National League Pitching Leaders (#221, 223, 225)

Here are the NL pitching leaders for 1965. Of course Sandy Koufax is a lock for these cards. There's the expected appearances by Juan Marichal and Don Drysdale, but there are also a few surprises.


Dodgers' ace Sandy Koufax leads in all 3 categories (as he also did the following year).  Ten points behind him is the Giants' Juan Marichal, with Vern Law rounding out the top 3.  No one else is even close.  (Frank Linzy actually has the best ERA of anyone.  His 1.43 is well ahead of Koufax, but Linzy is relegated to the relievers' category.)

There were seven 20-game winners in 1965.  Koufax led with 26 wins. The Braves' Tony Cloninger (in the team's final season in Milwaukee) notched 24 wins and appears on this card - a neighborhood normally reserved for Koufax, Drysdale, Marichal, and Bob Gibson. Big D is right behind him at 23.  Marichal and Gibson broke the 20-win mark, but not by enough to score a slot on this card.

Aside from Koufax, Gibby, and Marichal, there's usually a whole 'nother group of pitchers among the strikeout leaders (as opposed to wins).  Guys like Bob Veale, Jim Bunning, Chris Short, and Jim Maloney.

LOOK AT KOUFAX' TOTAL! One hundred and six more strikeouts than the 2nd-place guy! The Bobs check in at #2 and #3, with Jim Bunning right behind them.  The next grouping of Maloney, Marichal, and Short are 20+ behind them.

I'm really sorry I didn't catch the baseball bug until a few months AFTER Koufax retired!  :(

Recap:
Dodgers - 4
Pirates - 2
Giants - 1
Cardinals - 1
Braves - 1

Final Card: Sandy Koufax

What better way to start off this blog than with the best player from 1966? (Take that, F. Robby!)



Koufax retired at age 30, following the Dodgers' appearance in the 1966 World Series. In his final season, he compiled a 27-9 record, with 27 complete games, while pitching 323 innings!

As a testament to Koufax's final season, I offer exhibits A, B, and C: