The Los Angeles Dodgers announced plans to unveil a Sandy Koufax statue in the center field plaza at Dodger Stadium prior to a game against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday, June 18. Details of how Koufax will be depicted in a bronze statue have not been revealed.
It will be sculpted by Branly Cadet, who also created the Jackie Robinson statue that was unveiled on the left field reserve level of Dodger Stadium on April 15, 2017. Robinson’s statue has since been moved to the center field plaza as part of the Dodger Stadium renovations.
The first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance on June 18 will receive a replica Koufax statue.
“I am very proud to announce that the unveiling of the Sandy Koufax statue at Dodger Stadium will finally take place on Sunday, June 18,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said in a statement.
“The statue will be located at our main entrance in the Centerfield Plaza, right next to Jackie Robinson’s statue, and fans entering those gates will be ‘greeted’ by Jackie and Sandy. Not only are both of these Hall of Famers part of our rich Dodger history, they are also continuously inspiring sports fans everywhere.”
Initial plans for a Koufax statue were announced in 2019, with an intention to unveil it the following year. However, the Dodgers postponed completion of the project due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Robinson and Koufax having statues that sit adjacent to each other is fitting for the former teammates who along with Don Newcombe, had their numbers retired by the Dodgers on June 4, 1972, and are members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Koufax’s career stats with Dodgers
Pitching for the franchise in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, Koufax went 165-87 with a 2.76 ERA, 2,396 strikeouts, 137 complete games and 40 shutouts over 12 seasons. He became the first pitcher in MLB history with four no-hitters, which included one perfect game.
Koufax led the National League in ERA and shutouts from 1962-66. That stretch also saw him win the MVP and Cy Young Award in 1963, and the top pitching award in 1965 and 1966 as well. The famed left-hander was part of World Series teams with the Dodgers in 1955, 1959, 1963 and 1965.
He retired on Nov. 18, 1966, at just 30 years old due to chronic arthritis in his left elbow, and soon after became the youngest player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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