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There is no single '''Culture of South Africa'''. As [[South Africa]] is so ethnically diverse, it is not surprising that there are vast cultural differences as well.
{{Infobox baseball player | name=Sandy Koufax | image name=SandyKoufaxPitching.jpg
| birthdate= [[December 30]], [[1935]]
| birthplace= [[Brooklyn]], [[New York]]
| dead=alive
| deathdate=
| deathplace=
| debutdate=[[June 24]], [[1955 in sports|1955]]
| debutteam=[[Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn Dodgers]]
| debutopponent=[[Atlanta Braves|Milwaukee Braves]]
| debutstadium=[[County Stadium]]
| teams= [[Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers]] ([[1955 in sports|1955]] - [[1966 in sports|1966]])
| HOFer=HOFer
| inductiondate=[[1972 in sports|1972]]
| careerhighlights=<nowiki></nowiki>
* Second in career [[no-hitter]]s (4)
* One of 17 pitchers to throw a [[perfect game]] ([[1965 in sports|1965]])
* Set single season record with 382 [[strikeout]]s (now is second behind [[Nolan Ryan]]'s 383 in [[1973 in sports|1973]])
* Led [[National League]] in [[earned run average|ERA]] 5 times
* Led National League in strikeouts 6 times
* Led National League in [[shutout]]s 3 times
* Led National League in [[win]]s 3 times
* 0.95 ERA in 4 [[World Series]]
* 6 [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] appearances
* NL [[MLB Most Valuable Player award|MVP Award]] ([[1963 in sports|1963]])
* NL [[Cy Young Award]] 3 times ([[1963 in sports|1963]], [[1965 in sports|1965]], [[1966 in sports|1966]])
* World Series MVP 2 times ([[1963 World Series|1963]], [[1965 World Series|1965]])
}}
'''Sanford "Sandy" Koufax''' (born '''Sanford Braun''' on [[December 30]], [[1935]] in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York]]) is a former [[left-handedness|left-handed]] [[pitcher]] in [[Major League Baseball]] who played his entire career for the [[Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers]] from [[1955 in sports|1955]] to [[1966 in sports|1966]].
==Main Cultural differences==
He is best known for his string of six amazing seasons from [[1961 in sports|1961]] to 1966 before [[arthritis]] ended his career at the age of 31. A notoriously difficult pitcher against whom to hit, he was the first major leaguer to pitch more than three [[no-hitter]]s, the first to allow fewer than seven [[hit (baseball)|hits]] per nine [[innings pitched]] over his career, and the first to [[strikeout|strike out]] more than nine batters per nine innings pitched in his career. Among [[National League]] pitchers with at least 2000 innings pitched who have debuted since [[1913 in sports|1913]], he has both the highest career [[win|winning percentage]] (.655) and the lowest career [[earned run average]] (2.76); his 2396 career strikeouts ranked 7th in major league history upon his retirement, and trailed only [[Warren Spahn]]'s total of 2583 among left-handers. Retiring virtually at the peak of his career, Koufax later became–at age 36–the youngest person ever elected to the [[Baseball Hall of Fame], garnering him an [http://www.sevastudio.org/sandy immense following of fans].
Because of the legacy of [[Apartheid]] segregation, many cultural differences correspond closely to the racial groups defined by Apartheid (Blacks, Whites, Coloureds, Asians). This may change as [[Assimilation (sociology)|assimilation]] progresses, although currently ([[2004]]) many cultural differences between Apartheid-defined racial groups persist.
===Black people===
==Pre-professional career==
The country's black majority still has a substantial number of rural inhabitants who lead largely impoverished and necessarily simple lives. However blacks are increasingly [[urbanization|urbanised]] and [[Western world|westernised]], and usually speak [[English language|English]] or [[Afrikaans]] in addition to their native tongue, which may be one of nine [[Bantu language]]s with official status since [[1994]]. These include the [[Nguni]] languages, [[Zulu language|isiZulu]], [[Xhosa language|isiXhosa]], [[Ndebele language|Sindebele]], and [[Swazi language|Swazi]], and the [[Sotho language group|Sotho]] languages, which include [[Tswana language|Setswana]], [[Sesotho language|Sesotho]], [[Northern Sotho language|Sesotho sa Leboa]] and [[Venda]]. Cultural differences between speakers from the two language groups are comparable to those between speakers of [[German language|German]] and [[Italian language|Italian]]. Many urban blacks speak several indigenous languages, with isiZulu being a [[lingua franca]] in the Johannesburg area.
He was the first and only child of Jack Braun, a salesman, and Evelyn Lichtenstein, a [[Certified Public Accountant|CPA]], both [[Jew]]ish, who lived in the [[Borough Park]] section of Brooklyn. Koufax's parents divorced by the time he was three. Jack Braun had little contact with his son after the divorce and eventually stopped paying child support and [[alimony]].
Most are [[Christian]], with membership of the [[Anglican]] and [[Roman Catholic]] churches being strong as is membership of the predominantly black [[Zion Christian Church (South Africa)|Zion Church]], although many still follow traditional beliefs, many often consulting a ''[[sangoma]]''. There is a vibrant indigenous culture, with local popular music forms, such as ''[[kwaito]]'', while black South African musicians such as the [[Ladysmith Black Mambazo]], [[Miriam Makeba]], and [[Hugh Masakela]] are well known internationally.
Sandy and his mother had anal sex with his grandparents. Max and Dora Lichtenstein, next door to comedian [[Buddy Hackett]]. When Sandy turned nine his mother married Irving Koufax, a neighborhood [[lawyer]]; Irving had a daughter named Edie from a previous marriage. Although Irving never legally adopted Koufax, Sandy always referred to Irving as his father and took on his last name. Shortly after the marriage, the family moved to [[Rockville Centre, New York|Rockville Centre]], [[Long Island]], and in June [[1949]] the family returned to Brooklyn, this time to the [[Bensonhurst]] neighborhood.
===White people===
As a youth, Koufax's first love was [[basketball]]. In [[1951]] a coaches' strike shut down scholastic sports in public schools all over the city. Koufax and his friends joined the [[Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst|Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst]] basketball team and led them to the first [[National Jewish Welfare Board|Jewish Welfare Board]] championship. Koufax's baseball career began with the Tomahawks in the "Pop" Secol's Ice Cream League; they already had a pitcher, so Koufax played [[catcher]], using a right-handed glove turned inside-out because he was left-handed.
The white minority lead lifestyles similar in many respects to whites found in [[Western Europe]], [[North America]] and [[Australasia]], with sport being immensely popular. The ''[[braai]]'' (short for ''braaivleis'' or barbecue) is another national pastime, epitomised by an old advertising slogan for [[Chevrolet#South Africa|Chevrolet]] cars in the [[1960s]]: ''Braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet''.
Historical enmity between [[Afrikaans]] and [[English language|English]]-speaking whites has given way to more amiable banter or rivalry. Afrikaners refer to an English speaker as a ''soutpiel'' or 'salt dick', on account of his divided loyalties: one foot in Africa; the other in England; and his genitals in the sea. A less rude and perhaps more common soubriquet was ''rooinek'' or 'red neck' referring to the sunburn of the recent immigrant. Similarly English speakers have long made 'Van Der Merwe' jokes about Afrikaners (who they sometimes refer to as "Dutchmen"), and who they regard as stupid and philistine — hence their use of the "rockspider" epithet.
In [[1953]], Koufax's senior season at Lafayette High School, he was named [[captain (sports)|team captain]] of the basketball team. During that same year, the [[New York Knicks]] scrimmaged the local high school teams in clinics sponsored by the [[Police Athletic League]]. On [[February 6]], [[1953 in sports|1953]] they played one such game against Lafayette High School. Koufax played [[center (basketball)|center]] against future [[Basketball Hall of Fame]]r, [[Harry Gallatin|Harry "The Horse" Gallatin]]. Koufax did so well against the pros that they resorted to injuring him when he went for a [[rebound]] by "sandwiching" him between Gallatin and another future Hall of Famer, [[Dick McGuire]].
Religious beliefs are also strong, with most [[Afrikaner]]s adhering to the [[Dutch Reformed Church]]. Most English-speaking whites are either [[Anglican]] or [[Roman Catholic]]. Perhaps 90,000 whites are [[Jew]]ish, with a similar number being of [[Portugal|Portuguese]] origin. There are some [[Greece|Greeks]] and Christian [[Lebanon|Lebanese]].
Koufax, while playing first base for Lafayette, was spotted by Milt Laurie, the father of two of Koufax's teammates and coach of the Coney Island Sports League's Parkviews. Laurie got his sons to recruit Koufax to pitch for the Parkviews. Laurie would keep Koufax overnight in order to make sure he got to the baseball field on time and would take Koufax to the Lafayette High School field to work on his pitching control.
Many whites can be extremely defensive about their country, and about their past attitudes under the apartheid regime, which many supported, although there was a vocal liberal minority.
Despite his diverse athletic ability, Koufax started at the [[University of Cincinnati]] in the fall of 1953 without an athletic [[scholarship]]. He was a walk-on for the freshman basketball team, and a complete unknown to coach [[Ed Jucker]]. After watching him practice, Jucker got him awarded a work-study scholarship. Koufax lived off-campus and joined the [[Pi Lambda Phi]] [[fraternities and sororities|fraternity]].
===Coloured (Mixed-Race) people===
The university's baseball team went to [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]] and [[Florida]] during the [[spring break]], which sounded better than spending it in Bensonhurst, so Koufax and his roommate, Norman Lefkowitz, decided to try out for the team. Koufax threw so hard during tryouts that two catchers, Bill Hall and Joe Miller, quit the team rather than catch for him. Finally, Danny Gilbert volunteered to catch for him; both Koufax and Gilbert made the [[1954 in sports|1954]] [[varsity team]]. That season, Koufax went 3-1 with a 2.81 [[earned run average|ERA]] to go along with fifty-one [[strikeout]]s and thirty [[base on balls|walks]], in thirty-two innings. [[Bill Zinser]], a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, sent the Dodgers front office a glowing report which was promptly lost.
The mixed-race [[Coloured]]s are, culturally speaking, much closer to whites, especially [[Afrikaans]] speakers, whose language and religious beliefs they share, than they are to black South Africans, despite suffering considerable discrimination under apartheid. A small minority of Coloureds, known as [[Cape Malay]]s are [[Muslim]]. Well known members of the community include [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springboks]] [[rugby union|rugby]] players [[Chester Williams]] and [[Breyton Paulse]] and [[jazz]] musician [[Abdullah Ibrahim]] (also known as Dollar Brand).
===Asian people===
Koufax's first tryout was with the [[San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]] at the [[Polo Grounds]]. Unfortunately, he forgot his glove and threw several pitches over the catcher's head. His next tryout was for the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] at [[Forbes Field]]. During the tryout, Koufax threw so hard that he broke the thumb of his catcher, [[Sam Narron (catcher)|Sam Narron]], the bullpen coach for the Pirates. [[Branch Rickey]], then [[General Manager (baseball)|general manager]] of the Pirates, told his scout [[Clyde Sukeforth]] that Koufax had the "greatest arm I've ever seen".{{ref|brickey}} The Pirates offered Koufax $15,000, but he turned them down.
[[Asians in South Africa|Asians]], (predominantly [[India]]n origin) preserve their own cultural heritage, languages and religious beliefs, being either [[Hindu]] or [[Muslim]], and speaking English, with [[Indian language]]s like [[Telugu]] or [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] being spoken less frequently.
Although Indian languages are seldom spoken or understood, English-[[subtitle]]d [[Bollywood]] films and television programmes are popular among South African Indians.
Dodgers scout [[Al Campanis]] had been told about Koufax from a local sporting goods store owner. After seeing Koufax pitch at Lafayette High School, Campanis immediately invited him to a try out at [[Ebbets Field]]. Dodgers manager [[Walter Alston]] and scouting director [[Fresco Thompson]] watched as Campanis assumed the hitter's stance while Koufax started throwing. Campanis later said that "the hair on my arms rose, and the only other time that happened was the first time I saw the [[Sistine Chapel]]".{{ref|campanis}} The Dodgers signed Koufax for $20,000 - a $14,000 [[signing bonus]] and a $6,000 salary. Koufax accepted this offer planning to use the signing bonus as tuition for [[architecture]] school just in case baseball did not work out.
There is a much smaller [[Overseas Chinese|Chinese]] community in South Africa, although its numbers have been increased by immigration from [[Taiwan]] (athough the Taiwanese were classified as "White", rather than Asian by the Apartheid regime, and are thus are more culturally similar in many ways to whites than they are to other Asians).
==Professional career==
===Early years===
[[Image:SandyKoufax1955Card.jpg|right|frame|Sandy Koufax's 1955 [[Topps]] rookie baseball card]]
Because Koufax's signing bonus was greater than $4,000, he was known as a [[bonus baby]]. That forced the Dodgers to keep him in the major leagues for at least two years before he could be sent to the [[minor league baseball|minors]]. To make room for him on the roster, the Dodgers optioned their future manager, [[Tommy Lasorda]], to the [[Montreal Royals]] of the [[International League]].
'''Protection of Cultural Rights'''
Koufax made his major league debut on [[June 24]], [[1955 in sports|1955]], in the fifth inning against the [[Atlanta Braves|Milwaukee Braves]] with the Dodgers trailing 7-1. [[Johnny Logan (baseball player)|Johnny Logan]], the first batter Koufax faced, got a bloop single. He was followed by future Hall of Famers [[Eddie Mathews]] and [[Hank Aaron]]. Mathews bunted and Koufax calmly fielded the ball and threw it into center field trying to get Logan on the force. Aaron then walked on four pitches to load the bases. [[Bobby Thomson]] was the next batter, and after working the [[full count|count full]], struck out swinging. Thompson had just become Koufax's first strikeout victim.
The rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities are protected in the constitution by the Commission for the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities. This is a Chapter 9 Institution which is mentioned in the constitution.
== International cultural boycott ==
On [[July 6]], Koufax got his first start. He lasted only 4 and 2/3 innings, giving up eight walks. He didn't get another start for almost two months, but he made the most of it when it did happen. On [[August 27]], playing at Ebbets Field against the [[Cincinnati Reds]], Koufax threw a two hit, 7-0 complete game [[shutout]] for his first major league win. Koufax made only twelve appearances in 1955, pitching 41.7 innings and walking almost as many men (twenty-eight) as he struck out (thirty). His only other win in 1955 was also a shutout.
Many countries imposed cultural boycotts on the apartheid regime, meaning that South Africa was banned from the [[Olympic Games]] until [[1992]], as well as [[Rugby football|rugby]] and [[cricket]]. When the all-white national rugby team, the [[Springbok Rugby Team|Springbok]]s, [[1981 Springbok Tour|toured]] [[New Zealand]] in [[1981]], it provoked public outrage, as did the decision of the British rock group [[Queen (band)|Queen]] to perform in the [[Sun City, South Africa|Sun City]] resort in the [[bantustan]] of [[Bophuthatswana]]. [[Paul Simon]] caused controversy when he recorded his ''[[Graceland (album)|Graceland]]'' album with the South African group [[Ladysmith Black Mambazo]], even though all its members were black.
During the fall, he enrolled in [[Columbia University]]'s School of General Studies, which offered night classes in architecture. The Dodgers won the [[1955 World Series]] for the first title in franchise history – but without any help from Koufax, who sat on the bench for the entire series. After the final out of the series, Koufax drove to Columbia to attend class.
Until the 1990s, the British actors' union, [[British Actors' Equity Association|Equity]], imposed a boycott on the sale of TV programmes to South Africa, although the state-controlled [[South African Broadcasting Corporation]] (SABC) happily bought [[United States|U.S.]] programmes instead.
[[1956 in sports|1956]] wasn't much different than 1955 for Koufax. He saw little work, pitching only 58.2 innings, walking twenty-nine and striking out thirty, and had a 4.91 ERA. Rarely was he allowed to work out of a jam. As soon as he threw a couple of balls in a row, Alston would have somebody start warming up in the bullpen. [[Jackie Robinson]], in his final season, clashed with Alston on several different subjects, including Koufax. Robinson saw that Koufax was talented and had flashes of brilliance, and objected to his being benched for weeks at a time.
== Famous South Africans ==
To prepare for the [[1957 in sports|1957]] season, the Dodgers sent Koufax to [[Puerto Rico]] to play winter ball. On [[May 15]], [[1957]], the restriction on sending Koufax down to the minors was lifted. Alston gave him a chance to justify his place on the major league roster by giving him the start the next day. Facing the [[Chicago Cubs]] at [[Wrigley Field]], Koufax struck out thirteen and earned a complete game win. It was his first complete game in almost two years. For the next two weeks, and for the first time in his career, he was in the starting rotation. Despite winning three of his next five, leading the league in strikeouts and having a 2.90 ERA, Koufax didn't get another start for forty-five days. In his next start, on [[July 19]], he struck out eleven in seven innings, but got a no decision. On [[September 29]], Koufax became the last man ever to pitch for the Brooklyn Dodgers before their move to [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], by throwing an inning of relief in the final game of the season.
[[Nelson Mandela]] is the most famous South African. Other famous recent politicians include [[F. W. de Klerk]] and [[Steve Biko]]. From earlier in the 20th century we have [[Jan Smuts]] who was perhaps South Africa's only international statesman until Mandela. [[D. F. Malan]], [[Hendrik Verwoerd]] and [[J G Strijdom]] were architects of [[Apartheid]]. Perhaps the world's most famous Anglican churchman is [[Desmond Tutu]]. [[Winnie Mandela]] is loved by some and despised by others but known by all. [[Helen Suzman]] was for years the only "one person, one vote" democrat in parliament.
Well known South African sports stars include [[Gary Player]], [[Ernie Els]] and [[Retief Goosen]]; [[Jody Schekter]]; [[Kevin Curren]]; [[Zola Budd]]; [[Jonty Rhodes]].
Over the next three seasons, Koufax was in and out of the Dodger starting rotation due to injuries. He started the [[1958 in sports|1958]] season strong by going 7-3 through July, but ended up spraining his ankle in a collision at first base. He finished the season with an 11-11 record, leading the league in wild pitches. In June [[1959 in sports|1959]] Koufax struck out sixteen [[Philadelphia Phillies]] to set the record for a night game. Two months later, he broke that record in Los Angeles, against the [[San Francisco Giants|Giants]], tying [[Bob Feller]]'s major league record with eighteen strikeouts.
While South Africa was isolated by the cultural boycott in the 1980s, there are now many well-known South African performing artists, and writers. They include playwrights such as [[Athol Fugard]], and satirist [[Pieter Dirk Uys]], actors like [[Anthony Sher]], Hollywood stars like [[Academy Award|Oscar]]-winner [[Charlize Theron]], and ''[[The Mummy Returns]]'' co-star [[Arnold Vosloo]].
The Dodgers played the [[Chicago White Sox]] in the [[1959 World Series]]. Game One was in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] and Koufax made his first World Series appearance, pitching two perfect innings of relief in an 11-0 loss. Alston gave him the start in game five. The game was played at the [[Los Angeles Coliseum]] in front of 92,000 fans. Koufax and the Dodgers lost 1-0 when [[Nellie Fox]] scored on a double play.
In music, the groups [[African Jazz Pioneers]] and [[Ladysmith Black Mambazo]] have found popularity worldwide. Another well known artist of South African origin is [[Dave Matthews]], lead singer of the [[Dave Matthews Band]]. [[Miriam Makeba]], a singer who first found fame in the culturally questionable musical [[Ipi Tombi]], [[Dudu Pukwana]], a gifted jazz musician, and [[Abdullah Ibrahim]] (Dollar Brand), being on the wrong side of the colour bar, had to leave South Africa to fully exploit their talents — their music was not played on South African radio. The alt-metal group [[Seether]] also features two prominent members of South African origin, guitarist and vocalist [[Shaun Morgan]] and bassist [[Dale Stewart]] and have gotten considerable play on mainstream radio and music television in the U.S..
In early [[1960 in sports|1960]], Koufax asked Dodgers GM [[Buzzie Bavasi]] to trade him because he wasn't getting enough playing time. By the end of 1960, Koufax was ready to quit baseball and devote himself to his electronics business. After the last game of the season, he tossed his gloves and spikes into the trash. Nobe Kawano, the clubhouse supervisor, took them out to give back to him the following year, or to somebody else if he didn't show up.
Writers like [[Nadine Gordimer]] and [[J. M. Coetzee]] have also found international acclaim, both being winners of the [[Nobel Prize for Literature]].
===Domination===
[[Image:SandyKoufaxPitching2.jpg|left|thumb|Sandy Koufax pitching from the catcher's point of view]]
Koufax showed back up for the [[1961 in sports|1961]] season in better condition than he had in previous years. Over the winter he decided to start working out and running more. Koufax also decided to find out just how good he could be. During a spring training trip to [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], Dodger catcher [[Norm Sherry]] told Koufax the same thing that many others had in the past: stop throwing the ball so hard. In the first inning of the game in Orlando, Koufax walked the bases loaded on twelve straight pitches. Again, Sherry told him to take something off the ball to get better control. Koufax finally listened and struck out the side. By the time he came out of the game after seven innings, he had struck out eight batters, walked five and given up no hits.
The infamous [[apartheid]]-era, [[Afrikaner]] bank robber and ex-[[Johannesburg]] police chief [[Andre Stander]] has gained notoriety in recent years. He has retained folklore status in South Africa since his death and has been the subject of several biographies and a 2004 feature film in the U.S. called ''[[Stander]]'' with American actor [[Thomas Jane]] portraying him. His last remaining accomplice [[Allan Heyl]] is almost as notorious and was released from prison in [[2005]]. Director [[Bronwen Hughes]] interviewed him at length for research regarding the film.
Koufax finally broke into the starting rotation, permanently. On [[September 15]], [[1961]], he surpassed the previous record of strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher in the National League with his 243rd strikeout. On [[September 27]], Koufax broke the [[National League]] record for strikeouts in a season, surpassing [[Christy Mathewson]]'s 58-year-old mark of 267 set in [[1903 in sports|1903]]. He finished the year 18-13 with 269 strikeouts versus 96 walks. During the two 1961 [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] games, Koufax pitched two and one-third innings without giving up a run.
==Sport — the national passion==
The Dodgers moved to [[Dodger Stadium|Chavez Ravine]], their new stadium, in [[1962 in sports|1962]]. It was designed to be a pitcher-friendly park, with large foul territories and a terrible background for hitting. In short, it was built to enhance Dodger pitching. Koufax lowered his home ERA from 4.29 to 1.75. On [[June 30]] against the [[New York Mets]], Koufax threw his first [[no-hitter]]; he would finish his career with a record four no-hitters. While batting against the [[San Francisco Giants]] on [[July 8]], Koufax's index finger on his left hand was injured, but he didn't tell anybody. Koufax pitched in several more games while his finger slowly developed [[gangrene]]. After seeing a vascular specialist, it was determined that Koufax had a crushed artery in his palm. Luckily, ten days of experimental medicine successfully reopened the artery. Koufax finally was able to pitch again in September, when the team was locked in a tight pennant race with the San Francisco Giants. Trying to get back into shape after the long lay-off, Koufax was ineffective in 3 appearances as the Giants caught the Dodgers at the end of the regular season. The night before the NL play-offs, Manager [[Walter Alston]] asked Koufax if he could start the first game on the next day. With an overworked pitching staff, there was no one else, as [[Don Drysdale]] and [[Johnny Podres]] had pitched the prior two days. Koufax obliged. Unfortunately, as Koufax later said, "I had nothing at all." He was knocked out in the 2nd inning, after giving up home runs to Hall of Famer [[Willie Mays]] and Jim Davenport. After winning the 2nd game of the series, the Dodgers blew a 4-2 lead in the 9th inning of the deciding 3rd game, and lost the pennant.
===Major sports===
Koufax came roaring back in [[1963 in sports|1963]]. On [[May 11]] he carried a [[perfect game]] into the eighth inning against the powerful Giants lineup including future Hall of Famers [[Willie Mays]], [[Willie McCovey]] and [[Orlando Cepeda]]. Koufax ended up walking [[Ed Bailey]] on a 3-and-2 pitch, but preserved the no-hitter, his second in as many years, by closing out the ninth. Koufax finished the year by winning the pitchers' [[Triple crown (baseball)|Triple Crown]], leading the league in [[win]]s (25), strikeouts (306) and ERA (1.88) while also throwing eleven shutouts. He won the NL [[MLB Most Valuable Player award|MVP Award]] and the [[Cy Young Award]] (the first unanimous choice) as well as the [[Hickok Belt]]. The Dodgers faced the [[New York Yankees]] in the [[1963 World Series]] where Koufax beat [[Whitey Ford]] in Game One with a new World Series record 15 strikeouts, and also won Game Four, completing the Dodgers' series sweep of the "Old Yankees", earning the [[World Series MVP Award]] for his performance. Because 'K' is the scoring symbol for a strikeout, some newspapers the day after Game One carried the singular headine 'K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-Koufax'. [[Yogi Berra]], after seeing Koufax's Game One performance, was quoted as saying, "I can see how he won 25 games. What I don't understand is how he lost five".{{ref|yberra}}
However, [[sport]] is the main national passion, although it has traditionally been divided on ethnic lines. The most popular sport among black South Africans is [[football (soccer)|soccer]], with [[South Africa national football team|the national team]] being nicknamed ''Bafana Bafana'' (meaning 'The Boys'). Soccer tended to be less segregated than white-dominated sports, like rugby union or cricket.
The [[1964 in sports|1964]] season started with great expectations, but on [[April 22]], against the [[St. Louis Cardinals]], during the first inning of Koufax's third start, he felt something "let go" in his arm. Koufax ended up getting three [[Corticosteroid|cortisone]] shots for his sore elbow, and missed three starts. On [[June 4]], playing at [[Shibe Park]] against the [[Philadelphia Phillies]], in the bottom of the fourth inning, Koufax [[Base on balls|walked]] [[Dick Allen|Richie Allen]] on a very close full-count pitch. Allen, who was thrown out trying to steal second, was the first and last Phillie to reach base. With his third no-hitter in three years, Koufax became only the second pitcher of the modern era (after [[Bob Feller]]) to pitch three no-hitters. On [[August 8]], Koufax jammed his pitching arm while diving back to second base to beat a pick-off throw. He managed to pitch, and win, two more games, but the morning after his nineteenth win, a shutout in which he struck out thirteen, he couldn't straighten his arm. He was diagnosed by Dodgers' team physician [[Robert Kerlan|Dr. Robert Kerlan]] with traumatic [[arthritis]]. Koufax finished the year with an impressive 19-5 record.
Many whites play [[rugby union]], which is especially popular among [[Afrikaner]]s, who dominate the national side, the [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springboks]], and also [[cricket]], traditionally popular among English-speaking whites.
===Playing in pain===
The [[1965 in sports|1965]] season started off badly for Koufax. On [[March 31]], the morning after pitching a full game during spring training, Koufax awoke to find that his entire left arm was black and blue from [[hemorrhage|hemorrhaging]]. Koufax returned to Los Angeles to consult with Kerlan. Kerlan told Koufax that he'd be lucky to be able to pitch once a week and told him that he would eventually lose full use of his arm. Together, they mapped out a schedule where Koufax would only pitch every fifth day instead of his customary every fourth day. To get himself through the games he pitched in, he resorted to cortisone shots in the elbow, Empirin with [[codeine]] for the pain (which he took every night and sometimes during the fifth inning), and [[Benzone|Butazolidin]] for inflammation. He would also apply [[capsaicin]]-based Capsolin ointment---called "atomic balm" by baseball players---before each game and then soak his arm in ice and drink three beers after each game.
After being tainted by associations with apartheid, the Springboks (or 'Boks') have sought to become part of the 'New South Africa', with President [[Nelson Mandela]] wearing the Springbok jersey, once only worn by whites, at the final of the World Cup in [[1995]], although allegations of racism remain.
Despite the constant pain in his pitching elbow, Koufax finished the year by winning his second pitcher's Triple Crown by leading the league in wins (26), ERA (2.04) and strikeouts (382). His strikeout total obliterated the previous record of 348 set by Bob Feller in [[1948 in sports|1948]] and lasted until [[1973 in sports|1973]], when [[Nolan Ryan]] struck out 383 batters (his 382 strikeouts remains the [[National League]] single-season record). Koufax and the Dodgers won the World Series again, while he captured his second Cy Young Award (again unanimously). In the Series, Koufax was widely praised for refusing to pitch Game One due to his observance of [[Yom Kippur]], but was hit hard in Game Two as the [[Minnesota Twins]] took an early 2-0 lead. The Dodgers fought back, with [[Claude Osteen]], [[Don Drysdale]], and Koufax picking up vital wins to force a seventh game. Starting on only two days rest, Koufax took the ball and, despite not having good command of his [[curveball]] and pitching through tiredness and arthritic pain, threw a three hit shutout to clinch the Series. The performance was enough to win him his second World Series MVP award. Also in 1965, he won the Hickok Belt a second time, the first (and only) time anyone had won the belt more than once. He was also awarded ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' magazine's "[[Sportsman of the Year]]" award.
===PerfectionMinor sports===
[[Image:Koufax4Balls.jpg|right|frame|Koufax holding four baseballs representing his four no-hitters]]
On [[September 9]], [[1965 in sports|1965]], Koufax became the sixth pitcher of the modern era to throw a [[perfect game]]. Koufax had not won in three weeks; not since [[Juan Marichal]] hit Koufax's catcher, [[John Roseboro]], in the head with a baseball bat; not since the [[Watts riots]] started. The Dodgers were playing at home against the last place [[Chicago Cubs]]. [[Bob Hendley]], the pitcher for the Cubs, was just up from the minor leagues and had a 2-2 record.
[[Australian Rules Football]] is a fast growing sport amongst all population groups. One of the oldest football codes, with no class or race segregation, Australian Football promotes its connection to ties with [[Australian Aboriginal]] Indigenous culture with its origins in the traditional tribal game of [[Marn Grook]] or "Game Ball". Australian Football has been promoted by the [[North West Department of Sport, Arts and Culture]] and there are now around 10,000 players. The South African ''Buffaloes'' have competed in the past two [[Australian Football International Cup]]s in 2003 and 2005.
Koufax retired the first batter he faced, [[Donald Young]], a late season call-up, on a pop-up on the second pitch of the game. [[Glenn Beckert]], another rookie, struck out looking at a curveball after hitting a line drive down the third base line just barely foul. The third batter, [[Billy Williams (baseball player)|Billy Williams]], also struck out looking at curve ball. In the second inning, [[Ron Santo]] fouled out to catcher [[Jeff Torborg]], [[Ernie Banks]] struck out on a [[forkball]], and [[Byron Browne]], during his first major league at-bat, lined out to center fielder [[Willie Davis (baseball player)|Willie Davis]]. Koufax got [[Chris Krug]] to line out to center field to start off the third inning. Following him, [[Don Kessinger]] flew out on an 0-2 pitch and Hendley struck out. In the fourth inning Koufax got Young to line out to center field and Beckert to fly out to right. Koufax then struck out Williams a second time.
==Food==
By the top of the fifth inning, neither team had reached first base. That changed when Hendley walked [[Lou Johnson]] on a three and two pitch that could have gone either way. [[Ron Fairly]] dropped a [[sacrifice bunt]] that Hendley bobbled, leaving his only play at first base. On the first pitch to [[Jim Lefebvre]], Johnson [[stolen base|stole]] third base. The Cubs' catcher, Krug, threw the ball over Santo's head and into left field, which allowed Johnson to score. The Dodgers had scored a run without an [[at bat|official at-bat]]. In the bottom half of the inning the Cubs went three up, three down with Santo flying out, Banks striking out for the second time in the game, and Brown grounding out.
{{cookbookpar|Cuisine of South Africa}}
The [[braai]] or barbecue is widely popular, especially with whites, and includes meat, especially [[boerewors]] or spicy sausages, and mielies ([[maize]]) or [[Mielie-meal]], often as a porridge, or [[millet]], a staple food of black South Africans. Pastries such like [[koeksuster]]s and desserts like [[melktert]] (milk tart) are also universally popular. [[Vegetarianism]] has traditionally been treated with incomprehension and scorn by South Africans, especially whites, but is now more widely accepted.
Another favourite among most South Africans is ''[[biltong]]'', a form of dried meat usually made from beef or game, and often consumed while watching sporting events.
The bottom of the order came up in the sixth inning for the Cubs. Krug grounded the ball to shortstop [[Maury Wills]], who threw it in the dirt to first baseman [[Wes Parker]]. Parker managed to dig the ball out to save the play and Koufax's perfect game. Kessinger hit a dribbler down the third base line, but [[Jim Gilliam|Junior Gilliam]] was playing shallow to guard against the bunt and threw him out by half a step. Hendley, who still had a no-hitter going of his own, struck out on three pitches.
[[India]]n food like [[curry]] is also popular, especially in [[Durban]] with its large [[Asians in South Africa|Indian]] population, but may be considered mild or bland by Indian or even British standards. Another local Indian Durban speciality is the 'bunny' or [[bunny chow]], which consists of a hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with curry. [[Cape Malay]] dishes, which have their origins in [[Southeast Asia]], include [[bobotie]] made from curried lamb, fruit and bread, served with rice, and [[sosatie]], a type of barbecued meat. More recently, [[Pakistan]]i and Indian restaurants have been opened in major cities by recent immigrants, and provide a more "authentic" South Asian dining experience.
Koufax's nerves started to get to him a little in the seventh, when he threw one pitch that sailed past Young and went all the way to the backstop. Koufax recovered and struck Young out. Up next was Beckert, who flew out to right field. Williams started out with three straight balls. Koufax's next two pitches were fastballs right down the middle. Williams let the first one go and fouled off the second one. Williams ended up hitting a pop fly to left field on the next pitch. During the bottom of the seventh inning, Johnson broke up Hendley's no-hitter with a bloop hit behind the second baseman. By the time Banks reached it, Johnson was on second base. Hendley got Fairly to ground out to second, stranding Johnson on second base.
The [[Portugal|Portuguese]] community has also made its mark, with spicy [[peri-peri]] chicken being a favourite. The South African Portuguese-themed restaurant chain [[Nando's]] now has restaurants in the [[United Kingdom|UK]], [[Australia]] and [[Kenya]].
The heart of the Chicago order came up in the eighth inning and Koufax struck all three of them out. Banks, who struck out for the third time, never made contact the entire game. The Dodgers went three up and three down in the bottom half of the inning. Koufax again struck out the side in the ninth inning, striking out the final two hitters on six straight curveballs, "big balloons" as called by [[Vin Scully]], the Dodgers long time play-by-play announcer. As Scully commented at the end of his play-by-play, "Sandy Koufax's name, which will always remind you of strikeouts, finished the game with a flourish, striking out the last six consecutive batters." The final out was made by [[Harvey Kuenn]], the same man who made the final out of Koufax's [[1963 in sports|1963]] no-hitter. In the end, Johnson's hit was the only one by either team; the combined total of 1 hit for the entire game is a major league record.
===Hold out=TV and films ==
[[List of South African television channels|Television]], which for political reasons was not introduced in South Africa until [[1976]], is also popular. Traditionally, [[US]] programmes have dominated TV schedules. Programmes like [[The Bold and the Beautiful]] have been popular with South Africans of all races, but locally produced soap operas or 'soapies' now draw a large audience. Unfortunately, much of it does not travel well overseas. For example, the soap opera ''Egoli - Place of Gold'' was bilingual in English and Afrikaans, with actors switching between languages, to the incomprehension of viewers in the rest of Africa. The [[South African Broadcasting Corporation|SABC]] drama series ''Shaka Zulu'', based on the true story of the Zulu warrior King [[Shaka]], was shown around the world in the 1980s, but had to be marketed by a US distributor.
Before the [[1966 in sports|1966]] season began, both Koufax and Drysdale went to Dodger GM [[Buzzie Bavasi]] to negotiate their contracts for the upcoming year. Bavasi used to use Koufax and Drysdale against each other in contract negotiations, saying to Koufax, "How could you ask for so much when Drysdale is only asking for ..." {{ref|bavasi}} He would do the same thing to Drysdale, telling him that Koufax was asking for much less. Finally, Drysdale's first wife, Ginger Drysdale, suggested that they work together to get what they wanted. They demanded $1 million dollars, divided equally over the next three years, or $167,000 each for the next three seasons. Koufax was represented by an entertainment lawyer, J. William Hayes. When the hold out started, Drysdale's lawyer had a conflict of interest, so Hayes started advising them on their collective negotiations.
Ironically, while many foreign films have been produced about South Africa (usually involving race relations), few local productions are known outside South Africa itself. One exception was the film ''[[The Gods Must Be Crazy]]'' in [[1980]], set in the [[Kalahari]]. This is about how life in a traditional community of [[Bushmen]] is changed when a [[Coca-Cola|Coke]] bottle, thrown out of an aeroplane, suddenly lands from the sky. The late [[Jamie Uys]], who wrote and directed ''The Gods Must Be Crazy'', also had success overseas in the 1970s with his films ''Funny People'' and ''Funny People II'', similar to the TV series [[Candid Camera]] in the US. [[Leon Schuster]]'s ''You Must Be Joking!'' films are in the same genre, and hugely popular among South Africans.
Koufax and Drysdale both signed to appear in the movie ''[[Warning Shot]]'' starring [[David Janssen]]. Drysdale was going to play a TV commentator and Koufax was going to play a detective. They were photographed sitting on the set in director's chairs that had their names on the back. Dodger management started leaking allegations about dissension between Koufax and Drysdale, trying to drive a wedge between them. That spring, union activist [[Marvin Miller]] made the rounds of the spring training camps in his bid to become executive director of the [[Major League Baseball Players Association]]. Everywhere he went, all the players were asking him about Koufax and Drysdale. Koufax finally gave Drysdale the go-ahead to negotiate new deals for the both of them. Koufax ended up getting $125,000 and Drysdale $110,000.
In [[2004]], the New South African TV channel (NSAT) began broadcasting on [[Sky Television]] in the [[United Kingdom|UK]], thereby reaching the large (predominantly white) expatriate community, showing a mix of South African entertainment, films, sport and news coverage.
In April 1966, Kerlan told Koufax it was time to retire, that his arm couldn't take another season. Koufax kept Kerlan's advice to himself and went out every fourth day to pitch. He ended up pitching 323 innings and had a 27-9 record with a 1.73 ERA. In the final game of the regular season, the Dodgers had to beat the Phillies to win the pennant. Koufax faced [[Jim Bunning]] in the first ever match up between perfect game winners. The Dodgers won and went on to face the [[Baltimore Orioles]] in the [[1966 World Series|World Series]]. Game Two marked Koufax's third start in eight days. Koufax didn't perform well and the Dodgers ended up losing the game 6-0. The last man to face Koufax was [[Andy Etchebarren]] who hit in a double play to end the sixth inning. The Dodgers were swept in four games, not scoring a single run in the last three. After the World Series Koufax announced his retirement due to his arthritic condition.
== External links ==
In a 12-season career, Koufax had a 165-87 record with a 2.76 ERA, 2396 strikeouts, 167 complete games, and 40 shutouts. He is on the very short list of pitchers who retired with more career strikeouts than innings pitched. Koufax was selected for seven [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] games (twice in 1961 when there were two games played, and once in each year from 1962 to 1966 when there was only one game played). Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, as well as the first pitcher to win a Cy Young Award by a unanimous vote (all three Cy Young awards he won were by unanimous vote). Making this achievement more impressive is the fact that there was only one award given out to both leagues until 1967, when the rules were changed so that there would be a Cy Young Award winner in each league.
* [http://www.sarugby.net SA Rugby], the national governing body of [[Rugby Union]].
==Post-playing career==
* [http://www.safagoal.net SA Football Association]
Koufax has led a quiet life after baseball. In 1969, he married Anne Widmark, daughter of movie star [[Richard Widmark]]; they divorced in 1982. He remarried and divorced again in the 1990s. In [[1971 in television|1971]] he signed a 10-year contract with [[NBC]] for $1 million to be a broadcaster on the Saturday Game of the Week. Koufax never felt comfortable being in front of the camera, and quit before the 1973 season.
In [[1972 in sports|1972]], Koufax was elected to the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] in his first year of eligibility. Elected just weeks after his 36th birthday, he was five months younger than the youngest previous inductee, [[Lou Gehrig]], had been. On [[June 4]] of that same year, his uniform number 32 was retired alongside Dodger greats [[Roy Campanella]] (39) and [[Jackie Robinson]] (42).
{{South African Topics}}
The Dodgers hired Koufax to be a minor league pitching coach in [[1979 in sports|1979]]. He resigned in [[1990 in sports|1990]], saying he wasn't earning his keep, but most blamed it on his uneasy relationship with manager [[Tommy Lasorda]]. In 2003, he ended his longtime relationship with the Los Angeles Dodgers when the ''[[New York Post]]'', which like the Dodgers was then part of [[Rupert Murdoch]]'s business empire, published a story reporting unsubstantiated rumors about his [[sexual orientation]].
{{culture-africa}}
[[Category:South African culture| ]]
==Mechanics==
Whereas most left-handed pitchers throw – to some degree – with a three-quarter or sidearm motion, Koufax threw with a pronounced over-the-top arm action. This may have increased his velocity, but reduced the lateral movement on his pitches, especially movement away from left-handed hitters. Most of the velocity, however, came from his deceptively strong legs and back, combined with a high kicking wind-up and long forward stretch toward the plate. Throughout his career he relied on two pitches: his four-seam [[fastball]] had a "rising" motion due to underspin and appeared to move very late; the overhand [[curveball]], spun with the middle finger, dropped vertically ("12-to-6") due to his arm action. He also occasionally threw a [[changeup]] and a [[forkball]].
[[pt:Cultura da África do Sul]]
At the beginning of his career, he worked with coaches to eliminate his tendency to "tip" pitches (i.e. give away which pitch was coming due to variations in his wind-up). Late in his career, and especially as his arm problems continued, this variation (usually in the position he held his hands at the top of the wind-up) was even more pronounced, and good hitters were rarely unsure what pitch was coming. It usually did not matter.
==References==
*{{Book reference|Author=[[Jane Leavy]]|Title=Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy|Publisher=Perennial|Year=2003|ID=ISBN 0-06-019533-9}}
*{{Book reference|Author=Edward Gruver|Title=Koufax|Publisher=Taylor Trade Publishing|Year=2000|ID=ISBN 0878331573}}
*{{Web reference | title=Sandy Koufax Biography | work=Baseball Hall of Fame | URL=http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/koufax_sandy.htm | date=May 24 | year=2005}}
*{{Web reference | title=Sandy Koufax Career Statistics | work=Baseball-Reference.com | URL=http://www.baseball-reference.com/k/koufasa01.shtml | date=May 24 | year=2005}}
*{{Web reference | title=Sandy Koufax Biography | work=ESPN SportsCentury | URL=http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Koufax_Sandy.html | date=May 24 | year=2005}}
A surprising bit of Koufax history comes from Bob Uecker's biography, Catcher In The Wry, in which Uecker states that he never had any difficulty hitting one of Koufax's pitches. Uecker stated, "I didn't understand it, and Sandy didn't understand it, but I hit him and hit him hard."
==Notes==
# {{note|brickey}} Leavy p. 54
# {{note|campanis}} Leavy p. 55
# {{note|yberra}} {{Web reference | title=Sandy Koufax Biography | work=ESPN SportsCentury | URL=http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Koufax_Sandy.html | date=May 24 | year=2005}}
# {{note|bavasi}} Leavy p. 204
==External links==
*[http://www.sevastudio.com/sandy A fan site]
*[http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/koufax_sandy.htm Baseball Hall of Fame]
*{{baseball-reference|id=k/koufasa01}}
*[http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/100/index-26.html ''The Sporting News'': Baseball's 100 Greatest Players (#26)]
*[http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/K/Koufax_Sandy.stm Baseball Library] - biography and career highlights
*[http://www.baseball-statistics.com/HOF/Koufax.html Baseball-Statistics.com] - biography and quotes
*[http://www.baseballhistorian.com/html/sandy_koufax.htm Baseball Historian - Legends of the Game]
*[http://www.thebaseballpage.com/past/pp/koufaxsandy/ The Baseball Page]
*{{imdb name|id=1620721|name=Sandy Koufax}}
*[http://www.doubledogmusic.com/baseball/Scully_Koufax_Perfect.mp3 Vin Scully's call of the 9th inning of Koufax's perfect game (audio)]
[[Category:1935 births|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:1961 National League All-Stars|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:1962 National League All-Stars|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:1963 National League All-Stars|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:1964 National League All-Stars|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:1965 National League All-Stars|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:1966 National League All-Stars|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:Baseball Hall of Fame|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Dodgers players|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Dodgers players|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:Major league pitchers|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:College basketball players|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:Sports announcers|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:People from New York|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:MLB pitchers who have pitched a no-hitter|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:MLB pitchers who have pitched a perfect game|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[Category:Jewish Americans|Koufax, Sandy]]
[[io:Sandy Koufax]]
[[ja:サンディー・コーファックス]]
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