Then and now

[Rick2583]

...from what I remember, he retired because he was concerned about his health and particularly his arm...and having to take so many cortisone shots.

I just find it so amazing that with the final season he had, just how bad could his arm have been?

 

[yankeesince59]

...he was in agony most of the time that final year...and was only able to overcome the pain through all those cortisone injections, and was genuinely concerned about possibly of actually losing the use of his arm later in life.

[video=youtube;VcPRANzZbb4]

 

[Rick2583]

...he was in agony most of the time that final year...and was only able to overcome the pain through all those cortisone injections, and was genuinely concerned about possibly of actually losing the use of his arm later in life.

[video=youtube;VcPRANzZbb4]

Really a shame that they didn't have Tommy John surgery available back then. He would have had some AMAZING numbers had he been able to continue his career.

 

[yankeesince59]

...yeah, and the thing with Koufax is that he was once close to washing out as a pitcher because he was so wild and walked so many hitters. Norm Sherry told him that he didn't have to throw so hard to get people out. Sandy then concentrated more on control and became a monster. But as good as his FB was, his breaking ball made it even better.
...I seem to remember his striking out 14 or 15 Yankees in a WS game in the 60's...and I remember Mantle's look when Koufax fanned him looking...Mantle was like "WTF...how am I supposed to hit that?"