Sandy Koufax declines to pitch the first game of the World Series against the Twins because the scheduled game occurs Yom Kippur, Dodgers lose 8-2

Zoilo_Versalles_1963

On October 6, 1965 At Metropolitan Stadium, Sandy Koufax declines to pitch the first game of the World Series against the Twins because the scheduled game occurs Yom Kippur, the most sacred of the Jewish holidays. As the Dodger southpaw attends shul and fasts on the Day of Atonement.

Game 1 was set to be a pitching duel between Dodgers’ Don Drysdale and the Twins’ Mudcat Grant (21–7, 3.30 ERA on the year).

In the Twins’ third inning any thought of a pitchers’ duel was put to rest. Going into that inning, it was 1–1. Coming out, it was 7–1. It started with a Frank Quilici double to left field, followed by an error by Jim Lefebvre, allowing the pitcher Grant to reach. Then, shortstop Zoilo Versalles stepped to the plate. He had hit 19 home runs in the regular season and would later win the AL MVP Award for that year. He crushed a pitch from Drysdale for a three-run home run to make the score, 4–1. However, the Twins’ scoring wasn’t over. With still no one out, left fielder Sandy Valdespino began things again with a double. After a few outs and baserunners, and a single by Harmon Killebrew, the Twins had two runners again. With three straight singles (Earl Battey, Don Mincher, and Quilici), scoring three unearned runs, the Twins had jumped out to a six-run lead and would never look back, winning the game 8–2.

Frank Quilici set a World Series record with his two hits in the third inning. Mudcat Grant was the first black World Series game-winner for an American League team, and just the seventh pitcher to homer in a World Series game.

The Dodgers had scored their runs on a Ron Fairly homer and a Maury Wills bunt single that scored Lefebvre. Grant received the win while Drysdale took the loss. In the postgame news conference, a reporter jokingly said to Dodger manager Walter Alston, “I bet you wish Drysdale was Jewish too.”

@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@

Daily Rewind - Baseball History delivered daily

* indicates required

Baseball is the only game you can watch on the radio. Join the community today and listen to hundreds of broadcasts from baseball’s golden age.

Lets go! Start listening!

Start Listening today!
Share the Post:

Related Posts

In front nearly 30,000 very enthusiastic fans at South Side Park in the season finale, the White Sox start Doc White, coming off a complete game, on only two days rest in an attempt to thwart the Tigers’ from clinching the pennant. Chicago’s efforts will fail with a 7-0 defeat to Detroit, who capture the AL flag by a half of a game ahead of the Cleveland Naps thanks to a rule that doesn’t require a team to make up a rainout game from earlier in the season.
Read More
October 6, 1908
Load More
Start Listieng to Classic Baseball Broadcasts (1934 - 1973)

Start Listieng to Classic Baseball Broadcasts (1934 - 1973)

Enjoy our free trial and start listening to games, interviews and shows! Ruth, Mantle, Aaron, and Seaver!

$9.99/month
$99/year
class="wp-singular post-template-default single single-post postid-118908 single-format-standard wp-custom-logo wp-embed-responsive wp-theme-kadence wp-child-theme-kadence-child logged-out footer-on-bottom hide-focus-outline link-style-standard content-title-style-normal content-width-normal content-style-unboxed content-vertical-padding-show non-transparent-header mobile-non-transparent-header kadence-elementor-colors elementor-default elementor-kit-193430 elementor-page-193959"