Tuesday, May 29, 2012

the last book I ever read (Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy, excerpt one)


from Jane Leavy's Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy:

The beauty of his delivery was a function of his mechanics and his mechanics were a function of obeying the laws of nature. Every pitch came over the top. He didn't drop down. He didn't come sidearm. He didn't fool around. His fluidity lulled minds and dulled reflexes. Let the body put you to sleep and let the arm get you out, he would say. No matter how many times a batter saw it, the ball's arrival at home plate always came as a shock. It was a humbling, disorienting sensation. In the immortal words of Willie Stargell, trying to hit Koufax was like "trying to drink coffee with a fork." Hitters talk all the time and invariably in the same words. The ball presented itself as an offering. It was right there. I was right on it. And, then, nope, good-bye, it was gone.

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