[kenyan_cheena]

The San Francisco Chronicle

SUNDAY, 4 APRIL, 1958

PHILLIES DOWN GIANTS IN
CANDLESTICK PARK OPENER

Story by Michael Brown

History was made yesterday in San Francisco as the first Major League Baseball game to be played in California took place at Candlestick Park. 43,736 fans packed the stadium to capacity to witness the debut home game of the San Francisco Giants and despite the fact that their team lost to the Philadelphia Phillies, every one of them had a great time. The Giants organisation provided some wonderful pre-game entertainment including a marching band, jugglers and other circus performers.

Once the game got started it was a tight affair until the 6th inning when the Phillies broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the frame. Puerto Rican Giants 1st baseman Orlando Cepeda pulled one back with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning but the Phillies took a 4-1 lead in the 7th, Wally Post's one-out double scoring both Curt Simmons and Willie Jones. Giants fans found renewed hope in the bottom of the 7th when Willie Kirkland blasted another solo shot, the ball clearing the fence in left field. But the Giants got no closer and Philadelphia were victorious, 4-2.

Phillies starting pitcher Curt Simmons was named Player of the Game, allowing eight hits and two runs while striking out five in eight innings of work, his pitch count reaching 128 before he was relieved to start the 9th.

Having lost a pair of games in St. Louis to start the season, the Giants fell to 0-3 but 3rd year manager Bill Rigney was upbeat about the team's prospects.

"Our pitching has been pretty good so far," he said. "We've only given up four runs in each game and I'm confident that we'll be fine once our offense starts to click."

Rigney praised the behaviour and spirit of the crowd, saying that the turnout confirmed that owner Horace Stoneham had made the right choice when deciding to move the ballclub to California.

"It's a great sign for the future of this team," he said. "During the game I found myself thinking of what we've left behind in New York, and you know what? I don't miss it, and neither do our players. This is a fantastic stadium and a fantastic city."

Stoneham was angered when Brooklyn Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley decided to keep his ballclub in New York, as it almost led to MLB pulling the plug on the Giants' planned relocation. However, there's no doubt that the Dodgers would have been the furtherest thing from Stoneham's mind upon seeing yesterday's sold out stadium. The Giants may be 0-3 but it's clear that they've been embraced by the people of San Francisco and at the moment, that's more important than wins and losses...