BASEBALL'S WEEK
NATIONAL LEAGUE
The San Francisco Giants lost three to the Dodgers, and the local Cassandras swung into action. They pointed a knowing finger at last year's record: 20-11 on the same date and an eventual fifth-place finish. Sports-writers even began questioning the tactics of Manager Alvin Dark, who removed Juan Marichal and replaced him with Stu Miller. When lefty-swinging John Roseboro worked the count to 2-0 against Miller, Dark brought in left-hander Billy O'Dell. Leo Durocher, temporarily managing the Dodgers (Walt Alston was thrown out for disputing a play), let Roseboro hit. Roseboro homered and the Dodgers won 8-7. All was normal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dick Stuart was griping because he was being platooned; Bob Friend wasn't getting any runs; ElRoy Face was saving games; and the club was winning the close ones. The youthful Cincinnati pitching staff was jittery. Jay Hook was out with mumps, and his teammates were examining each other for swollen necks. Still, there was fun for the Reds, who won four, lost two. When pinch hitter Jerry Lynch complained because he didn't play regularly, the clubhouse comics made a star of old chewing gum wrappers and glued it to his cap. With durable Del Crandall nursing a sore shoulder, the Milwaukee Braves brought hotshot catcher Joe Torre back from Louisville. "Get packed up," Torre's manager phoned him in the middle of the night. Manager Solly Hemus was in trouble as his St. Louis Cardinals floundered. Power hitters failed, runners made mistakes on the bases and reliefers stumbled, but Hemus wound up with a vote of confidence from Owner Gussie Busch. The Chicago Cubs beat the Cardinals twice in 1-0 games, the first on a misjudged pop-up by Daryl Spencer, the second on Ed Bouchee's first homer. Bouchee's hit stopped rumors of an impending shift of Ernie Banks to first base. Said Banks of the possible move: "This could get a man down spiritually." Robin Roberts of the Philadelphia Phillies lost another tough game (4-3 to the Pirates) and was fast being replaced by Art Mahaffey as the club's glamour boy and only box office draw.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Bracing for the flow of double-headers, the surprising Detroit Tigers displayed considerable pitching depth. Frank Lary won his 100th major league game, rookie Phil Regan was 4-0, sore-armed Paul Foytack pitched his first complete game in 13 months. The Tigers lost their first series of the season at Boston, but the creditable pitching of Don Mossi and Jim Bunning soothed the hurt. The Cleveland Indians fretted over the threatened retirement of Johnny Antonelli, but a pat on the back from GM Gabe Paul and a solid exhibition stint against Cincinnati brightened Antonelli's outlook. The Yankees tripped over their reputations as they lost twice to Washington and twice to Cleveland. In one inning against the Indians, Bill Skowron surrounded two pops, dropped them both; Clete Boyer let a ball slip off his glove; and Jim Coates took a leisurely wind-up as Vic Power stole home. Back at third base, Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins punched enough singles to go with his nine home runs and led the league with .363. Dan Dobbek's two homers (one a grand slam) and Camilo Pascual's two shutouts ("Everything she is O.K. now") gave the Twins a winning week. The Baltimore Orioles won twice on the slick relief pitching of Hoyt Wilhelm (1.46 ERA) and the hitting of Jim Gentile (see page 53). The Washington Senators won five in a row (longest for a Washington team since the old Senators did it in 1954) on tight pitching (league-leading 3.32 ERA) and crisp fielding. The Kansas City Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels twice, with Manager Joe Gordon calling the shots from the press box. When Gordon went back to the bench he said: "I wanted to retire as the only undefeated press box manager in history." Quipped GM Frank Lane (whose idea it was): "I've been managing from up there for years." Batting champion Pete Runnels came off the bench and Jackie Jensen came out of his slump as the Boston Red Sox won three out of five. Ryne Duren of the Angels struck out four men in one inning (Roy Sievers was safe when Catcher Del Rice missed his third strike) but was clobbered between strikeouts as the Angels lost their seventh straight. The next day Duren relieved again, saved both ends of a double-header against the Chicago White Sox. Said Manager Al Lopez of the White Sox: "It wasn't Duren. We just weren't hitting."
[originallink:10505186:41843]
Boxed statistics through Saturday, May 20
TWO PHOTOS
ROOKIE THIRD BASEMEN Jim Woods of the Phils and Gene Leek of the Angels provided new power. Woods hit first HR, Leek had two.