If Your Birthday is December 30th...

 


...you share it with Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, who dazzled and frustrated batters -- and for a half dozen years (1961 - '66) was as dominant as any pitcher since World War II. A four-time National League leader in strikeouts (including a high of 382 in 1965), four no-hitters, three Cy Young Awards and the 1963 National League MVP. 

Yet, none of this might have occurred without the sage advice of Dodgers backup catcher Norm Sherry. Meeting on the mound after Sandy walked the first three batters in a 1961 exhibition game, Sherry told him to ease back a bit and stop overthrowing. In one of those magical baseball mysteries, Koufax's pitchers came in harder, not softer. He struck out the side that inning -- as his journey to Cooperstown began in earnest.

An arthritic left elbow led to Sandy retiring after the 1966 season. When he was inducted into Cooperstown in 1972, he made more history -- at age 36, he was the youngest person ever Hall of Famer.


While Sandy is the clearly the greatest player born on the next-to-last day of the year, AJ Pierzynski has played in the most games. The well-traveled catcher, best known for his time with the White Sox and Twins, saw action in 2059 games over 19 seasons. A .280 career hitter, he threw out a respectable 25% of baserunners trying to steal. These days, Pierzynski is a broadcaster with MLB Network Radio and FOX Sports.


Grant Balfour, the Australian-born pitcher who spent 12 years in big league bullpens.


And we remember the late Frank Torre, the onetime Braves and Phillies 1st baseman whose career peak came in Milwaukee's 1957 World Series win over the Yankees, where he batted .300 and belted pair of home runs.

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