Sixty feet, six inches from home plate is where it all starts, first there's a stare, then a unique wind-up, and then the pitch. It appears almost routine-like in nature, similar to the continual motion of a well oiled mechanism. Yet from that raised bed of dirt is woven the fabric of that nine inning contest commonly called a baseball game. The pitcher is the one person who influences the outcome of a ball game more than any of the other eight position players that back him up.

Over the 137 year documented history of professional baseball we have seen hundreds of men stand on that mound. Some were successful, others were not so lucky. Most of those hopeful throwers of the past never realized that journey that satisfies their vision, but for some of us who were lucky enough to see them, there were several that stood unhittable on that raised plot of earth as if they were gods that ruled from their perch. This article is about five of those god-like men who were artists that painted a picture of greatness from their perch in the center of that grass laden diamond.

#5 Sandy Koufax (1955-66)

Some might question my inclusion of Koufax on this list, but most people would probably raise pure Hell were I to omit him. Of all the modern day (1950-present day) pitchers that I ever had the pleasure to see, none captivated my attention more than this man. Though Koufax's career was a brief 12 years, his impact on the game should never be forgotten. He averaged 14 wins per season at a 2.76 ERA and struck out 200 batters (on average) every year that he pitched. His 165 wins compared to only 87 losses would equate to a .655 winning percentage.

His career began in Brooklyn and ended in Los Angeles, all with "dem bums", the Dodgers. To his credit are 4 career no-hitters (second to Nolan Ryan) and 3 Cy Young Awards in 1963 and 1965-66. The latter two Cy Youngs came in his last two seasons as he pitched while constantly being racked with the pain of arthritis. For Koufax, 1965 would be his career best season.

In 1965, he would win his second pitcher's Triple Crown when he won 26 games, had a 2.04 ERA, and struck out 382 batters, a record that would stand until 1973 when Nolan Ryan would whiff 383. He also became one of 17 pitchers in baseball history to throw a perfect game. But his greatest stage of his greatest year would be two of his three starts in the 1965 World Series against the Minnesota Twins.

Koufax had been scheduled to start Game

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