Koufax and Kennedy

[DOUGHBOYS]

After the 1963 season, every Giants fan knew the right team had won the National League pennant and World Series. When having a pitcher like Sandy Koufax, well, it negates the advantage of having Mays/McCovey in the middle of the lineup.
Koufax finished 25-5, nobody questioned how he won 25, there were however, a lot of folks that wondered how he lost five, and subsequently would blame the Dodgers offense. Koufax threw 20 complete games in 1963. 11 were shutouts.

I was in fourth grade. Koufax had come out of nowhere. Sure, he had been good in '62 with a 14-7 record, but that wasn't good enough to stop Mays/McCovey and company from winning the pennant in '62.
Three players dominated water cooler talk and publications (there was no real media in those times).
Mays, Mantle, and Koufax. Before Koufax, it was Mays, Mantle, and Maris.

To a fourth grader in 1963, John Kennedy was the perfect President. A beautiful wife, a good looking guy, and my parents always talked about how he saved us from World War III. Besides, he was shown on tv playing football and doing other 'young stuff'. I may have been even more impressed if I had known he was bedding Marilyn Monroe.
Kennedy was like Koufax, he came out of nowhere. But it seemed like the whole country knew they had a winner. I didn't know nothing from politics or even his policies, I just knew that we had a cool President.

Kennedy beat Nixon in 1960. At nine years old, I looked at Nixon as a swarmy guy. The teacher that took away my transistor radio before I'd gotten it out of my pocket. You know, that type of guy.
They told me the election was close. I couldn't believe it. Who votes for a a guy with pre-mature jowels over a guy who could be in the next movie at our movie house?
Kennedy was America. He was like Mickey Mantle and Sandy Koufax. It just seemed that when they did something wrong, it was unusual. And when they did something wrong, it was quickly forgiven.
It was an innocent time.
Our country had the best sports.
Our country had the best leader.
Our country was simply the best.
And everybody....EVERYBODY knew it.

In the World Series, Koufax threw two complete games in a four game sweep over the Yankees and their great lineup.
Back then, it was not head turning to see Koufax throw two complete games.
Folks did wonder how the Yankees scored three runs off of him in those 18 innings.
He would throw 57 World Series innings all together. His E.R.A. was 0.95 against those best teams in baseball.
This, truly was a pitcher who came out of nowhere. His stuff was so good, that the Dodgers 'carried' him without using him in important games for years.
He was wild.
So wild, that Dodger batters did not want him throwing batting practice. One Dodger hitter said that facing Koufax in batting practice was "like playing Russian Roulette with five barrels loaded".
In 1963, Koufax won the pitching triple crown with most Wins, strike outs, and best E.R.A.
He would do it again in 1965
And again in 1966.
From '63 to '66, Koufax was 14-2 in September, with a 1.55 E.R.A.
As a kid, I thought that the bigger the game, the harder he seemed to throw and the more foolish hitters looked.

I would see Kennedy on tv. Playing with his kids or tossing a football or meeting with world leaders.
As a fourth grader, I was impressed at how our President looked compared to other leaders. These leaders looked like Stan Musial in '63. I had heard great things about Musial, but to me he looked like 'an old guy'.
When Kennedy walked with these other leaders, he carried America with him.
There was a bounce in his step. None in other leaders.
He would run his hand through his hair.
Most other leaders didn't have hair or at least not enough to run a hand through.
And when Kennedy smiled, it was 'game over'.
Other leaders hardly ever seem to smile.

I was in fourth grade. Eating lunch in the cafeteria. Our Principal got up on a step tool and told us all to pipe down.
He told us that President Kennedy had been shot.
At first there was absolute silence. Then, the Principal himself started crying. The effect of the news and seeing a Principal cry soon had most of the room joining him.
They tried to continue classes that day, but gave up, letting everybody home early.
When I walked through the door, my Mom was crying in her easy chair watching our little tv.
She didn't have to ask why I was home early.

America changed that day. That day took away our innocence.
As a nation, we were indestructible. Nothing could hurt us and if they did, they knew that our payback would be worse.
50 years later we again have a young President. He looks better than most other world leaders. But, it doesn't matter.
He doesn't have 'it'
He doesn't have charm.
He doesn't have charisma.
Worst, he doesn't give Americans the feeling that, 'no matter what, we're going to be alright'.
I miss that feeling.

Security is a wonderful thing.
America felt secure with Kennedy at the helm.
The Dodgers felt secure when Koufax was on the mound.
A snapshot in time that has passed.
Feeling secure stopped on that day 50 years ago.
Folks started locking their doors. Other countries didn't seem to fear us as much.
And worse, at least through the eyes of a nine year old, our country would be led, by a guy with little or no hair.