Koufax, Drysdale Refuse to Accept Dodger Contract

Pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale turned down the Los Angeles Dodgers' "final" contract offer of $210,000 today.

The two pitchers announced a month that they would negotiate their 1966 contract together. They reportedly asked for one million dollars over a three year period; each would receive $500,000.

Last week, after an initial stalemate, the pitchers agreed to negotiate. The Dodgers' General Manager E.J. Bavasi flew to Los Angeles today and upped original offer to Koufax from $100,000 $12,000 and his offer to Drysdale $35,000 to $97,000.

Bill Hayes, attorney for the two pitchers, turned down Bavasi's offer. "It simply a matter of economics--not enough money," he said.

Bavasi then called Walter O'Malley in Vero Beach, Fla., and they agreed $210,000 for both was the highest would offer. Dodger officials wished pitchers well in other fields.

Stan Musial, one of the first baseball players to earn $100,00, said today that demands of Drysdale and Koufax not entirely unreasonable, but he doubled that the two would get a joint contract.

"I don't think Walter O'Malley and Buzzie Bavasi will go for this sort of thing," Musial said.