CNNSI.com 2001 Sportsman of the Year 2001 Sportsman of the Year
Pete Rose Lee Trevino Sugar Ray Leonard Cal Ripken Wayne Gretzky Bonnie Blair Tiger Woods Roger Bannister Jack Nicklaus Michael Jordan Chris Evert Sandy Koufax Muhammad Ali Joe Montana


 



Photograph by Robert Huntzinger

"'Sandy,' I said, 'I've heard it said that you're just another pitcher, that you put your pants on one leg at a time like everybody else. Now, tell me the truth, Sandy, do you put your pants on one leg at a time?' 'No,' he said. 'I have a special rack in my bedroom. I'll show it to you. I balance on the bed and then....jump! It plays hell on the cuffs.'"

Text by Alfred Wright
Issue Date: December 20, 1965


In 1965 Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers dominated National League hitters en route to his second Cy Young Award. Koufax threw 27 complete games and posted an ERA of 2.04. His 382 strikeouts eclipsed the old record of 349, set by Rube Waddell in 1904. Despite an arthritic left elbow that would force him to retire a year later, Koufax led the Dodgers to a World Series championship over the Minnesota Twins, hurling two complete-game shutouts and allowing one run in three starts.



 


 
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