An autographed, game-worn Sandy Koufax Los Angeles Dodgers jersey from the 1963 season was sold for $429,625 by Goldin Auctions. It’s among the highest price ever paid for a piece of Dodgers memorabilia. Bidding began at $150,000.
A Jackie Robinson rookie jersey sold via auction for $2.05 million, then shortly thereafter in a private sale for $2.6 million. The bat Kirk Gibson used in the 1988 World Series sold for $575,912 in November 2010.
The 1963 season was a memorable for not only Koufax but the Dodgers as well. He went 25-5 with a 1.88 ERA in 40 starts. Koufax led the Majors in wins, ERA, strikeouts (306) and shutouts (11).
His 11 shutouts are most all-time by a left-handed pitcher in a single season. That dominance earned Koufax a Cy Young Award (when only one was presented), National League MVP and eventually a World Series MVP.
He was on the mound for Games 1 and 4 against the New York Yankees in the World Series, which ended in a Dodgers sweep. Koufax went nine innings in each outing, striking out 15 in the series opener.
Koufax spent his entire 12-year career with Brooklyn/Los Angeles before retiring after the 1966 season due to sever arthritis. He was just 30 years old at the time, and went on to become the youngest player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Last November, a Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers cap sold for a record-setting price of $590,994. Bidding began at $50,000.
