The Dodgers faced a challenge in 1963, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to overcome two formidable foes: the Yankees, who had won six of the seven World Series and blown the 1962 pennant with a late collapse.
But the Dodgers passed the test handily, thanks to Sandy Koufax and friends. With a 2-1 victory in Game 4 at Dodger Stadium, Koufax completed the sweep of the Yankees and cashed off an amazing season.
Despite repeated doubts about his job security throughout the 1963 season, manager Walt Alston went on to win his third championship in ten years on the job, the first three World Series championships in the franchise’s history.
After the victory, Alston told United Press International, “This makes up for everything.”
“How much of a difference a year makes,” Don Drysdale, the winner of Game 3, told the Associated Press.
In 1963, Fred Claire, the future general manager and public relations officer for the Dodgers, was a reporter for the Pomona Progress-Bulletin.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who were ridiculed across the baseball community in 1962 for blowing the National League championship, are the 1963 world champions after completely dominating the New York Yankees in four games.
“An autopsy revealed that an excessive dosage of Dodger pitching was the cause of the Yankees’ death.”
The Dodgers’ pitching in the Fall Classic set a record for a four-game series by holding the formidable 104-win Yankees—winners of the previous two World Series—to just four runs. The previous mark was set in 1950 against the Yankees by the “Whiz Kids” Phillies with five runs.
In 1966, the Dodgers would shatter this mark when they notably managed to score just twice in a series that was swept by the Orioles, including without scoring in the last 33 innings of that World Series.
But the 1963 Dodgers, who were the sport’s monarchs, are the subject of this discussion, not the 1966 squad. It makes sense that Koufax would be on the mound to shut out the Yankees since he was the one occupying the throne.
After a leadoff single in the following inning, Koufax also stranded Elston Howard and held the Yankees scoreless for six innings.
“The first four innings in New York, I pitched better,” Koufax said to the Associated Press. But overall, I believe I performed better this time around in the ball game. My stuff was better held by me.
After hitting a double in Game 1, Frank Howard launched a home run off Whitey Ford in the fifth inning to give the Dodgers the lead. It was his second home run of the series.
In the seventh inning, Mickey Mantle tied the game with a home run off of Koufax. It was Mantle’s second hit of the series, but it was also his 15th World Series home run overall, matching Babe Ruth’s record.
An error in the bottom of the seventh inning allowed the Dodgers to score the winning run. First baseman Joe Pepitone failed to catch Clete Boyer’s throw after Jim Gilliam grounded to him. Rather, the ball slipped past him and traveled along the right field line, placing Gilliam at third base. With a sacrifice fly, Willie Davis brought him in and gave Koufax all the margin he required.
Pepitone told the Associated Press, “I lost it in the sun and the white shirts of the grandstands.”
In the last three innings, Koufax had some opposition. Following Mantle’s one-out home run, Howard singled but was left stranded. With one out in the ninth, pinch-hitter Phil Linz singled, but second baseman Dick Tracewski erased it on a double play.
After Richardson singled to start the ninth inning, Koufax struck out Mantle and Tom Tresh. Tracewski’s error at second base allowed the tying and winning runs to reach base with two outs in the ninth inning, but Howard’s ground ball to shortstop may have finished the series. Nevertheless, Hector Lopez grounded out to shortstop Maury Wills to wrap up the Dodgers sweep.
In winning both Games 1 and 4, Koufax pitched all 18 innings, giving up only three runs overall and striking out twenty-three to win MVP of the World Series.
“He is the world’s best pitcher.” The greatest I’ve ever seen,” said Johnny Podres, himself a World Series MVP in 1955 who wob Game 2 in 1963, told the Associated Press about Koufax’s dominance.
After leading the majors in ERA (1.88), strikeouts (306, a National League record), wins (25-5), and shutouts (11, the most in 47 years), during the regular season, Koufax counting the World Series won 27 games with a 1.86 ERA in 329 innings and 329 strikeouts.
Following Game 4, the 27-year-old expressed optimism about his future in an intriguing comment to George Lederer in the Long Beach Post-Telegram:
“I want to speak endlessly, just like Warren Spahn.” Becoming the greatest winner in history is my aim. Although it will probably take me 30 years to complete, I feel as though I can continue indefinitely right now. The day you can’t do the job, the hitters will let you know before anyone else.”
The Dodgers offense had several potential contenders for World Series MVP if Koufax hadn’t taken home the trophy.
Tommy Davis, the winner of the last two batting titles in the National League, had six hits in the series, hitting .400 with two triples, both in Game 2
Moose Skowron, who slumped mightily in the regular season, came alive against the Yankees, with whom he played the previous nine years. Skowron had five hits, hitting .385/.429/.615 with a home run and three RBI. Then again, the 32-year-old Skowron is used to the World Series, playing in eight of them in the last nine years, hitting .293/.326/.519 with eight home runs and 29 RBI in 39 games.
Only four of the nine active Dodgers pitchers appeared in a game during the World Series. Koufax completed both starts, and Drysdale pitched a shutout. Podres pitched into the ninth in Game 2, leaving the final two outs for Ron Perranoski.
For their efforts, a full World Series share for the winning Dodgers was $12,727, per the Associated Press. For comparison, the 26-year-old Howard made $22,000 that season.