The Giants were fearful of Wills on the bases so Alvin Dark had head groundskeeper Matty Schwab create a swamp around first base by watering extensively and add sand to the area in a mid summer series with the Dodgers.
Dodger coach Leo Durocher complained to ump Tom Gorman who ordered the groundskeepers to fix the mess. The crew came out and basically added more sand to the mixture and watered again. The LA press went crazy and the team appealed to the league office. Sure enough, the teams tied for the pennant and the NL league office had chief ump Jocko Conlan supervise the groundskeeping for Game One at Candlestick. Schwabs crew adroitly created an invisible swamp and the Dodgers stole no bases in an 11-2 Giant win.
Dodger coach Leo Durocher complained to ump Tom Gorman who ordered the groundskeepers to fix the mess. The crew came out and basically added more sand to the mixture and watered again. The LA press went crazy and the team appealed to the league office. Sure enough, the teams tied for the pennant and the NL league office had chief ump Jocko Conlan supervise the groundskeeping for Game One at Candlestick. Schwabs crew adroitly created an invisible swamp and the Dodgers stole no bases in an 11-2 Giant win.