Sandy's Agony

Sandy Koufax was trying to explain how it felt to lose a ball game. "Have you ever tripped and fallen at a party or spilled coffee on your lap?" asked the Los Angeles Dodgers' ace. "Isn't there something worse than the pain it self? Isn't it the embarrassment? Well, imagine being embarrassed in front of 50,000 people." Last week, Koufax lost -- in front of 50,840 screaming fans.

The best lefthander in baseball was knocked out of the box in the third inning; he gave up three walks, four hits, six runs; and it all happened at the hands of the lowly New York Mets. But this time, for Sandy, there was nothing worse than the pain itself.

Like a Log. The pain is in the elbow of his wonderful throwing arm, and he first discovered it two years ago. Four mornings after pitching--and winning--a particularly tough game against Milwaukee, he awoke to find his entire arm swollen "like a log, a waterlogged log." Orthopedist Robert Kerlan told Sandy it was traumatic osteoarthritis caused by the unnatural strain of pitching. From time to time, the liquid could be drawn out with a syringe, and the swelling could be reduced by cortisone and other medication. But every time he threw a baseball, the elbow would get worse.

Koufax did not pitch another game that year. In spring training in 1965, the arm ballooned just as predicted, and Dr. Kerlan advised that Koufax be used sparingly. But even more than most pitchers, Sandy needs the rhythm of regular rotation every four days. He decided to try--by eliminating his sidearm delivery and the wrenching slider, or fast curve, from his repertoire. With the help of ice packs, he did not miss a turn all year long, posted a 26-8 record for the regular season, and then pitched the Dodgers to victory in the World Series.

Orange-and-White Pills. This season by the July 12 All-Star break he was 15 and 3. Since then, however, he has won only six games while losing five. He takes orange-and-white phenylbutazone pills as often as three times a day, and he has needed cortisone shots-three so far. The last one, three weeks ago, had to go directly into the joint to ease the agony. "It does hurt more," he admits. "In fact, it hurts most of the time." He cannot straighten the arm beyond 22DEG, and the bone spurs on the elbow have grown from i in. to i in. "The spurs," says Dr. Kerlan, "represent an attempt by the body to immobilize the joint." Despite all, Koufax has not missed a turn.

The Dodgers can only be grateful. Sandy's 21 and 8 record is the reason Los Angeles is still within hollering distance of Pittsburgh and San Francisco for the National League lead. With eight starts remaining, Sandy may still wind up with 25 victories, but the elbow will eventually get him. That is medically certain; surgery on the spurs, says Dr. Kerlan, would only accelerate the arthritis. "I seem to be getting worse as the season goes on," says Koufax, "and the curve is not as good as it used to be." Retirement has even crossed his mind, perhaps after one more season. "I'm 30, not 24," he says. "It's a matter of how long I can stand the pain."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.