Torborg caught 10 seasons for the Dodgers and Angels, and was behind the plate for no-hitters by Sandy Koufax, Bill Singer, and Nolan Ryan. Torborg later managed five major league teams.
Former Dodgers catcher Jeff Torborg, who caught three no-hitters in his career and managed five major league teams, passed away on Sunday at age 83.
Torborg signed with the Dodgers out of Rutgers prior to the 1963 season, and caught seven years in Los Angeles, including as the primary backup from 1965-70. His first no-hitter behind the plate was Sandy Koufax’s perfect game in 1965.
“I didn’t do anything but catch the ball, but what a thrill,” the 23-year-old Torborg told Joe Hendrickson of the Pasadena Independent after the game. “I only dropped one pitch, and that was a curve in the dirt, otherwise Sandy had command all of the time.”
Jeff Torborg was a good man. Also, he caught Sandy Koufax’s perfect game. A few years back, came clean with Sandy.
Torborg, laughing: “You know, Sandy, when you’re not around, I take credit for your perfect game.”
Koufax, deadpan: “Yeah, I heard that.”— Tim Brown (@ByTimBrown) January 20, 2025
Torborg also caught Bill Singer’s no-hitter in 1970, then caught the final three seasons of his playing career with the Angels. Torborg was behind the plate in Kansas City in 1973 when Nolan Ryan pitched his first career no-hitter.
With the Dodgers, Torborg was active for two World Series (1965 and 1966) though he did not play in either series.
After retiring as a player, Torborg got his first managing job in 1977, taking over for Frank Robinson in Cleveland, then managed in four more major league cities, taking the helm with the White Sox, Mets, Expos, and Marlins. Frank Thomas was a rookie in Chicago in 1990, in Torborg’s second season with the team.
RIP Jeff Torborg! You were my first big league manager and I enjoyed playing for you. You gave me a chance to shine right away and I’m very thankful. God Bless the Torborg family. There such great people who I got to know over the years.
— Frank Thomas (@TheBigHurt_35) January 20, 2025
In between his third and fourth managing jobs, Torborg was a national announcer for CBS Radio, where he called three World Series as an analyst alongside Vin Scully from 1995-97.
Related reading
- Dodgers Rewind on Torborg from 2022 at True Blue LA
- New York Times obituary, by Michael S. Rosenwald
- Associated Press obituary
- Rutgers remembers Torborg
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