Today is 52nd Anniversary of Koufax's 3rd Career Immaculate Inning

There are few pitching feats as grand as a no-hitter.  Still, it is not as rare as the Immaculate Inning.

What's this, you ask?

An Immaculate Inning is when a pitcher records three straight outs, via strike outs, using nine consecutive strikes during a single inning.  It has been done only 80 times, and today marks the third time Sandy Koufax had accomplished the deed.

It happened on April 18, 1964 against the Cincinnati Reds.  Koufax, in his second start of the season, faced off against Leo Cardenas, Johnny Edwards, and Jim Maloney in the third inning, and quickly sent them to their seats.  Unfortunately, Koufax's next inning wouldn't be as good.  He would give up a three-run homer in the fourth, and eventually lose the game 3-0 (boxscore). 

Regardless of that result, Sandy would set a record that has yet to be beat.  He is the only pitcher to record three Immaculate Innings in his career, and he would do it over three consecutive years.

Blog KIosk: 3/30/2016 - Dodgers Links - Wood, Kershaw and Jackie Robinson

I had failed to mention that yesterday was the eight year anniversary of the legendary exhibition game between the Dodgers and Red Sox at the LA Coliseum.  115,300 fans were in attendance; establishing a new MLB record.

Featured above is a AP press photo taken of the stadium during the Dodgers very first home game on April 18, 1958 against the Giants, via an auction listing on eBay.  78,672 fans attended that game.

Below are more links to check out:

• Sports Illustrated shares a bunch of great Jackie Robinson photos here.
• Via Matthew Delmont at the Atlantic, "When Jackie Robinson Confronted a Trump-Like Candidate." 

“A new breed of Republicans has taken over the GOP,” Robinson wrote just after Goldwater claimed his party’s nomination. “It is a new breed which is seeking to sell to Americans a doctrine which is as old as mankind—the doctrine of racial division, the doctrine of racial prejudice, the doctrine of white supremacy.” He continued, “If I could couch in one single sentence the way I felt, watching this controlled steam-roller operation roll into high gear, I would put it this way, I would say that I now believe I know how it felt to be a Jew in Hitler’s Germany.”

Vintage LA Dodger Pennant from the Teams First Year

I've never been much of a pennant collector, but the one featured above and currently available for sale at Worthridge Auctions is too cool not to mention.  Check out the auction here.

Here is a 1958 Los Angeles Dodgers pennant from the teams first year in California that includes a fantastic graphic of the LA Coliseum.  Best yet, the lovable Brooklyn Dodger "Bum" is seen with a halo over his head and the following caption:

"A New Home"

Awesome!

I have no idea what something like this is valued at, but I bet it would look great on the wall of Dodger fans sport cave.

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