Big Newk

It seemed like old times. On the mound, large, loose-jointed Don Newcombe leaned forward to take his signal; behind the plate was his best friend, Catcher Roy Campanella, back in action after a two-week layoff with a bad knee. The best battery in baseball was back in business again, and though the visiting Cardinals tried to make a game of it. they didn't have a chance.

"C'mon roomie," came the catcher's high-pitched chatter. "Hum that pea." Big Newk obliged. He took aim, reared back and fired. The ball whistled in. It looked just as small and twice as lively as a drop of water dancing on a hot griddle. All afternoon, the Cards collected only eight hits, turned them into three thin runs. Not a man among them drew a walk. The Dodgers, meanwhile, scored twelve times. In five times at bat the versatile Newk got two singles, a double, and a tremendous homer into the right field stands.

Polished Partnership. Ever since 1943 when he broke into the Negro leagues, Newcombe has been demonstrating his lusty skill on the diamond. Mrs. Effa Manley, owner of the Newark (N.J.) Eagles, gave him his first big chance in 1944 simply because he looked big enough (6 ft. 4 in., 225 lbs.) to throw hard. By 1946 he was throwing hard enough to make his way to a Dodger farm club in Nashua. N.H. There, a mild-mannered manager named Walter Alston learned his first lessons in handling the moody pitcher. And an up-and-coming catcher named Roy Campanella learned how to needle him into game-winning pitch.

Off season, in the bush-league ball parks of Latin America, Campy and Newk continued to polish up their partnership. When Newk was called up to the Dodgers in 1949, Campy was already there, ready to help him win 17 (he lost only eight) to become Rookie of the Year. Since then, Newcombe has racked up records of 19-11, 20-9, 9-8 with two years out ('52 and '53) for Army service.

This spring he seemed off to a bad start. A silly squabble with Manager Alston about pitching batting practice got him a quick but firm invitation to clear out of the clubhouse (TIME, May 23). Newk brooded for a day, apologized and came back with blood in his eye. Out of his Nashua experience, Dodger Manager "Smokey" Alston had obviously fashioned the right formula for handling his hot righthander. Newk has been fogging the ball past enemy batters ever since.

Prized Pitching. If the Dodgers have their wish, that strong right arm will never give out; but if it does, Newk has no worry. His batting eye is so sharp that he could be taught to shag flies and turned into a good outfielder. (Impressed by the same kind of hitting. Boston Red Sox Manager Ed Barrow turned a good pitcher named George Herman Ruth into an outfielder in 1918.) So far this season, Newk boasts a .406 batting average and a slugging percentage (calculated by dividing total times at bat into total bases reached on hits) of .797. With six home runs he has already tied the National League record for four-baggers hit by a pitcher in a single season, shared by the Giants' Hal Schumacher and the Boston Braves' Jim Tobin. He is well on his way to reaching the American League record of nine homers, held by Cleveland's Wes Ferrell..

Understandably, though, the Dodgers prize his pitching most of all. With the rest of their staff suffering from an exasperating assortment of sore arms. Don Newcombe's record of 15-1 counts high in the Dodgers' comfortable 12 1/2-game lead on the rest of the league.

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