Move over Jackie Robinson, you're about to have company.
The Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Tuesday that Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax would be forever honored by the team with a statue at Dodger Stadium.
The announcement came at the end of a star-studded press conference on the field. Dodgers' All-Stars Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, Justin Turner, were all in attendance as was the Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti.
Even Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred returned to Chavez Ravine for the unveiling of the 2020 All-Star Game Logo, and the announcement of a new $100 million renovation plan called Centerfield Plaza.
Koufax will be the second statue erected by the Dodgers overall, joining Jackie Robinson whose statue was unveiled in July of 2018. Koufax will be the first pitcher to receive a statue.
Dodger President and CEO Stan Kasten announced that Robinson's statue would be moved from its current home in the Left Field Reserve section to the new Centerfield Plaza that is expected to be ready for Opening Day 2020.
The new Centerfield Plaza will have a "front door" entrance into the stadium, for the first time in the stadium's 53-year history. The Robinson and Koufax statues are expected to be on opposite sides of the front door, to "greet" fans as they enter the stadium.
Koufax, 83, played for the Dodgers from 1955 to 1966, and in the final five seasons of his career, was easily the most dominant pitcher in all of Major League Baseball.
From 1962-1966, Koufax led the National League in earned run average, won three Cy Young Awards, pitched four no-hitters, one perfect game, and was named the MVP in 1963.
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During that dynamite five-year run, the Dodgers won two World Series titles, and Koufax was named the World Series MVP in each of them.
Koufax shocked the baseball world in the winter of 1966 when he suddenly and abruptly announced his retirement from baseball, despite still pitching at the peak of his power. Koufax was just 30 years old at the time of his retirement.
