Early in his career Hall of Fame Pitcher Sandy Koufax was wild and erratic. He had a blazing fast ball but was unable to consistently locate it. This changed at the end of the 1960 baseball season when an old baseball scout had Koufax simulate a throw to a spot on a wall. As Koufax started his windup the old scout said: ” Sandy you can’t even see that spot. You’re taking your whole body back and your head is going above the spot. Why not try taking your hands back and keep your head level [in a controlled windup], and take something off the ball and let ’em hit it.”
Koufax took the old scout’s advice. In his next game catcher Norm Sherry told Koufax “[Y]ou just threw harder trying not to then when you did trying to.” Jane Leavy, Sandy Koufax A Lefty’s Legacy, (2002). For Koufax less is more changed his baseball career-he went from a wild hard thrower to a great control pitcher.
Less is more worked for Koufax and it will work for us. The key is to go with the natural flow rather then swim up stream. When we stay focused, trust our natural ability, and operate within our comfort zone we stress less and accomplish more.
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Based on the strength of his dominating peak performance from 1962-1966 Sandy Koufax is regarded as one of the greatest pitchers of all time. Based on the strength of his dominating peak performance from 2000-2004 Todd Helton is regarded as what exactly? Helton is not regarded as one of the greatest hitters of all time. Yet Todd Helton is the hitting version of Sandy Koufax. Both were excellent players who put up Nintendo type numbers because of the parks and eras in which they played. Koufax pitched in the greatest pitchers park during the greatest pitcher’s era while Helton played in the greatest hitter’s park during the greatest hitters era. We know how great Koufax was but to give some idea about how good Helton’s numbers are consider at Helton’s career rates he would have the 4th highest batting average of all time the 5th highest on base percentage of all time and 2nd highest slugging percentage trailing only Babe Ruth and ahead of Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, and Barry Bonds.