Rating: 
Summary: Perfect
Review: "Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy" is one of the best baseball player biographies I've read in years. Author Jane Leavy blends a brilliant mix of Koufaxian fastballs (interviews) and curveballs (unexpected historical finds) in following the course of the Dodger ace lefty's perfect game against the Chicago Cubs on September 9, 1965."Koufax" gets off on a shaky note, as Chapter 1 is devoted to a mind-numbing study of the mechanics of Koufax's overhand pitching delivery. Then again, in two of Koufax's most famous performances, both well-detailed in this book, Sandy had a rough first inning as well. The rest of the book takes off pretty quickly thereafter and becomes absolutely un-put-downable. The straightforward biography tells the curve (all right, I'll stop with the puns now) of Koufax's career, from his childhood in Bensonhurst to his surprise retirement from the game shortly after his 27-win 1966 campaign. Leavy draws on background interviews with Koufax (but doesn't quote him directly), and on many other interviews with his friends and teammates, from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. Along the way she uncovers a surprising mixture of statistics and modern-bay baseball interpretation, quoting from two websites dear to the current baseball cognoscenti, Retrosheet and the Baseball Prospectus. There's also, as you'd expect for any book that spans the 1950s and '60s, a decent canned social history of the era. I don't think even Leavy believes that Koufax's retirement marked the defining point between the end of Eisenhower's and the beginning of Nixon's, but the parallels are there if you want to play with them. Interspersed with the biographical chapters is an inning-by-inning account of Koufax's perfect game, pitched at night in Los Angeles in the twilight of his career. These chapters are mind-blowing. Spending a book describing a single ballgame is a risky proposition (all those endless asides turned "Nine Innings" into something nearly unreadable), but Leavy paints a compelling you-are-there freshness, thanks in part to the serendipitous discovery of the final 7 innings of that game on audiotape. Wisely, Leavy allows Vin Scully's play-by-play to describe most of the late action, and Vin makes for remarkable reading in the same way that he makes for remarkable listening. His extemporaneous game descriptions are brilliant and the quotes here make it easy to see why, like Koufax, he's regarded as being at the top of his league. The book ends with a brief overview of Koufax's retirement (best line of the book: Koufax briefly handed out business cards describing himself as a "Peregrination Expert"). Leavy balances the prevailing view of Koufax (sullen, baseball-hating) against the reality she's uncovered, and Koufax comes away a healthy, well-rounded character. No hagiography, "Koufax" is instead an respectful portrait of a unique man. No description of Sandy Koufax is complete with discussion of his Judaism, and his seminal decision to skip Game 1 of the 1965 World Series, which fell on Yom Kippur. Leavy indulges in some detective work to show that Koufax didn't even go to synagogue that afternoon, but she offers enough anecdotal evidence to almost make you believe that Koufax alone ended most of the anti-Semitic stereotypes that prevailed in America through 1965. Almost. I remember learning about Koufax in Hebrew day school as a child (in a pamphlet about Jewish sports legends only marginally bigger than the one in the movie "Airplane!"), but his significance to the religion makes a lot more sense as Leavy tells it. There's even an interview with Shawn Green, the latest Jewish All-Star to sit on Yom Kippur. Leavy leaves no stone unturned, and now I'm as close as I'll ever be to actually becoming a Los Angeles Dodgers fan. Well, not even close... I'm genetically bred to loathe them, even as I reluctantly root for the team now mismanaged by Koufax's childhood pal Fred Wilpon. But I will be reading this book again, the sooner the better.
Rating:
Summary: the title of the book says it all
Review: Sandy Koufax is more than a lefty jewish pitcher who happened to be one of the best baseball players at his position. As Jane Leavy notes in her title, his legacy is different for all people that knows his name.
To me, a left handed jewish south-paw stick ball pitcher from Brookly who threw junk, Sandy Koufax became the athelete we all wanted to be growing up. He was an idol and too me, his legacy was a boy from brooklyn, who was jewish who happeneded to be great.
What Jane Leavy illustrated was the suttle and at time overt anti-semetism and the friendship between Sany and minority players. The friendship of lou johnson to sandy is almost never written or spoken of. Additionally, Ms. Leavy noted Sandy's willingness to help his fellow players and retired ones as well.
A book about a great player and person.
Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic Look at the Agony & the Ecstasy of a Legend
Review: I must admit that my initial reaction to seeing that a woman had written this book was a turn-off. My expectation was that this would be a sugar-coated treat filled with dry statistics designed for those who had only a rudimentary knowledge of Sandy Koufax and wanted to learn a bit more.
After reading the book, my opinion is now that Jane Leavy has done a remarkable job in humanizing the legendary hurler with all his flaws and pains laid to bear. The most fascinating part about this book is Leavy's weaving of Sandy's perfect game into the chapters as she describes at the same time the man as he is today. A very readable and enjoyable work despite the fact that Leavy was unable to get Koufax to cooperate in her effort. Highly recommended for any sports fan.
Rating:
Summary: Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy
Review: Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy, by Jane Leavy, was a great biography on Sandy Koufax. This book has a lot of information on Koufax. His perfect game and three no-hitters are included in much detail. It also includes his injuries and how he recovers. When he went to Synagogue instead of pitching game one of the 1966 World Series on Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, it showed that he not only cared about baseball, but he also cared about his Judaism. Today his number is in the Hall of Fame and remembered as one of the best pitchers of all time.
Rating: 
Summary: Bookshelf Essential
Review: This book has some flaws, but there is not way it can't be prominent on any sports fan shelf. The best thing is the cover, one of the best I have seen. In fact if you stare long enough into Sandy's big brown eyes, you probably will glean as much insight as you can from the prose, which ultimately doesnt do much to unwrap the engima around which the riddle of Sandy Koufax is wrapped. On the famous day when he didnt pitch because it was Yom Kippur, did he go to Temple or not. Leavy concludes he didn't, but you aren't really that sure, a whole congregation claims they saw him. Personally I carried Sandy Koufax 1963 Topps Baseball Card in my alled for 30 years, and I still have it, although no longer in my wallet. His diffident mystery and aloofness has made him what he is. If he was doing the borscht belt and appearing on Letterman, he really wouldn't be Sandy Koufax. So the fact that Leavy doesn't really attempt to psychoanalyze him is probably a relief. You feel a little let down that she doesn't talk more about his wild period. Leavy makes it sound as though Walter Alston didn't use Sandy in his five Dodger season out of some latent anti-Semitism or something. She doesnt dwell on the fact that in 1958, when he did get a chance to pitch he walked 105 batters and had an era of 4.48. You don't really feel his pain, although there is a picture of him soaking his arm-as I say if the book had been nothing but pictures I would have bought it and stared at them. The remarkable thing about Koufax adulation is how brief his baseball career actually was. Koufax had really only six good years and only won 20 games three times. An argument could certainly be made that he was no better on the mound than the Giants Juan Marichal who won 20 games six times. In the five years from 1962 to 1966 (when Koufax left) Marichal won 18,25,21,22, and 25 games. Koufax won 14,25, 19, 26 and 27. Marichal's ERA was only mariginally higher but he routinely had twice control the Koufax had and even in 1966, Koufax last and best year, Marichal walked half as many batters than Sandy, 36 to 77. Juan M. didn't strike out as many but that could be why he as able to pitch for 10 more years and Koufax wasnt. But issues like this, did Koufax ever learn to pitch, (a strikeout isn't everything) really aren't explored here. I think it would surprise most people to know that Koufax was two inches taller and 25 pounds heavier than the powerful Marichal. Nonetheless there is much in here to remember, while at the same time pleasantly leaving the door open for yet another book on Sandy- or better yet- how about the companion volume on Juan Marichal for us Giant fans. There are lots of Marranos of Jewish descent in the Domicnan Republic, now if Juan had just had a more clever PR guy...
Rating:
Summary: Number 32 in your program, and number 1 in your heart
Review: For over thirty years, Sandy Koufax has eluded the intense media scrutiny reserved for our cultural icons. He retired from baseball at the age of 30, and vanished from the scene as quickly as his patented fast ball. But through the excellent efforts of Ms. Jane Leavy to write this biography with an initially uncooperative Mr. Koufax, the reader will realize that he never was far away from baseball as we imagined. Or our memories of his excellence and tremendous character. This wonderfully written and researched biography is one of ironies. A Yankees fan (the author) succeeded to write a book about the hated rival Brooklyn Dodger legend. A Brooklyn boy who grew up with a love of basketball, but later played baseball for the hometown Dodgers. And in the twilight of his career, he returned triumphantly to set a World Series strike out record at Yankee Stadium to a standing ovation. A Jewish athlete who overcame prejudice in a predominantly Anglo-Saxon sporting milieu of the 1960s. A man that was reluctant to cooperate at all for this book, but who would describe the biomechanics of pitching with incredible passion and detail. A man who hurled a perfect game, and a month later, became a cultural icon for refusing to pitch the opening game of the World Series due to religious beliefs. A pitcher with five mediocre years, but who then finished with five of the best years of modern times. The author paints a very clear picture of the protagonist through countless interviews with former teammates and others who competed against him. Her knowledge of baseball is excellent, and she is an engaging writer. The theme is consistent: Sandy Koufax was well-respected by colleagues and competitors alike. He was the consummate team player and clubhouse leader, although the public rarely saw this side of him. The numerous comments from his contemporaries are illuminating. I can't recall one negative thing said about him, and as Willie Stargell so eloquently stated, "Hitting his fastball was like drinking coffee with a fork." Or from John Roseboro, "He was cool before anyone knew what it meant." What impressed me was the work ethic of Mr. Koufax. For the last two years of his career, he pitched with intense pain to his arm. Pregame preparations consisted of hours of massage, painkillers, and gobs of hot linament applied with tongue depressors by his trainers. After the game, he soaked his arm in a tub of ice for the time it took to drink three beers. Yet he never missed a turn, or publicized his travails. During his last campaign in 1966, he won 27 games. The last five years of his career he lead the National League in earned run average (ERA). It is a record that still stands. "The definition of a competitor is the guy who keeps coming back. It's the difference between the grass and the oak tree. Cut the oak tree, and it dies. Cut the grass, and it grows back." "The art of pitching is instilling fear." Sandy Koufax This book transcends the sport of baseball. It is about a private man who shunned the public limelight during and after his brief career, but whose contributions far exceeded the baseball diamond. In 1966, the first game of the World Series between the Dodgers and the Twins fell on the holiest Jewish festival, Yom Kippur. Mr. Koufax, by his own admission, was not a devout Jew. Yet he lived his faith with an intense pride, along with a sense of identity. When he refused to pitch the opening game, he became a symbol of character and integrity. Not only in the Jewish community, but throughout the rest of our country. Here was a man with the courage and conviction to recognize the difference between a ball game, along with more important things. They said that Sandy Koufax only had two pitches: A fastball and a curve. But nobody threw those pitches with more masterful effectiveness before or since. Few athletes have ever demonstrated the spirit of unselfishness, character, and team spirit as Sanford Koufax. He was number 32 in your program, and number one in your heart. Thank you for the opportunity to review this excellent biography.
Rating:
Summary: Sandy Rocks!
Review: First of all, I have ALWAYS been a MAJOR fan of Sandy Koufax! Also, I am a pitcher for a little league baseball team, and recently, I have not been playing that much. One day, my dad handed me this book, and told me to read it, and as I read it, it told me all about Sandy's story. This book has helped motivate me into the season. It has not made me a better baseball player, but it has definitely pumped me up before every game, and has kept a positive attitude towards playing time. As being a 12-year old kid, I thought this book would be awesome for any kid who loves the sport of baseball. Definitely a GREAT book!
Rating:
Summary: A hero for the ages
Review: Sandy Koufax is bigger than life. A person who comes along once in a generation if you are lucky. I spent my early preteens and teens (Koufax retired the summer before my senior year in high school) listening to all Dodger games on the radio with my dad. Especially Koufax games. His short but meteoric baseball career has been a major formative event in my life. Jane Leavy's book fleshes out the true hero he was and solidifies his stature in my being. Every seeming literary excess she uses pales in comparison to the actual experience we had of Koufax. I STRONGLY recommend every young person read this book to get a small insight of what a true hero and role model can be. In fact, I recommend all professional atheletes read it too for the same reason.
Rating:
Summary: The Best
Review: This book captures not only the all too short history of Sandy in the majors, but lets us look into society during the 40's - 60's. It is great fun going into the ethnic neighborhoods which existed in most cities during that time. We meet the
Torre brothers, and others who were part of Sandy's early life. I also like the style the author used in telling the story, going every other chapter to THE GAME! It was also nice to learn of Sandy and his respect for my favorite player of that era, Warren Spahn. It is more that a sports book it is a snapshot of urban America during the days of Sandy's youth. I not to be missed book!
Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: What a terrific book. First of all, it's extremely well written. Second, Koufax's story is inspiring and fascinating. No, he didn't battle drugs or have problems with the law or get in fist fights with his teammates. This is the story of a mensch who gave everything he had between the lines and has lived a life of quiet dignity. What a refreshing change of pace from the typical "sports bios." Of course, this book is more than that. It's about the American dream. It's about honor. It's about determination. I can't wait until my son is old enough to read this.
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