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WALKER COOPER |
BOSTON BRAVES
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SPAHN & SAIN and PRAY FOR RAIN ...
The Giants
beat the Braves, 16-9
April 24, 1948 ... Walker
Cooper of the Giants inaugurated the brand-new scoreboard in left
field with a shot off it in the midst of the Giants beating the
Braves in a 16 to 9 game. The Braves wiped out an 8 to 1 deficit from
the fourth to the seventh innings, only to get beaten up in the
eighth and ninth. The only consolation is that they pushed an old
nemesis, Larry Jansen, to the showers with five consecutive hits in
the fourth inning.
The Giants used five pitchers and the Braves seven, which is fair enough
appraisal of what happened in Braves Field. Whitey Lockman drove in seven runs
with two triples and two singles to pace the Giants.
The Tribe made a vigorous pursuit to pick off five runs in the fourth inning and
two in the sixth and then shot ahead for the first time by a score of 9 to 8.
That happened when Phil Masi was passed and moved to third on Bob Sturgeons'
hot single into centerfield, only to later score when Alvin Dark flied out to
deep center.
For the Braves their fourth pitcher of the day, Bobby Hogue, who breezed through
the Giants lineup in the fifth sixth and seventh innings, pitching to only 10
batters, yielded just one hit when Sid Gordon sliced the ball to the jury box
fence. Jeff Heath ran back and dropped it against the wall for a double. But
then with one out in the eighth-inning, Hogue lost his range and filled the
bases, when Jim Russell attempted a shoestring catch of Buddy Blattner's pop up
to center. It resulted in a double and two runs. Manager Southworth quickly came
to the mound and brought in Clyde Shoun. Lockman took his first pitch and
cleared the bases with a triple, as the ball took a high hop over Heath's head
and rolled all the way to the jury box fence. That made it 12 to 9 and Lockman
scored on a sacrifice fly.
Ahead 12-8, the Giants jumped on the Braves for four more in the ninth-inning.
Shoun was still in there to pitch to Willard Marshall and Walker Cooper.
Marshall catapulted a single to left and Cooper unloaded a line drive over the
26 foot barrier in left field to make the memorable contact with the new $50,000
scoreboard. After a brief interlude, Lockman knocked out his second triple, this
time against Ed Wright. The first one he hit the right-field, this one he
blasted down in the corner in left field. He knocked in the runner ahead of him,
his seventh RBI of the game.
Earl Torgeson authored probably the most vicious belt in the first inning with
two away and nobody on. He selected one of Jansen's inside pitches on a two and
two count and rifled it eight rows deep behind the Giants bullpen into the far
corner of the pavilion in right.
Bob Elliott got knocked out of the game in infield practice on an undetected
throw by Eddie Stanky. He spent the game with an ice pack on his ear, watching
from the bench. Sibbi Sisti was spiked on the right ankle while attempting to
grab one of Torgeson's wide throws at second. He was relieved by Alvin Dark, who
went on to a good afternoon knocking in three runs and making a great running
catch in left field off Johnny Mize. |
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