The 1966 holdout of Dodgers pitchers Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax marked a significant moment in MLB history, initiating a push against the restrictive reserve clause. Seeking a shared contract worth $1 million, Koufax and Drysdale faced public scrutiny but demonstrated the power of player unity. Their successful negotiation not only landed them hefty contracts but also reshaped baseball economics, paving the way for salary arbitration and free agency. General manager Buzzie Bavasi confirmed their holdout was impactful, noting that the players' strategy was effective, leveraging their immense worth in the sport.
To tell the truth, I wasn't too successful in the famous Koufax-Drysdale double holdout in 1966. I mean, when the smoke had cleared they stood together on the battlefield with $235,000 between them, and I stood there with a blood-stained cashbox. Well, they had a gimmick and it worked; I'm not denying it. They said that one wouldn't sign unless the other signed. Since one of the two was the greatest pitcher I've ever seen (and possibly the greatest anybody has ever seen), the gimmick worked.
Koufax was coming off a season in which he went 26-8 with a 2.04 ERA, 1.93 WHIP and 27 complete games over 43 appearances (41 starts). During the 1965 campaign he led the Majors in wins, ERA, innings pitched (335.2), strikeouts (382) and strikeouts-to-walk ratio (5.38).
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