Hint: #1 He ranks in the Top Ten all-time in World Series career batting average, on-base percentage, slugging and OPS.

Hint: #2 Only he and countryman Albert Pujols belong to a contrived but exclusive statistical “club”.

Friday’s question answered:

Q. Who stands alone as the only pitcher to lead the major leagues in the pitching Triple Crown in consecutive seasons?

Hint: #1 As a rookie in the majors, he bumped a future Hall of Fame manager down to the minors—never to rise again as a player on that team.

Hint: #2 He was the first pitcher to win at least two World Series rings, win at least two Cy Young Awards and throw at least two no-hitters.

A. SANDY KOUFAX  [SABR Bio]

– Ans. Koufax led the NL and AL in wins, strikeouts & ERA in 1965 & 1966 respectively, his last two seasons in the majors:

1965 – 26 W; 382 K; 2.04 ERA

1966 – 27 W; 317 K; 1.73 ERA

– #1 The Dodgers sent down pitcher Tommy Lasorda to make room on the roster for Koufax who never played a game in the minors. Lasorda liked to say, “It took the greatest left-handed pitcher in baseball history to get me off that Brooklyn club – and I still think they made a mistake.” {Actually , Lasorda played 18 more major league games the following year, but it was for the A’s in Kansas City.}

– #2 Koufax played on WS champs in 1959, 1963 & 1965.

He won the MLB Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965 & 1966.

His no-hitters were:

30-Jun-1962 vs. NYM;

11-May-1963 vs. SFG;

04-Jun-1964 at PHI; &

09-Sep-1965 vs. CHC.

Tim Lincecum, Justin Verlander & Max Scherzer have since matched his feat of 2+ WS rings, 2+ Cy Youngs, 2+ no-hitters.

FCR – Art Mugalian, Minneapolis