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Glam Monitor

Is Sandy Koufax the greatest pitcher of all time?

Author

Daniel Foster

Updated on August 17, 2026

Koufax struck out 2,396 batters, for an average of about 229 a season, which is incredible. In 1963, Koufax established as baseball's best pitcher.

Who is the greatest pitcher of all time?

10 Best Pitchers of All Time

  • Bob Gibson. Pack Robert Gibson, popularly known as Bob Gibson, was a professional baseball pitcher. ...
  • Greg Maddux. Gregory Alan Maddox is a former American baseball pitcher. ...
  • Roger Clemens. ...
  • Clayton Kershaw. ...
  • Sandy Koufax. ...
  • Pedro Martinez. ...
  • Cy Young. ...
  • Randy Johnson.

Who was the better pitcher Sandy Koufax or Bob Gibson?

Koufax may have been a slightly higher caliber pitcher than Gibson, but Koufax's length of career put Gibson slightly ahead.

Was Sandy Koufax a good pitcher?

Koufax won unanimously in 1963 (when he was also the NL MVP), '65 and '66 and finished third in '64 (the Angels' Dean Chance was first). He was the first pitcher to win in back-to-back years, a club that has now grown to 11. And Koufax is the only pitcher in MLB history to win a Cy in his final season.

Who is better Koufax or Kershaw?

But while Koufax dominates the moments, Kershaw has surpassed him in virtually every stat. Kershaw has more strikeouts, a lower ERA, more wins, a better winning percentage, and more innings pitched. "You look at the greats in whatever era, he's up there with all of them," Roberts said of Kershaw.

44 related questions found

Is Clayton Kershaw the greatest pitcher ever?

For five years from 1962 to 1966, Koufax was arguably the best pitcher in baseball history. The thing is, Kershaw has been one of baseball's best pitchers for three times that long, 15 years of domination, devastation, resilience and ultimately redemption.

Who has the best ERA in MLB history?

Ed Walsh holds the MLB earned run average record with a 1.816.

What is Sandy Koufax best known for?

He pitched 12 seasons for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1955 to 1966. Koufax, at age 36 in 1972, became the youngest player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He has been hailed as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.

How fast did Sandy Koufax throw a baseball?

100-mph. Koufax was an American baseball legend. He possessed a 100-mph fastball and what announcer Vin Scully called a twelve-to-six curveball since it started at 12 o'clock then dropped to 6 o'clock.

Who hit the most home runs in the 50s?

Eddie Mathews

The most prolific home run hitter of the 1950s was Eddie Mathews, who hit home runs in droves and at a high frequency. Mathews was the only qualified player to rank in the top five for both total home runs throughout the decade, as well as home runs per plate appearance during the decade.

Is Bob Gibson the best pitcher ever?

1968 was the year if the pitcher. It was the year Bob Gibson set the ERA record of 1.12 that stands to this day. He pitched 13 shoutouts, 28 complete games and stuck out 268 batters. Statically, it is probably his greatest season ever.

Who is the greatest relief pitcher of all time?

MLB's 10 Greatest Relief Pitchers of All Time

  • Bruce Sutter. ...
  • Billy Wagner. ...
  • Lee Smith. ...
  • Trevor Hoffman. ...
  • Rich "Goose" Gossage. ...
  • Rollie Fingers. ...
  • Dennis Eckersley. Eckersley was a solid starting pitcher, but a dominanted in relief. ...
  • Mariano Rivera. Rivera is, without a doubt, the greatest relief pitcher ever.

Who hit the longest home run ever?

Giancarlo Stanton, 504 Feet (2016)

Since the installment of technology, Giancarlo Stanton's home run is the longest homer ever recorded. Stanton hit a ball in the Coors Field, one of the highest (sea level) baseball parks in the MLB.

Who was the best hitting pitcher?

The best-hitting MLB pitchers of all time

  • 1 of 31. Brandon Backe. Icon Sports Wire / Contributor. ...
  • 2 of 31. Ken Brett. Focus On Sport / Contributor. ...
  • 3 of 31. Bullet Joe Bush. Bettmann / Contributor. ...
  • 4 of 31. Madison Bumgarner. Neville E. ...
  • 5 of 31. Don Drysdale. ...
  • 6 of 31. Wes Ferrell. ...
  • 7 of 31. Yovani Gallardo. ...
  • 8 of 31. Bob Gibson.

How fast did Walter Johnson throw a baseball?

In 1917, a Bridgeport, Connecticut, munitions laboratory recorded Johnson's fastball at 134 feet per second, which is equal to 91 miles per hour (146 km/h), a velocity that may have been unmatched in his day, with the possible exception of Smoky Joe Wood.

How fast was Don Drysdale's fastball?

Drysdale frequently threw 90+ m.p.h. fastballs. He was forced to retire early at age 33 because of a torn rotator cuff. Before retiring, Drysdale set a record for hitting batters during his career, striking a total of 154.

What was the fastest pitch in 1914?

Hard-throwing Walter Johnson again helped out in 1914 when his pitch velocity was measured against a speeding motorcycle. This time his pitch came in at a more realistic 99.7 miles per hour.

Why is Sandy Koufax in the Hall of Fame?

“He was the greatest pitcher of his time in baseball,” said writer Jimmy Cannon. Traumatic arthritis in his elbow ended Koufax's career early due to a threat of permanent disability. After playing in only 12 seasons, Koufax became the youngest player inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

What type of pitcher was Sandy Koufax?

He had a dominant fastball, but his control was dodgy. Batters could wait him out. Then in 1961 and through 1962, a different Koufax emerged. This new Koufax led the National League in strikeouts (269 in 1961), and his walks and earned-run average began to shrink.

Has anyone ever had a sub 1 ERA?

Other contests decided by one hundredth or less include Luis Tiant's 1.91 ERA ahead of Gaylord Perry's 1.92 in 1972 and Mark Fidrych (2.34) over Vida Blue (2.35) in 1976.

What is the lowest team ERA in MLB history?

The lowest team ERA in MLB history belonged to the 1907 Cubs, posting a spectacular 1.73 mark. This wasn't a fluke either, given the second-best team ERA (1.74) and third-best mark (1.75) were accomplished by this same staff in '09 and '08. For comparison, the White Sox posted the second-best team ERA (2.22) in 1907.

Who is the best Dodger of all-time?

1. Sandy Koufax. One of three players ever to win three pitching Triple Crowns, Sandy Koufax stands narrowly above the rest in franchise history. The southpaw achieved the feat in 1963, 1965 and 1966, three of the final four seasons in his career.