Page 238 - 1975 BoSox

’75—THE RED SOX TEAM THAT SAVED BASEBALL 231
behind center eld, which made it tough for the batter to pick up the ball.2 Because blood clots were forming on his brain, he was given spinal taps every two or three days. Eventually three holes were drilled into the right side of his head. It has been popular to say that Zimmer had a plate in his head, but that is inac- curate; three titanium buttons were inserted in his skull to act like bottle corks. After the procedure, Zimmer’s weight dropped to 124 pounds from his previous 170.
Zimmer recuperated at home in Florida by playing softball before reporting for spring training at Vero Beach in 1954. Since Pee Wee Reese was still the Dodgers’ starting shortstop, Zimmer again began the season at St. Paul. If there were any lingering e ects from his beaning, he did not show them. In 73 games he batted .291 with 17 home runs, and when Reese was injured, the Dodgers brought Zimmer up. He made his major-league debut on July 2 at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia, against a tough lefty, Curt Simmons. He hit a triple in his rst at-bat.
When Pee Wee recovered, the Dodgers gave Zimmer the choice of returning to St. Paul or remaining in Brooklyn. He chose to stay with the Dodgers. But by the end of the season Zimmer had played in only 24 games, batting.182.
e following season, 1955, was magical for Zimmer, and Dodgers fans. Zimmer had a strong spring training camp and earned the right to be Pee Wee Reese’s backup. And the Dodgers won the pennant. Manager Walt Alston wanted to get Zimmer’s bat into the lineup, and asked him if he could play second base. ough Zimmer had never played second, he assured his manager that he could. His little white lie paid o because he became Brooklyn’s top utility man, playing at both short and second. His hitting gained him playing time, and though he batted just .239, he hit 15 homers and had 50 RBIs in 88 games.
In the World Series, against the New York Yankees, Zimmer started the rst two games at second base. He had a hit in each game, but Alston decided to sit him down in Game ree against Bob Turley. e
skipper wanted to get left-handed batter Sandy Amoros in the lineup. Alston’s strategy did not sit well with the brash young Zimmer, who let the press know his feelings. Alston did not appreciate his com- ments and he scolded Zimmer: “ is is terrible! We’re winning a World Series and you’re popping o and thinking about yourself ?”3 Zimmer did not appear in Games Four and Five, either, but did get into Games Six and Seven as the Dodgers won the world championship.
Zimmer was used sparingly as Reese’s backup in 1956. In a rare start on June 23, his season was ended by a fastball high and inside from Hal Je coat that broke his cheekbone. He downplayed the incident by saying: “If that’s all that Je coat has on the ball, he better quit.”4 Surgery was needed to put the indented bone back in place.5
Zimmer returned for the 1957 season, but remained in a utility role, playing third base, shortstop, and second base. In 84 games he batted just.219. Zimmer thought his days in Brooklyn were numbered.“ ey’ll trade me, sure,” he told a sportwriter. “ ey’re not going to want me on this club.”6 Alston thought that Zimmer’s versatility made him useful, but Zimmer insisted that the manager did not like him.
Zimmer was correct: His days in Brooklyn were num- bered. In 1958, the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles (and the New York Giants moved to San Francisco). ere were several contested in eld positions. Charlie Neal moved to second base, Reese, who was in his nal year, moved to third. is left Bob Lillis and Zimmer to compete for shortstop.7 Zimmer won the job and responded with his nest season at the plate as a Dodger, batting .262 with 17 homers and 60 runs batted in.
However, Zimmer didn’t last long as the starter. In 1959 he shared the shortstop position with Maury Wills and his batting average plunged to .169. e Dodgers won the pennant and defeated the Chicago White Sox in six games in the World Series. Zimmer’s only appearance was as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement in Game Five.