Sandy Koufax & Don Drysdale Signed ONL Baseball with Display Case (Beckett Encapsulated)

Rawlings Official National League Baseball. Hand-signed in blue ink pen by Sandy Koufax (Los Angeles Dodgers, HOF) and Don Drysdale (D. 1993, Los Angeles Dodgers, HOF).

Sandy Koufax played his entire MLB career for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers. He retired at the peak of his career, and in 1972 became the youngest player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, age 36 years and 20 days.

Koufax's career peaked with a run of six outstanding seasons from 1961 to 1966, before arthritis in his left elbow ended his career prematurely at age 30. He was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1963. He also won the 1963, 1965, and 1966 Cy Young Awards by unanimous votes, making him the first 3-time Cy Young winner in baseball history and the only one to win 3 times when the award was for all of baseball, not just one league. In each of his Cy Young seasons, Koufax won the pitcher's triple crown by leading the NL in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average. Koufax's totals would also have led the American League in those seasons.

Koufax was the first major leaguer to pitch four no-hitters (including the eighth perfect game in baseball history). Despite his comparatively short career, Koufax's 2,396 career strikeouts ranked 7th in history as of his retirement, trailing only Warren Spahn (2,583) among left-handers. Koufax and Nolan Ryan are the only two pitchers inducted into the Hall of Fame who had more strikeouts than innings pitched.

Don Drysdale was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers. The hurler (nicknamed "Big D" by fans) used brushback pitches and a sidearm fastball to intimidate batters.

Drysdale was also considered a good hitter for a pitcher. In a total of 14 seasons, he had 218 hits, including 29 home runs, and was occasionally used as a pinch-hitter. In 1962, Drysdale won 25 games and the Cy Young Award. In 1968, he set Major League records with six consecutive shutouts and 58 consecutive scoreless innings. In 1965, he was the Dodgers' only .300 hitter and tied his own National League record for pitchers with seven home runs. That year he won 23 games and helped the Dodgers to their third World Championship in Los Angeles. He ended his career with 209 wins, 2,486 strikeouts, 167 complete games and 49 shutouts. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.

The item / autograph(s) has been authenticated and encapsulated by Beckett for authenticity purposes.

Authentication: Beckett Encapsulated

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