Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy

Jane Leavy's Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy is a well-crafted biography of one of the most talented but least understood sports figures of the 20th century. Though handicapped by virtually no input from Koufax himself, Leavy, through extensive quotes and anecdotes from many of those around him over the years, still manages to shape a fairly vivid portrait of a very private man whose remarkable pitching prowess thrust him into baseball's spotlight.

The book's structure interweaves two threads, with chapters alternating between an inning-by-inning account of Koufax's 1965 perfect game pictched against the Chicago Cubs, and the chronicle of his life and ascendant baseball career. Leavy provides insight into the early struggles with his show more control, and the pain through which he pitched during the dominant final five years with the Dodgers. The author also explores the elements of Koufax's Jewish heritage: the occasional undercurrents of anti-Semitism; his decision to not pitch in Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year; how he broke stereotypes; and how he eternally embodied the pride of the Jewish community.

Leavy has a good feel for the nuances of baseball and the rhythm of the game, and she exhibits flashes of lyrical prose. Sandy Koufax's elusiveness remains at the core of his mystique. The epilogue puts his career in perspective, and hints at his life after baseball. The final paragraph beautifully tied it all together: a poignant and satisfying conclusion. show less

Assiduous interviewing, resourceful reporting, attention to good writing, but what struck me most about the book was its structure: interlacing an inning-by-inning account of his fourth (!) no-hitter with chapters featuring the biography. My rating of five-stars reflects my conviction that this portrait of one of the most enigmatic public figures of post-war America would interest fans of good writing with no special affinity for baseball.

Simply put, a great biography. I came away from it feeling like I knew as much about Sandy Koufax as I could possibly know without knowing him personally, like I knew where he came from and how he got where he got to, and how he felt about the journey. With (generally) stylish writing as part of the mix, a better achievement in biography seems difficult to imagine, particularly for a subject as elusive as Koufax. This is a splendid book.

Non-fiction about the legendary Dodgers’ pitcher Sandy Koufax. It is told in alternating chapters of one of his best pitching performances and biographical insights. The author sets the record straight regarding several myths. It harkens back to an earlier age in baseball, prior to free agency, when “bonus babies” were required to remain on the major league team even if it would have served everyone better to go through the learning experiences in the minor leagues. It covers a wide range of topics, including his Jewish faith, friendships with other players, integrity, and accomplishments. It raises questions of how much better he could have been if not mishandled by the Dodgers early in his career. It sheds light on decisions show more such as the joint hold-out with Don Drysdale and why he retired when he did. I was astounded at the extremes he endured to deal with the pain in his arm, near the end of his career, while still managing to attain spectacular results.

The author weaves together many interviews from players, fans, and management to provide a fascinating picture of an interesting man. This is not a typical biography, as in it does not follow a linear progression through his life, but instead contains social commentary about the times and stories from his life that highlight his personal qualities. Overall, I found it an enjoyable read. Recommended to baseball fans interested in learning more about the life of Sandy Koufax. show less

Better than your average player bio. But Koufax is more interesting than your average player. Definitely a bit too long on Koufax the Jewish hero, perhaps a bit too long on Koufax the Jew. And the book suffers from Koufax's failure to cooperate--lots of other people talking about Koufax, very little from Koufax himself. And Koufax was a figure that people seemingly had a great need for--they had roles he needed to play: that Jewish hero, that rebel, that humanitarian, that recluse, that intellectual, that square peg, whatever. Unfortunately Koufax lost a great opportunity here to put something a bit more solid and a bit less wishful at the center of all that. Leavy would have done him proud, I think. But maybe he's just as well people show more have their Koufaxes and he'll keep his to himself. show less

Enjoyable read, but not really captivating. The alternating chapters that recalled the perfect game vs. the Cubs felt like a cute device, but I don't think it really achieved anything. I didn't feel any real connection between, say, The Seventh Inning chapter and the chapters of the main narrative that came before and after it.

Sandy Koufax was always a class act, and Jane Leavy explores why in her excellent book about the dominating lefty. He loved to pitch and get out hitters, but all the hoopla and fan craziness was not for him. It embarrassed him. Leavy structured the book around Koufax's perfect game against the Cubs, and it works pretty well. I didn't know that he and Don Drysdale were the first baseball players to hold out for a better contract. Though not 100 percent successful, they opened the door for others to follow. An engrossing read.