From Dumpster To Dynamo, The Dave Watkins Story! : Saturday, June 21st, 1969

Scores!

MON 7, CHI 4  W-McGinn 4-1 L-Regan 4-3  S-Face(6)

STL 1, NY 0  W-Gibson 9-1 L-Koosman 7-4  Koosman 2-hitter.

PHI 15, PIT 1  W-Wise 4-5 L-Ellis 4-8  HR-Joseph(2) Allen 2(9) Watkins 3(3)  Allen 4 runs scored, Watkins 6 rbi.

ATL 8, SF 5  W-Doyle 4-1 L-Herbel 1-1  S-Upshaw(13)  HR-Boyer(4)

CIN 3, LA 2 (12inns)  W-Granger 6-2 L-Foster 3-1  May 1-out walk-off double.

SD 7, HOU 6  W-Baldschun 3-1 L-Gladding 1-3  S-Reberger(8)  HR-Brown(7) Spiezio(4) Miller(4)  Brown 5 rbi.

The last shall be first.

Some players have long productive careers. Some aren't so productive, yet have some skill that keeps them in the game for several years. Then there are players like the Phillies' Dave Watkins, who get just one season in the bigs, never to reappear again. With the Quakers mired in last place and regular right fielder Johnny Callison sidelined,  I decided to throw Mr. Watkins out there against the visiting Pirates. Why not? Dave plays catcher, first base and the outfield with equal ineptitude; what could it hurt? Well, early on he made an error and then a little bit later let a fly ball fall in for a single. No matter! After executing a perfect sacrifice bunt his first trip, and making an out his second, Dave blasted homers in each of his next three at bats! (The second day in a row that the league has seen a 3 HR performance, with Henry Aaron accomplishing the feat yesterday.)  He finished up with 6 ribbies, and, aided by two blasts off the bat of Rich Allen, the Phils romped 15-1. They hit six dingers overall. 

The always-jolly Mr. Gibson. Ken Burns wants to marry him.

In New York, as your Impartial Goddess sat morosely in the stands, Bob Gibson out-dueled Jerry Koosman 1-0, as the Redbirds blanked the Metropolitans for the second day in a row. The Mets actually out-hit the Cards 4-2, and had a couple of chances to score, but couldn't come through. At one point they had runners on second and third with nobody out, but Wayne Garrett grounded out to Maxvill with the infield in, and then J.C. Martin popped out in foul territory with Julian Javier making the grab, then gunning down the runner at home as he attempted to score. Fly double play, inning over. It was Gibson's second straight shutout.  The Cards have stretched their lead to 7 games in the east, as they are "pursued" by the snail Cubs and the tortoise Pirates.  

Don't judge yourself too harshly, Wes.

The Dodgers came in to Crosley Field and seemed to be about to accomplish that rarest of feats, a blanking of the mighty Reds offense. There were two outs in the bottom of the ninth, nobody on, and the Dodgers leading 2-0 when Ted Savage kept it alive with a walk. Pete Rose sent a grounder to shortstop which was scooped up and sent to first base by Maury Wills, but somehow sure-handed Wes "Judge" Parker let it clank off his glove. By the time the sphere had been retrieved, Savage stood at third base and Rose at second. Up stepped popular and affable flyhawk Alex Johnson, who crushed a double to tie the game. Bobby Tolan was then retired to send the contest into extra frames. Eventually, Lee May swatted an rbi double that scored pinch hitter Chico Ruiz, who had singled, with the winning tally. Talk about snatching victory from the jaws of defeat! It was, however, a bitter pill for the SoCal nine. 

Eat hearty, Fred.

At the Astrodome, Ollie Brown decided he doesn't like spacemen. He drove in one run with a ground out, another with a sac fly, and three in the top of the ninth with a 3-run tater, for a total of 5 rbi and a 7-6 win over the Astros, whose fans seem to be mispronouncing the team nickname these days. There's no "L" in "Astros." The "L" was reserved for crap closer Fred Gladding, who served up the round-tripper. What kind of a pitch was it, Fred? "It was a f--ing hit-me fastball with nothing on it. What do you THINK the f---ing pitch was?!?" remarked "The Bear." Now now, Fred. Have some porridge. 

Hey Willie, think fast!

Finally, the Braves once again dispatched the visiting Giants. With the San Franciscans having rallied to knot it up at 5, Clete Boyer smacked a two-run shot to put the Braves up for good. They're hot, and have put a sliver of daylight between themselves and the three teams behind them, at least for now.  Meanwhile, the newly healed Willie Mays, having been back for just two games, once again broke every bone in his body smashing into the wall to make a catch. Ever the lady, your Impartial Goddess can't tell you what the "Say Hey" kid said, but it wasn't "hey" or "my goodness, another compound fracture, gosh!" What I can tell you is that Willie will sit out 6 more games. "Tough break, Mays!" crowed back-up outfielder Ken Henderson, grabbing his glove. It's a tough league.