ON THE MARK.

Hebsy blog for Sept 26/ 2012

One of the proudest moments of my childhood occurred when I was 9 years old.  The great Sandy Koufax, L.A. Dodger lefthander and WMEJB (World's Most Eligible Jewish Bachelor) refused to pitch a World Series game against Minnesota because it fell on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year.   I remember hearing on our way to synagogue that Koufax  "hadn't made a decision as to whether to pitch" according to the radio report.  As a Jew, I was proud of Koufax, but secretly hoped he would pitch, because I was a Dodgers fan and this was the World Series.  After Yom Kippur services were over, we heard that Koufax did not pitch and wasn't even in uniform.  Don Drysdale took his place and the Dodgers lost.  When manager Walter Alston came out to pull Drysdale from the game, the big righthander said "I'll bet you wish I was Jewish too!"

The Bluejays could use a Koufax type. Religious affiliations aside, they need a guy who can eat up innings.  That season, 1965, Koufax pitched 335 innings and struck out 382 batters.  No, those aren't typos.  Think about it.  Over 300 innings.     The Jays top pitcher this year, Henderson Alvarez, has thrown 181 innings.  Ricky Romero?  178 innings.   These days, a big number for a starter is 200 innings pitched.  That's an average of 6 innings over 33 starts in a five man rotation.   In '65, Koufax started 41 games in a four man rotation and averaged 8 innings per start.   When was the last time a Jays pitched went 8 innings?  I rest my case.   Go and get a workhorse, a guy who can eat up innings.  So what if he blows his arm out?   Koufax was done at the age of 30 because of an arthritic elbow.  He had just won back to back Cy Young's and had completed a six year run where he was the most dominant pitcher in the game.   But to a 9 year old kid, he'll always be remembered as a man who was closer to his religious convictions than he was to the game he loved.

I can't help but follow, with interest, the exploits of White Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis at this time of the year.  It's common knowledge among us tribesmen that Youkilis is a Jew, but would he play on Yom Kippur?  The Whitesox were originally scheduled to play an evening game on September 25th, the start of Yom Kippur, but after listening to concerns of their fans, they moved the game back to 1 pm. so it wouldn't conflict with the High Holidays.   Classy move.  Too bad the same can't be said for the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame.  They held their annual induction ceremony and gala dinner on Yom Kippur, which is like the B'nai Brith Sports Dinner being held Easter Sunday at 11 a.m.    Did they not look at a calender a year in advance just to make sure there wasn't a conflict before they booked the banquet hall?   You can do that, you know.  The internet is a wonderful place.  Do a little research.