Evening star., 1952-05-27
Mats Opening Brief But Vital Road Trip Against Yankees Tonight
|Lockman and Thomson
ColIaborate Again in
Downfall Of Dodgers
By Joe ReichIer
Associated Press Sports Writer

SSS sNShSub@h
Associated Press Sports Writer
It's high time Whitley Lock-
man, the New York Giants un-
sung and often overlooked first
baseman began getting the credit
due him.
The colorless towhead from
Charlotte, N. c., who made the
shift from the outfield with little
fanfare but surprising success,
has been the most consistent of
all the Giants this season. He
leads the club with a 1893 mark
(Second highest in the league)
tops the circuit in runs scored
and Is third In total hits. Yet it.
is Bobby Thomson and Willie
Mays and Sal Maglie and Alvin
Dark who receive most of the
acclaim for the teams early-sea-
son showing.
The baseball world still remem-
bers that it was Thomson who
won the pennant for the Giants
last year with his dramatic homer
against Brooklyn in the final
Iplayotf game. Yet few recall that
1t was Lockman who made the
situation possible with a double
that drove In the first run of the
inning. kayoed Don Newcombe
and put the tying runs on base.
Thomson Drives 'Em In.
Again it was Thomson who
proved the big run-producer last
night as the Giants tangled with
the Dodgers at the Polo Grounds
for the first time since that fate
full playoff game. Bobby slammed
a home run his first time at bat
and drove in three as the Giants
won. AZ, to take over first place
from the Dodgers by a half-game.
But. as was the case last year.
it was Lockman who set up Thom-
son. The 25-year-old first base
man drew a walk in the first
inning and rode in ahead of
Thomson's 440-foot fly. Then he
clinched things in the fifth with
a home run into the right field
stands. his fifth of the season.
Whitley also starred in the field.
He accepted a dozen chances
without an error and was espe-
cially brilliant on three scoops of
low throws.
"He's the most improved player
in the game" enthused his man.
ager. Leo Durocher. "I'd say that
right now he's as good a fielder
as. Gil Hodges of the Dodgers.
Everybody snickered when I gave
Whitley a first baseman's mitt.
They thought it was a publicity
stunt"
Good News About Irwin.
Four hits were all the Giants
obtained of Preacher Roe, Carl
Erskine and Joe Black. They
needed a superb relief job by
George Spencer to win and they
got it. Spencer replaced Jim
Hearn in the second inning with
the score tied at % and stopped
the Dodgers with three hits and
no runs over the last 72s innings
to gain credit for his first victory.
Erskine, who took over after Joe
was removed for a pinch-hitter in
the second, was tagged with the
defeat.
The Giants pennant hopes got
another shot in the arm earlier
in the day with word that Monte
Irwin, who broke an ankle April 2,
will be able to start limbering up
with the club in two or three
weeks. He probably won't play
regularly until late in July.
In other National League games,
the Chicago Cubs blanked the St.
Louis Cards, so, to solidify their
hold on third place. Bob Rush
pitched a six-hitter for his sixth
victory. Bill Serenda's fifth-innine
home run off Vinegar Bend Mi
zell and Bob Ramazzotti's two.
run single off AL Brazle in the
seventh accounted for all of Chi.
} Icago'S runs.
) Ralph Kiner slammed three
run homer, his second in two days
to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates tt
Ia 6-3 victory over the Cincinnati
Reds. It was the tail-end Pirates
seventh victory in 81 starts.
In the American League, Bostor
and Washington continued ir
their tie for second place, both
winning to cut Cleveland's first.
place margin to 21a games.
Red Sox Wallop Yanks.
The Red Sox beat the New York
Yankees. 6-3. for their fourth ir
a row over the champions in Fen
way Park. Don Lenhardt drove
(See BASEBALL, Page A-23.)
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