Pirates legend's iconic quote is a perfect way to celebrate Sandy Koufax's birthday

If you ever want to understand just how otherworldly Sandy Koufax really was, don’t bother looking up ERA titles, Cy Young Awards, strikeouts or no-hitters. Don’t even cue up the grainy footage of left-handed hitters waving helplessly at that exploding fastball or knee-buckling curve.

Just listen to a Pittsburgh Pirates legend describe it.

Willie Stargell — Pops himself — once said when asked what it was like facing Koufax: “You ever drink coffee with a fork?”

That’s it. That’s the scouting report. That’s the testimonial. That’s the poetry. And that’s exactly the quote we should dust off after Koufax celebrated his 90th birthday earlier this week.

A fork, a legend, and the coolest compliment ever given to a pitcher

When one Hall of Famer tries to explain another, you get truth wrapped in humor wrapped in awe –– and Pirates fans understand awe. They watched Stargell hit baseballs into orbit. They saw him carry a city in 1979. If he thought Koufax was unfair, then brother, Koufax was unfair.

This wasn’t some rookie overwhelmed by bright lights. This was Pops — MVP, World Series hero, eternal captain — saying, "Yeah, even I had no chance sometimes."

Only Koufax could make a hitter as powerful as Stargell feel like he had to show up with silverware instead of a bat. The imagery is perfect — a task that looks simple until you realize the tools you brought just aren’t built for the job. That’s what Koufax did to hitters: he changed the math. And that’s what makes Stargell's quote perfect.

And Koufax didn’t terrorize only the Pirates; he terrified everyone. But he did it with grace, humility and style. And through it all, he earned something even better than fear –– he earned admiration. From teammates. From opponents. From legends. From Pops. From Pittsburgh.

So as Koufax turns 90 — nine decades of being the quiet, elegant master of the craft — it feels right to celebrate him the way Stargell did: by acknowledging that sometimes, the game produces a pitcher so good that words fail … so you reach for a fork.

Happy birthday, Sandy. From a city that knows greatness when it sees it — especially when one of our greats tips his cap, too.