My Koufax Adventure/Project
 

Back in November (2019) started working on picking up a Topps issued Koufax PC based on his playing years. A little background Koufax was my Dad's favorite player and a big reason was because he was a lefty pitcher. Myself, I have always been wow'd by his last 5-6 years performance and of course his performance in the big games specifically his post season stats.

So, for now I'm focused on completing his Topps issued cards which I believe he has 30 from 55-67 including the 56 gray and white backs. I put these together in the PSA Digital Album as a Showcase which I prefer to the registry digital albums.

Still looking for the below but thought I would share the progress in digital album form.

****UPDATED****LOOKING for the below****

1964 Pitching Leaders PSA 7
1966 Pitching Leaders PSA 7

https://i.ibb.co/jG7BfYg/A9-DD92-CA-...7626-B8963.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/5GWPdfB/FA466398-97...A0299-B323.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/4NPdcZv/043-C6-D33-...696149-B28.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/sg87ghF/682-EA98-A-...298-FC2688.jpg

Nice growing collection. Dittos concerning your dad, I was lucky he was a big Dodger fan, thus I have found memories of seeing Koufax pitch a number of times including a game in August 1965 when he went 10 or 11 innings for a 1-0 SO. Only wish I’d been there for his perfect game!

Good luck with building that set!

Aaron


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Thanks and very cool story!!! I would love to be there during any of his games just to take in the ambiance and know what it's like back in the 50/60's.

Very cool and thanks for posting.

Chad

Good stuff brother~!
Always interested to see what you are picking up, I'm on the road currently so I can't see the detail (grades) on some of those images, since I'm on my phone.
Crazy thing is, they all have good eye appeal, from what I can see. Which is a great thing.... the centering on everything seems pretty well done from the little bit I can gather.

Consider adding in a Topps "Stand-Up", I really like that issue on a number of players.

I'd definitely be thinking about adding in an auto card from back then too. You will NOT regret it down the road.

I'll be watching intently in the coming days.



:)

I did the Koufax basic set in PSA 7. I had about half the cards and when I sent them to PSA, most came back as 7s. I got 1 8 so that is in the run. I never thought about doing the league leaders and combo cards. I do have some of those. I may try sending those to PSA and filling it out like you are doing. Koufax is the greatest left handed pitcher and live ball pitcher of all time. Watched him throw a 1 hitter to beat Spahn. The one hit barely cleared the fence for a HR. Koufax was less than 5 feet from pitching another no hitter. No modern era pitcher has ever been as dominant.

Thanks guys

DJ - Yeah I've been toying around with a few other Koufax cards and the Pop Up is definitely one I will be getting at some point. Its a slow but fun process picking cards I like with my kind of eye appeal. Usually with projects if I go to fast, spend too much I get frustrated and ultimately lose interest. So, trying to take it slow and pick up a few cards each month.

Rats - Thanks for the story and background. Would love to see all those 7's that's a really awesome collection. I am finding I am really enjoying those leader cards and really adds that extra touch to the digital showcase and maybe that is something you would be interested in showing.

Added a couple pieces to the PC, nothing crazy but a couple nice examples. The 1966 Venezuela has a few pinholes and graded a PSA 1 but for the price couldn't go wrong.

https://i.ibb.co/tXxZ5zW/F9905-C86-3...071-EAA583.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/c17jbTK/1-D54-AE0-C...14-B713-B8.jpg

[QUOTE=gustomania;2003907]Thanks and very cool story!!! I would love to be there during any of his games just to take in the ambiance and know what it's like back in the 50/60's.

Very cool and thanks for posting.

Perchance you never treated yourself to this, a fine anecdote and piece on Sandy Koufax that eloquently conveys the ambiance of his last 6 years pitching at home may be found in Ken Burns's documentary on the history of baseball. The piece begins with the anecdote by famed Dodger broadcaster, the late Vin Skully. I will always remember his first two words, "Oh genius." If you don't own it, gustomania, there is a good chance your local public library has it available to check out. That is how I saw it. You can probably Google the index and discover which volume has what Ken gives us about Sandy. It IS very moving.

Congratulations on your collecting quest; I'm sure it will be very fulfilling to you.

I just thought of another something to complement your Koufax collection. Rare Sportsfilms out of Naperville, Illinois markets some terrific DVDs about sports. They offer many of the immediate postwar official World Series films, so that includes 63, 65, and 66. The first two are "must haves". I cannot recall if they have a DVD strictly devoted to Sandy. If that interests you, check Rare Sportsfilms' web site. Doak Ewing's stuff is not penny ante, nor should it be, and they are high quality and reasonably priced!

Just trying to be helpful, bro.....:)

--- Brian Powell

Koufax is a fun one but like potato chips it is impossible to stop once you get going. I completed my Koufax Morrell and Bell runs a few years ago. That was a toughie.

[QUOTE=brian1961;2007394]I've been working with John Miley the past 20 years, putting his old radio broadcasts onto CD. We have many complete games Sandy pitched, including his 1962 no-hitter. The CDs are $19.99 each or 4 for $59.97. We also offer .mp3 downloads, $15 ea. or 4 for $45. If interested pm me and I'll send a catalog of available games.

Great info guys, really appreciate it! Might have to dabble in some different items at some point in the near future.

Chad

My Dad was a Yankees guy and we went to see them a lot but occasionally we'd score Mets tickets from my pharmacist uncle who 'knew people'. So I got to see Koufax pitch at Shea in June of 1966, his last season. He pitched the first game of the doubleheader, got a couple of hits himself, for the most part, made the Mets look silly and won a laugher.

My Dad who loved normally loved doubleheaders started getting ready to head out with me in tow. I remember asking him why we were leaving. He said "We've seen Koufax, why watch anyone else?" or words to that effect.

My Koufax career-era Topps card run is complete but in raw form except for a graded '55. I've pulled a couple for my 50s/60s set builds so I think I'll replace those.

Your cards are terrific.

Chad- Great Post! Like your dad, Sandy was/is my favorite player, but it wasn't always so. Like Commish Bob, I was a Yankees fan (this was before the Braves moved close) and more specifically, a Mantle fan.

All that changed on October 2, 1963 - which was the first game I can remember seeing on TV and certainly the first World Series game I ever saw.

Here are a few of my Koufax items connected to that game:

Attachment 413461Attachment 413462

Attachment 413463

That "Koufax Strikes Out 15" card is iconic. One of the greatest cards ever...

It’s been a while but added a nice one today!!

https://i.ibb.co/3YSs1Mk/CDC083-C5-B...-A453-F9-E.jpg

That is a beautiful card! Congratulations.

Round it out a bit more?
 

perhaps a nice addition and for sure added challenge might be to add the O-Pee-Chee (Canadian) and Venezuelan Koufax cards to the collection?

You've inspired me to post my almost-complete Yogi Berra vintage collection (especially since I just picked up two of the last ones I need).

Just mainstream base cards. All that's left is the '50, '53, and '54 Bowman.

Except this means I'd have to find them all and take pics :eek:

Once I get past the mainstream cards then I’ll probably add some various cards....I’ve added 1 Venezuelan already but will likely add more

Glad to hear, would love to see it!!!

Added a nice one today

https://i.ibb.co/Q9WpwKv/E7954-EC1-F...4-AD5-FD59.jpg

That's a beauty man. You've got a great eye for these cards. Keep it up!

Thanks, really appreciate the encouragement!!! Its been a fun ride so far....

Added another 1960, just love this card! I think the 1960 and 1956 are my favorite Koufax cards and just love both sets in general because of the Horizontal layout!

https://i.ibb.co/T0hNd0K/AE61-CE68-9...-ADBC7-ED9.jpg

Nice Koufax! I just realized that the side picture is the same pose they used on the '61.

Same here !!!!

Great card. Also one of my favorite Koufax cards. I picked up a poor condition one when I was kid and it was one of my favorite cards in my collection.


.

Thanks for sharing, that right their is what its all about.

I believe once I complete the mainstream PSA set I am going to enjoy picking up a nice VGish set in raw form for fun.

It’s been a while, have been wanting one of these for a while for a decent price and condition, just one of my favorite KOUFAX CARDS with only 27 graded higher.

https://i.ibb.co/cyQ58QJ/C9-C89-E6-D...5-C9395-BF.jpg

Sweet card! Another of my favorite Koufax cards. Great collection so far Chad. Keep posting your pick ups as you go!

Thanks, really appreciate that!!!

Been slow going lately but grabbed one I need for the base set run plus leaders, etc.

Down to 8 left so happy about that

https://i.ibb.co/yp1bRrw/7-CFAC82-A-...F4-DDB5-E7.jpg

Couldn’t pass up as the centering is fantastic, already had a real nice PSA 7 but the more the merrier

https://i.ibb.co/ysgbD6m/EE7-DF24-A-...F96-FB15-C.jpg

Nice collection. Once you finish with the topps, you should consider adding all his Venezuela Topps cards. The ‘59 will set you back.

Thanks! I’ll probably pick up a few here and there but some are pretty expensive so probably not all.

Did a bit of cleaning house and sold a few low grade Koufax to upgrade to a 56 Gray 4.5 with awesome centering.

Pretty happy with this one

https://i.ibb.co/HD6DJhj/E4-EB0313-2...AA5-D2-B57.jpg

Another one off my list....very sharp

https://i.ibb.co/MGMQJnL/F28-C77-E4-...A67-A9-B29.jpg

I would like to nominate Nolan Ryan and his seven no-hitters and 5714 strikeouts.

Picked this up from a great member today (MattyC)....pretty excited to add this one.

https://i.ibb.co/xhWwJjR/5-A1-FA61-E...-CAA741448.jpg

I may still be on rookie status when it comes to collecting cards but boy this is an absolute beauty, and perhaps my favorite card of all the ones in this thread.

As others noted, love the back story and look forward to seeing you tick off the last few ones you need!

Been a while, but added a new piece. Only about 450 total graded so a bit harder to find in a 7 or above.

https://i.ibb.co/xXBpDdG/1-EC608-BD-...2-CEC94-AB.jpg

It’s been way too long but added another Koufax to PC. I’ve only added a few items this year but been busy with other things, hoping to add a few more soon.

https://i.ibb.co/5Rg0YLq/792056-A6-2...2-FD7-FE90.jpg

I like to trot this one out when I can. Here's Sandy the night he signed with the Dodgers:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0450306d_z.jpg

Thats pretty cool, seems so relaxed like no big deal just signed with the Dodgers so I guess I'll give baseball a shot, lol.

Updated my PSA showcase in the first post, just love these digital albums for the collection.

Added a nice OPC to the PC. Only 36 graded with 7 higher but love the look of this one with two HOFers on it

https://i.ibb.co/hDLr0MY/B90-E3438-5...0-A2-C4-EC.jpg

Have been looking for a nicely centered copy for a long time with the lighthouse case, glad to have this one off the checklist

https://i.ibb.co/Yc7fc0f/84233-F70-8...-E7-AD5-D3.jpg

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albu...080&fit=bounds
https://hosting.photobucket.com/albu...080&fit=bounds
https://hosting.photobucket.com/albu...080&fit=bounds

Nice stash ALR

Been a while to find something I liked but found a real nice 1962 Koufax… I know some don’t like these borders but I really seem to like this set.

https://i.ibb.co/dDHDdT1/E340-B446-A...-A8-FFF479.jpg