Dodgers: Vin Scully Recalls Sandy Koufax and His Perfect Game 55 Years Later
“The time on the scoreboard is 9:44. The date, September the ninth, 1965…” On this day 55 years ago, the legendary Vin Scully set up the call of a lifetime for the game of a lifetime. The Dodgers were playing the Chicago Cubs at a three-year-old Dodger Stadium when Sandy Koufax faced 27 batters and got ’em all.
Today, 55 years later, Scully recalls the historic night in Los Angeles.
55 years ago today, Sandy Koufax tossed an absolute gem. It was his fourth career no hitter, and a perfect game. #ladodgers #sandykoufax pic.twitter.com/rJqYgoydzu
— Vin Scully (@TheVinScully) September 9, 2020
Mr Scully, of course, shared a story for the occasion… go ahead and pull up a chair.
There’s been a lot written about Sandy Koufax perfect game … but there’s a little story in the game itself that I don’t believe has ever been told before. … With one out in the ninth inning and the crowd going wild, Joe Amalfitano — who later on would become a Dodger coach — came up to the plate and struck out.
Crowd went wild. One out to go.
As Joe walked back towards the dugout, kneeling in the on-deck circle was teammate Harvey Kuenn and Amalfatano said to Kuenn amidst all the roar, ‘boy, he’s really bringing it tonight.’ And Harvey said to Joey, ‘I’ll be right back.’
The Koufax game is a thing of legend amongst the long-time baseball faithful thanks in part to Scully and his illuminating call from that night. Moreover, the story goes that Vin wasn’t calling that game in that way for baseball or for fans, he was tailoring it as a gift for Sandy himself. As something he could look back on and watch after his playing days were over.
There will never be another Vincent Edward Scully.
NEXT: Vin Scully is Auctioning off Memorabilia from his Storied Career
Mr. Scully has been the voice I will ALWAYS associate with the Dodgers. I have listened to him since 1958 and he set an example for fans that I appreciate to this day. Vinny could explain game situations from when they started to develop to their conclusion and put everything into a perspective I could appreciate and understand. Vinny also gave baseball drama a moral or human perspective that was a lesson I still appreciate and has helped me in my life to this day. Thank you, sir.
In 1965, I was the official photographer for my high school newspaper (The Explosion for Glendale High School) and my supervisor told me we needed a photo for the sports page. It was suggested I attend the Junior Varsity Football game after school, but I thought, “the heck with that, Koufax is pitching tonight. I’ll get a seat in the left field pavilion and take pictures. I did, and that was his perfect game. I turned my images into my photo teacher, and never saw them again. But, my story is in Jane Leavy’s book, “A Lefty’s Legacy” where I am mentioned 8 times! What a memory!
And I remember when Vin Scully was a rookie, calling games with Red barber and Connie Desmond.
Oh yes, there may never be another Sandy Koufax, the best there ever was.