Sandy Koufax Audiobook By Jane Leavy cover art

Sandy Koufax

A Lefty's Legacy

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Sandy Koufax

By: Jane Leavy
Narrated by: Charley Steiner
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No immortal in the history of baseball retired so young, so well, or so completely as Sandy Koufax. After compiling a remarkable record from 1962 to 1966 that saw him lead the National League in ERA all five years, win three Cy Young awards, and pitch four no-hitters including a perfect game, Koufax essentially disappeared. Save for his induction into the Hall of Fame and occasional appearances at the Dodgers training camp, Koufax has remained unavailable, unassailable, and unsullied, in the process becoming much more than just the best pitcher of his generation.

He is the Jewish boy from Brooklyn, who refused to pitch the opening game of the 1965 World Series on Yom Kippur, defining himself as a man who placed faith over fame. This act made him the standard to which Jewish parents still hold their children. Except for his autobiography (published in 1966), Koufax has resolutely avoided talking about himself. But through sheer doggedness that even Koufax came to marvel at, Jane Leavy was able to gain his trust to the point where they talked regularly over the three years Leavy reported her book. With Koufax's blessing, Leavy interviewed nearly every one of his former teammates, opponents, and friends, and emerged with a portrait of the artist that is as thorough and stylish as was his command on the pitching mound.

©2002 Jane Leavy (P)2003 HarperCollins Baseball & Softball Historical Judaism Sports

Featured Article: The Best Baseball Audiobooks of All Time


Ask any baseball fan and they'll tell you: some of their favorite sounds can only be heard at the ballpark—the smooth, satisfying pop of a catcher’s glove as a pitch hits its mark; the crack of a bat as it tears into a fastball, explosive and hopeful, drawing the crowd to their feet. Our list, a roundup of outstanding baseball audiobooks, offers a glimmer of that same ballpark magic with just a few of the greatest stories from our national pastime.

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Great Baseball Story • Well-written Biography • Passionate Narration • Engaging Storytelling • Nostalgic Reminiscence
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What a fantastic book. Buy and read any book by Jane. If you’re a DODGERS fan, this is an essential book.

Sandy Koufax by Jane Levy

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Great story about a great man...Exceptionally written, Koufax's life story being told while woven between the innings of the perfect game he threw...It is refreshing being able to read about a boyhood hero that wasn't a fall down drunk or an egotistical psycho...Can't wait for your next book...

Baseball Favorite

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I listen to 40 audible books a year..This is one of the best..A Great Story and narrator

A PERFECT LISTEN

FANTASTIC

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what is the bigoted cartoon image of a jew ?
loud, abrasive, short, fat, ugly, physically inept
greedy, dishonest, egotistical, mean-spirited

what if you are a jew and are none of those ?
would you make american jews look at themselves differently ?
would you become a yardstick of achievement/assimilation ?

he's a hard man to write about as he relentlessly avoids the spotlight
what we get is the image of his admirers in the mirror of his career
but the list of his admirers is as impressive as it is long

the modern athletic soap opera seems pale in comparison
his character was greater than his ability and his ability was immense
i only hope jane leavy decides to call rachel robinson some day about a book

anti-jew or ultimate jew

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Loved this book laughed and learned a lot about Koufax. Looking forward to reading his autobiography book.

Loved it

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Go Dodgers book was great and I felt like I was in Dodgers stadium as Charlie read!

Sandy Koufax the Goat

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What did you love best about Sandy Koufax?

The book is easy to listen to and parallels a lot of idolizing of Mr. Koufax. The writing is wonderful. Having Charlie Steiner narrate the book is pure genius. Charlie is great talking about sports. Getting to listen to him for an extended period is great. I know, overuse of the word

Wow

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Would you listen to Sandy Koufax again? Why?

This was a great read. The author paints a wonderful protrait of great figure and simultaneously brings the reader back in time to a era when baseball was a different game,

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sandy Koufax?

I especially enjoyed the stories about ways that Sandy Koufax was often misunderstood by the media and the public.

What about Charley Steiner’s performance did you like?

Charley Steiner's passion for the subject was apparent in every sentence.

Portrait of a facinating man in a bygone era

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I really liked its back-and-forth narrative, from chronological life to chronological perfect game. Despite it being more than 20 years since the book was released, I feel like nothing has changed in Koufax’s life.

Simply Perfect!

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Jane Levy’s story deftly braids a pitch-by-pitch account of Koufax’s 1965 perfect game with a brisk, well-researched portrait of the pitcher and the rapidly changing Los Angeles around him. Vivid narration turns every slider into drama, while Levy’s scholarship highlights Koufax’s rare blend of dominance and quiet integrity—honoring Yom Kippur, shunning endorsements, retiring early to protect his arm. The result is a concise, compelling civic and sports history that celebrates a moment when athletic brilliance and humble character briefly became one. I’ve listened to it multiple times and will do so until I can hear!

Entire story.

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