Do you think Koufax walked them on purpose??

[evolute99]

Game 7 1965 world series

bottom 1

koufax takes care of the 1st two batters and then oliva and killebrew come
he walks oliva and then four straight balls to killebrew.

then battey comes up and Sandy knocks him down quickly on strikes

I think he was so good that he didn't have to pitch to anyone he didn't want to, an even game seven on the line he was that in control, putting two men on base was not a worry for him.

[64Cards]

Game 7 1965 world series

bottom 1

koufax takes care of the 1st two batters and then oliva and killebrew come
he walks oliva and then four straight balls to killebrew.

then battey comes up and Sandy knocks him down quickly on strikes

I think he was so good that he didn't have to pitch to anyone he didn't want to, an even game seven on the line he was that in control, putting two men on base was not a worry for him.
I doubt that he was trying to walk either of them. That was a 2-0 game, if I recall, so with Oliva up, a LH hitter, I would think he'd challenge him, a HR couldn't beat or tie him. I'm sure he wanted to pitch carefully to Killebrew, but still didn't want to put the WS winning run at the plate.

Remember he was in his 3rd start of the WS, pitching with 2 days rest. He was exhausted.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Koufax has always come across as humble and respectful to me. As great as he was, I don't think he would have taken a single batter lightly.
Who was the batter he struck out? Bob Allison?

[KCGHOST]

Don't know, but Koufax had trouble throwing his curve for a strike early in the game.

[64Cards]

Ooops, didn't carefully read the initial post, I thought you wrote it was bottom of 9th. My apologies. In any case, I don't think Koufax would put 2 men on. But as KC mentioned, I think I read or heard that somewhere too, that he couldn't get his curve over and from about the 4th on he threw mostly fastballs, occasionally a changeup. Still threw a shutout. Yeah, Koufax was that good.