Sandy Koufax

A Lefty's Legacy

De: Jane Leavy

Narrado por: Charley Steiner

No immortal in the history of baseball retired so young, so well, or so completely as Sandy Koufax. After compiling a remarkable record from 1962 to 1966 that saw him lead the National League in ERA all five years, win three Cy Young awards, and pitch four no-hitters including a perfect game, Koufax essentially disappeared. Save for his induction into the Hall of Fame and occasional appearances at the Dodgers training camp, Koufax has remained unavailable, unassailable, and unsullied, in the process becoming much more than just the best pitcher of his generation.

He is the Jewish boy from Brooklyn, who refused to pitch the opening game of the 1965 World Series on Yom Kippur, defining himself as a man who placed faith over fame. This act made him the standard to which Jewish parents still hold their children. Except for his autobiography (published in 1966), Koufax has resolutely avoided talking about himself. But through sheer doggedness that even Koufax came to marvel at, Jane Leavy was able to gain his trust to the point where they talked regularly over the three years Leavy reported her book. With Koufax's blessing, Leavy interviewed nearly every one of his former teammates, opponents, and friends, and emerged with a portrait of the artist that is as thorough and stylish as was his command on the pitching mound.

©2002 Jane Leavy (P)2003 HarperCollins

Baseball Favorite

Great story about a great man...Exceptionally written, Koufax's life story being told while woven between the innings of the perfect game he threw...It is refreshing being able to read about a boyhood hero that wasn't a fall down drunk or an egotistical psycho...Can't wait for your next book...

FANTASTIC

I listen to 40 audible books a year..This is one of the best..A Great Story and narrator

A PERFECT LISTEN

Wow

What did you love best about Sandy Koufax?

The book is easy to listen to and parallels a lot of idolizing of Mr. Koufax. The writing is wonderful. Having Charlie Steiner narrate the book is pure genius. Charlie is great talking about sports. Getting to listen to him for an extended period is great. I know, overuse of the word

Portrait of a facinating man in a bygone era

Would you listen to Sandy Koufax again? Why?

This was a great read. The author paints a wonderful protrait of great figure and simultaneously brings the reader back in time to a era when baseball was a different game,

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sandy Koufax?

I especially enjoyed the stories about ways that Sandy Koufax was often misunderstood by the media and the public.

What about Charley Steiner’s performance did you like?

Charley Steiner's passion for the subject was apparent in every sentence.

Simply Perfect!

I really liked its back-and-forth narrative, from chronological life to chronological perfect game. Despite it being more than 20 years since the book was released, I feel like nothing has changed in Koufax’s life.

anti-jew or ultimate jew

what is the bigoted cartoon image of a jew ?
loud, abrasive, short, fat, ugly, physically inept
greedy, dishonest, egotistical, mean-spirited

what if you are a jew and are none of those ?
would you make american jews look at themselves differently ?
would you become a yardstick of achievement/assimilation ?

he's a hard man to write about as he relentlessly avoids the spotlight
what we get is the image of his admirers in the mirror of his career
but the list of his admirers is as impressive as it is long

the modern athletic soap opera seems pale in comparison
his character was greater than his ability and his ability was immense
i only hope jane leavy decides to call rachel robinson some day about a book

Loved it

Loved this book laughed and learned a lot about Koufax. Looking forward to reading his autobiography book.

Sandy Koufax the Goat

Go Dodgers book was great and I felt like I was in Dodgers stadium as Charlie read!

The Greatest Lefty I've Ever seen

What did you like about this audiobook?

This audiobook kept my interest from beginning to end. I think the audiobook is equal to the print version. I have also read the print version & loved it.

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

It gave me the chance to re-live my youth and remember watching the best pitcher in baseball during the '60's.The Boys of Summer is another of the audiobooks I enjoyed that compares to Sandy Koufax because like Koufax, I kept my attention until the end. The Greatest Game Ever Pitched is the book I'm reading now (& I wish it was available in audiobook) because I was among the fans that witnessed the game at the "Stick" that night.

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

Yes she does. although I've never met Jane Leavy, I believe this book brings a very personal warmth & humor in the way it's written. I like that.

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

Absolutely nothing!

Do you have any additional comments?

Is "Sandy Koufax, A Lefty's Legacy" available in enhanced form? If not, why not?

Best biography on Koufax

After reading the book when it first came out I thought I would give the audio version a listen. I was not disappointed. Jane Leavy has done a tremendous job with this book. If you love Koufax this book is a must!