Column: Sandy Koufax statue unveiling ceremony a time of gratitude and inclusion

[elleng]

He rolled up the sheets of paper that sat in front of him, tight, tight, tighter still.

Standing behind his newly unveiled statue in the center-field plaza Saturday morning, Sandy Koufax was winding up to grace Dodger Stadium with one last pitch.

It was, appropriately, a breathtaking curveball.

It was, stunningly, a 10-minute speech from a man who hasn’t publicly spoken that much in 50 years.

It was, wondrously, the humanizing of Los Angeles’ phantom legend, a rare public pulse from a pitcher whose greatness has mostly existed in Dodgers mythology.

It turns out, at age 86, he just wanted to say thank you.

“Conventional wisdom has always said don’t give an old man a microphone, he’s got too many years to talk about,” said Koufax, looking forever young with fashionable sunglasses and a full head of white hair. “Well, I tried not to, but I’m going to start way back at the beginning … ”

And he was off, spending the entirety of his speech tracing his career >>>

https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2022-06-18/sandy-koufax-statue-unveiling-time-of-gratitude-inclusion