Books and articles about Wally Westlake

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Westlake arrived in Pittsburgh in 1947 with power, speed, and a strong arm. In four years as a starting outfielder, he consistently batted .280, and twice hit for the cycle. He had 23 HR and 104 RBI in 1949, and 24 HR and 95 RBI in 1950. He was second to Ralph Kiner in talent and popularity in Pittsburgh when he was traded to St. Louis in 1951 in a seven-player deal. He moved frequently after he left Pittsburgh, never getting established as he had been with the Pirates. He hit .330 in 82 games for the Indians in 1953. Brother Jim, ten years Wally's junior, had one at-bat with the 1955 Phillies. (ME)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » July 5, 1948: Ralph Kiner hits three home runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the visiting Reds, while teammate Stan Rojek hits the first of his two ML homers, connecting off rookie Herm Wehmeier. Kiner teams up with Johnny Hopp and Wally Westlake in the outfield for a record 19 putouts in the 10–3 first game win. The Reds score three in the 9th to take the nitecap, 6–4. » May 5, 1949: At the Polo Grounds, Johnny Mize pounds a 10th-inning homer and the Giants beat the Pirates 3–2 to sweep their three-game series. The homer, off Murry Dickson, is Big John's 300th. Reliever Hank Behrman, in for Sheldon Jones, pitches out of tight jams in the 9th and 10th to win. Wally Westlake is stranded in the 10th after reaching Behrman for a leadoff triple. » June 3, 1950: The Braves' Sid Gordon slugs his 3rd grand slam of the season, plus a 2nd home run, to account for seven Braves runs in a 10–6 whipping of Pittsburgh. Gordon now leads the NL in homers with 11. Wally Westlake hits a pair of homers, and Hank Schenz hits his 1st (and 2nd career) homer of the year. Johnny Sain gives up a home run to Sam Jethroe in winning his 8th, tops in the majors. » April 18, 1951: At Pittsburgh, the Bucs Murry Dickson goes six innings, allowing three runs in the first inning, to get the victory, 5–4 over the Cards. Dickson cracks a homer and Wally Westlake also homers for the game winner. Tom Poholsky, the first Cardinal rookie to ever start an Opener, pitches seven innings and takes the loss. » May 6, 1951: Pirate P Cliff Chambers throws a no-hitter at the Boston Braves in Boston, winning 3–0. He walks eight and throws one wild pitch but hangs on to record only the second no-hit game in Pirate history. Chambers, hitting .429, drives in Wally Westlake with the 3rd run in the 8th. The loser is George Estock, a Braves reliever making his only ML start and the loss is his only ML decision. For Chambers, it is his last win in a Pirates' uniform before he's traded to St. Louis. » May 18, 1951: Catcher Walker Cooper of the Braves goes 5-for-5 in a 12–3 route of the Pirates. Max Surkont (5–1) is the winner, scattering 10 hits and giving up late inning home runs to Ralph Kiner and Wally Westlake. » June 15, 1951: Pittsburgh sends Cliff "no hit" Chambers and OF Wally Westlake to the Cards for C Joe Garagiola, P Howie Pollet, P Ted Wilks, OF Bill Howerton, and 2B Dick Cole. » May 13, 1952: The Cardinals send OF Wally Westlake and SS Eddie Kazak to the Reds for Dick Sisler and Virgil Stallcup. » May 5, 1953: In Cleveland, the Yanks send 13 batter to the plate in the 4th and score eight to roll to an 11–1 win over Bob Lemon. Winner Whitey Ford scores two runs and is lifted in the 8th after Wally Westlake spoils his shutout with a homer. The loss drops the Indians a half game behind the leading Yanks. » June 15, 1955: The Orioles trade OF Gene Woodling and IF Billy Cox to the Indians for OFs Wally Westlake and Dave Pope. When Cox announces his retirement, the Indians get more cash. » May 19, 2000: The Pirates defeat the Cardinals, 13-1, as C Jason Kendall hits for the cycle, becoming the first Pirate ever to do so at Three Rivers Stadium. Kendall homers in the 1st, singles in the 2nd, doubles in the 3rd, and triples in the 8th, driving in five runs in the process. The last Pirate to cycle was Wally Westlake in 1949. » June 16, 2001: The Mariners trip the Padres, 9-2, as Seattle 1B John Olerud hits for the cycle. It is the 2nd time in his career that Olerud has cycled even though he has hit just 12 triples in his 13-year career, by far the fewest number of triples by a player with more than one cycle. Wally Westlake is 2nd on the list with 33.