Aug. 29, 1964 - They won’t admit it yet, but this seems to be the year that wasn’t for both the Dodgers and Giants.
Voted most likely to succeed themselves as world champions, the Dodgers took to the road yesterday dragging their axle deep in the second division of the National League.
The Giants, generally picked to finish second, were about there, but their pennant hopes were almost as faint as the Dodgers’ — barring a total collapse by the front-running Phillies.
But, still whistling Dixie past the graveyard, neither manager, Walter Alston of the Dodgers nor Alvin Dark of the Giants, would concede.
“This is a crazy league,” said Alston, as his Dodgers took two of three games from the Giants before leaving. “We might still get up there if we can find that winning streak we’ve been looking for all season.”
“This race is going to be a typical National League finish,” Dark predicted. “It could even be a triple-tie finish.”
In that event, Alvin indicated, it would be his Giants, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia as the most likely playoff participants.
“The eventual winner,” said Dark, “will be the team that wants to win the most.”
But since Dark’s quotes about Negro players, his Giants have lagged at less than a .500 pace. Only Willie Mays and a handful of others appear to be going all out for San Francisco.
Both Dark and Alston liked Cincinnati’s chances. The Reds’ pitching has impressed both, especially Alston, whose Dodgers lost 14 of the season’s 18 games played with the Reds.
Both California teams have their attention trained primarily on Philadelphia. The Giants have six games left with the Phils, the Dodgers seven.
With Juan Marichal apparently over his back misery, Dark can count on six starters for the final five-week drive. They are Bob Hendley, Bob Bolin, Ron Herbel, Gaylord Perry, Marichal, and Jim Duffalo.
Alston isn’t quite so lucky. He has lost Joe Moeller, who dislocated a shoulder. Sandy Koufax is still nursing a sore elbow and might miss two more turns, just when he is on the verge of becoming the season’s first 20-game winner.
To top it off, Alston has this novel quandary:
“Sandy was scheduled to come back and take a turn against the Phils either Sept. 7 or 8,” said the skipper, “but it turns out to be a Jewish holiday [Rosh Hashanah], and he won’t be able to play.”
Moreover, there is no hope that Johnny Podres, operated on months ago, will be able to pitch until next year.
Why have the Dodgers and Giants fizzled instead of sizzled in 1964? For roughly similar reasons: injuries, weak hitting by expected big guns, and failure of the farm clubs to plug the leaks that developed.
Los Angeles lost Podres; the Giants Jack Sanford, a top-flight pitcher. Frank Howard and Tommy Davis slumped for the Dodgers; Willie McCovey was a bust for the Giants.
Then, capping San Francisco’s woes, came the story about Dark’s alleged views on Negro players.
Barring a minor miracle, Dark’s days at San Francisco appear numbered. Close observers are convinced he is Houston-bound in 1965. Alston’s tenure with the Dodgers seems safe, however.
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