lou Gehrig: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1939

Lou Gehrig

Born: June 19, 1903

1920: Received national attention for his playing ability with a grand slam that left Wrigley Field.

1921-23: Columbia University

Major League Debut: June 15, 1923 (New York Yankees)

1923: Yankees win World Series

June 1, 1925: Gehrig begins consecutive game streak

1926: Yankees win World Series (Gehrig hit .348)

1927: Gehrig has greatest season ever for a first baseman (.373, 47, 175, 52 doubles, 1.240 OPS, and 447 total bases)

1927: Gehrig wins MVP

1927: Yankees win 110 games and the World Series (Lou hit .308)

1928: Yanks repeat

1928: In the World Series: Gehrig hits .545 with 4 homers and 9 RBI in a sweep

1931: Sets AL RBI mark with 184

1932: Hit 4 homers in a game and just missed a fifth on a great play by Al Simmons

1932: Yanks win World Series

1932: In the World Series, Gehrig hits .529 with 3 homers and 8 RBI in a sweep

1934: Gehrig wins Triple Crown (.363, 49, 165)

1935: Named Captain

1936: Gehrig wins MVP/Yanks win the World Series

1937-39: Yanks win the World Series

1938: Gehrig began experiencing physical changes which worsened in the 1939 season.

1938: Starred in the movie, Rawhide

April 30, 1939: Gehrig ends consecutive game streak at 2130

May 2, 1939: Gehrig benches himself.

1939: Diagnosed with ALS

July 4, 1939: Lou Gehrig Day at Yankee Stadium. He delivers baseball’s “Gettysburg Address” and is the first player to have his uniform number retired.

1939: Elected to the Hall of Fame on a special ballot

1940: Began working as New York City Parole Commissioner

1941: Resigns from his job due to his health

Death: June 2, 1941

1942: Pride of the Yankees starring Gary Cooper is released

1955: Lou Gehrig Memorial Award Introduced

1989: USPS honored Gehrig with a postage stamp

1999: Voted to All Century Team

Accomplishments:
2130 Consecutive Games

23 Grand Slams (Major League Record)

1934 Triple Crown

1934 Batting Champion

.340 average

493 Home Runs

1995 RBI

2x MVP

7x All Star

7x World Champion

Four Homer Game

NY Yankee Captain

2164 games

Led league in games played: 7x

Led League in Runs: 4x

1888 Runs

100+ runs: 13x

2721 Hits

200+ hits: 8x

534 doubles

Led league in doubles: 2x

Led league in triples in 1926 (20)

30+ homers: 10x

40+ homers: 5x

Led League in Homers: 3x

100+ RBI: 13x

Led league in RBI: 5x

Most RBI in AL History: 184 (1931)

1508 walks

Led league in walks: 3x

100+ walks: 11x

Hit .300: 12x

.447 OBP

.400+ OBP: 13x

.632 slugging

Led league in slugging: 2x

.500+ slugging: 14x

.600+ slugging: 9x

.700+ slugging: 3x

1.080 OPS

.900+ OPS: 13x

1.000+ OPS: 11x

Led league in Total Bases: 4x

400+ total bases: 5x

World Series: .361, 10 homers, 35 RBI, 1.208 OPS

First Athlete to appear on Wheaties box

Eddie Collins: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1939

Born: May 2, 1887

1905-06: Quarterback of the Columbia Football Team

Debut: September 17, 1906 (Philadelphia A’s)

1907: Graduated from Columbia

1907: Coached Columbia baseball after getting caught playing pro ball under a pseudonym

1908: Joined the majors for good

1909: Named A’s starting second baseman

1910: A’s win World Series

1910-14: Collins was part of the “$100,000” infield.

1911: A’s win World Series

1913: A’s win World Series

1914: AL MVP

1914: A’s win pennant; lose World Series to the “Miracle” Braves

1914: Connie Mack offered Collins an unprecedented 5-year contract; Collins declined and was sold to the White Sox

1915: First season with the Chicago White Sox; Collins made $15,000 with Chicago.

1917: White Sox win World Series

1919: The “Black Sox” throw the World Series. Collins did not participate in the fix.

1924: Named Player/Manager of the White Sox (174-160 record)

1926: Fired as Sox manager

1927: Returns to A’s.

1929: A’s win World Series

1930: A’s win World Series

1930: Retired at season’s end

1931-32: A’s coach

1933-47: Boston Red Sox GM

1939: Elected to Hall of Fame on the 4^th ballot

1946: Red Sox win the pennant, but lose World Series to the Cardinals

1947-51: Served in the Red Sox front office after stepping down as GM

Died: May 2, 1951

1999: Nominee for the All Century Team

Accomplishments:
6x World Champion

1914 AL MVP

Candidate for Greatest Second Baseman of All Time

.333 career hitter

3315 career hits

1300 RBI

741 steals

438 doubles

187 triples

.424 career OBP

512 sacrifice hits (#1 all time)

4258 total bases

1821 runs

Led league in runs scored: 3x

100 + runs: 7x

Stolen base leader: 4x

30+ steals: 12x

40+ steals: 10x

50+ steals: 6x

60+ steals: 3x

81 steals (1910)

Led league in walks in 1915 (119)

100+ walks: 2x

Hit .300 or better: 19x

.400+ OBP: 17x

.900+ OPS: 6x

Postseason batting: .328 in 6 World Series

Managerial Record:
174-160 (.521) No Pennants