Norm Sherry Baseball
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 11:24 pm
Norman Burt Sherry (born July 16, 1931) is an American former catcher, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball. In 1961, Sherry's advice contributed to the career turnaround of left-handed pitcher Sandy Koufax, perhaps the greatest southpaw hurler in baseball history. Sherry and Koufax were the Dodger battery against the Minnesota Twins in a spring training game in Orlando, Florida, and Koufax was struggling with his control, up to then a career-long problem.
After Koufax had walked the first three hitters he faced, Sherry went out to the mound and said: "'Why don’t you take something off the ball and just put it in there? Don’t try to throw it so hard. Just put it in there and let them hit it.' I went back behind the plate. Good God! He tried to ease up, and he was throwing harder than when he tried to. We came off the field, and I said, 'Sandy, I don’t know if you realize it, but you just now threw harder than when you were trying to. Koufax was Sherry's favorite pitcher to catch for.
As player
Los Angeles Dodgers (1959–1962)
New York Mets (1963)
As manager
California Angels (1976–1977)
As coach
California Angels (1970–1971; 1976)
Montreal Expos (1978–1981)
San Diego Padres (1982–1984)
San Francisco Giants (1986–1991)
Sent him 2 photos on 15 Jun and got them back signed on 6 Jul
Mr Norm Sherry
141 Monte Vista
San Clemente, CA 92672
After Koufax had walked the first three hitters he faced, Sherry went out to the mound and said: "'Why don’t you take something off the ball and just put it in there? Don’t try to throw it so hard. Just put it in there and let them hit it.' I went back behind the plate. Good God! He tried to ease up, and he was throwing harder than when he tried to. We came off the field, and I said, 'Sandy, I don’t know if you realize it, but you just now threw harder than when you were trying to. Koufax was Sherry's favorite pitcher to catch for.
As player
Los Angeles Dodgers (1959–1962)
New York Mets (1963)
As manager
California Angels (1976–1977)
As coach
California Angels (1970–1971; 1976)
Montreal Expos (1978–1981)
San Diego Padres (1982–1984)
San Francisco Giants (1986–1991)
Sent him 2 photos on 15 Jun and got them back signed on 6 Jul
Mr Norm Sherry
141 Monte Vista
San Clemente, CA 92672
