If Roo Tales are anything, they are the connections and relationships that sport provide over time and place. I try to make it a point to tie Roos with an interest to any story I happen to be writing.
And boy howdy, did I stumble across an incredible tie last week. It’s so cool that somebody surely already knows about it.
Last week, Paula Young Morris posted an old photo of five legendary AC coaches in the “Go Roos” group. Sig Lawson, Slats McCord, Vance Morris, Larry Kramer, and Bob Mason. It was enjoyable to read the comments from the former players of those coaches. I knew quite a bit about the backgrounds of McCord, Morris, Kramer, & Mason. But less so about Lawson. I went digging. I found a photo of Lawson playing freshman football at the University of Cincinnati in 1953-54. The photo was taken just before a Cincinnati game against the Sammy Baugh coached Hardin-Simmons Cowboys. I shared it with the group.
As many of you know, I’m writing this winter about Charlie Robertson, the Austin College Kangaroo who threw a perfect game against the Detroit Tigers in 1922. His perfecto was the third in the modern era; only 21 have been thrown since 1901.
Last Saturday, I wrote a Roo Tale preview which compared Robertson’s perfect game to those which came both before and after. I also included a video of the last out of every perfect game thrown since Robertson. Robertson’s was #3. #4 was thrown by Yankee Don Larsen. #6 belongs to Sandy Koufax.
Koufax is a Hall of Fame pitcher and one of the all-time greats. On September 9, 1965, Koufax threw a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium. Vin Scully, who had called Larsen’s World Series perfecto in 1956, was also behind the mic in L.A in 1965. While audio of Scully’s call remains, unfortunately the game was not broadcast on television.
The 1999 movie “For Love of the Game” will be used to tell the story of Charlie Robertson. In the film, an aging pitcher played by Kevin Costner throws a perfect game in his final appearance. Vin Scully calls the game at Yankee Stadium in the movie, just as he did for Larsen in 1956. Larsen is mentioned in the movie. So is Koufax. When Costner’s character attempts to convince his girlfriend to fly down for spring training, he tries to persuade her by mentioning he saw Sandy Koufax in the bleachers.
For years, it was assumed no video of Koufax’s perfecto existed. Then, one day, a reel was discovered. A Dodgers trainer had taped a few innings of Koufax’s gem and had then stored it away in a closet. When it was finally discovered, a documentary was made which included the footage. The narrator was Kevin Costner.
While preparing for this past Saturday’s preview, I did a good deal of research on other pitchers who have thrown perfect games. I spent time reading about Koufax, and I read something that made me do a double take.
Before the Dodgers, Koufax pitched for the Cincinnati Bearcats. In 1953-54.
Wait, wait. That’s Coach Lawson’s year.
I headed to one of my sources to find the 1954 Cincinnati Yearbook. They are both there. Lawson, as a part of the freshman football team photo. Koufax, as a part of the freshman baseball team photo. They were classmates.
I also found some information that indicated both Lawson & Koufax played basketball as freshmen at Cincinnati. Though no evidence was found in the yearbook, on a whim I headed to the newspaper archives and searched for Lawson & Koufax.
There they are. Sandy Koufax, who threw a perfect game over four decades after Roo Charlie Robertson. Sig Lawson, who coached at Austin College for decades after Koufax’s perfect game. Teammates on the freshman basketball squad at the University of Cincinnati in 1953-54. Koufax was a starting forward, and Lawson was a backup center. With a little bit of imagination, we can all envision a cold Ohio evening in 1954, when Sandy Koufax drove the lane and dished to Sig Lawson……. who put it in for two. See the comments.
I mentioned this tie to former AC swimmers Claude Webb Jr. and John Cotton, and neither were aware. So maybe it is not well known after all. The tie did prompt John, my former boss here at UT, to start telling stories. He was reminded just how packed Wynne Chapel was two decades ago when Coach Lawson passed.
Sig Lawson & Sandy Koufax. Now that’s a Roo Tale tie. Surely Coach Lawson told somebody.
