Word: leftfielder
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Part of the blame could be put on the horrendous playing conditions of the Los Angeles Coliseum, a converted football stadium that permitted the biggest crowds in World Series history (277,750 in three games) but nearly ruined both teams in the process. The cozy screen in leftfield (251 ft. at the foul line) clanged like a Chinese gong under the impact of balls that would have been easy outs in other parks. On occasion, outfielders staggered about mazily as flies descended out of the sun. Batters strained to pick out the ball from the backdrop of shirtsleeved bleacherites...
...Burdette, hurling for the Braves, gave up 12 hits but didn't allow a run either. In the 13th, Pirate third baseman Don Hoak fumbled an easy grounder, ruining Haddix' perfect game, and Milwaukee's Joe Adcock took care of the rest with a blast over the leftfield fence...
...murderers' row of strong, silent sluggers may send a ball soaring toward the Capitol dome. Even lowly Kansas City won eleven in a row for the season's longest string, had the fans overflowing Municipal Stadium (capacity: 30,611) and sitting on the grass in leftfield. And when a slight, cold-eyed relief pitcher named Elroy Face (15-0) begins to throw his forkball, Pittsburgh can beat the world...
...place of another 21-year-old slugger: Orlando Cepeda, the Giants' leading hitter (.315), the National League's first baseman for both All-Star Games, and the team's most popular player with San Francisco fans. Puerto Rican-born Cepeda is roaming the daisies in leftfield, where he manages to hustle under fly balls despite a pair of feet so flat that they seem shod in wooden Dutch shoes...
...Those Long Knockers." What makes the feats even more impressive is Griffith Stadium's pasturelike outfield. There are no near fences to invite Chinese home runs; leftfield is 350 ft. away, centerfield 401 ft., rightfield 320 ft. Faced with this expanse-and a considerable lack of talent-Washington's late owner, Clark ("The Old Fox") Griffith, relied on bunts, slap-singles and speed on the base paths. Legend has it that Griffith watered the infield to slow bunts to an unplayable dawdle, even slanted first base downhill to benefit his sprinters. One vestige of Griffith's parsimonious...