3. Sandy Koufax – Los Angeles Dodgers (1965, Game 7)
Sandy Koufax’s masterful performance in the decisive Game 7 of the 1965 World Series against the Minnesota Twins showcases an incredible combination of skill, endurance, and refusal to fail. Having refused to pitch Game 1 due to Yom Kippur, Koufax was pitching on only two days’ rest (short rest by modern standards) and relied almost entirely on his fastball after his curveball failed him early in the game. He threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout, striking out 10 and walking none. The pressure of Game 7 is immense, but Koufax handled it with singular focus, proving his dominance not just through raw stuff, but through sheer mental fortitude and the will to deliver a championship when his team needed it most.
