center field in place of the injured Joe DiMaggio. April 20 – Willie Jones of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a record-tying four consecutive doubles in a 6–5 loss to the Boston Braves. April 26 – Brooklyn Dodgers Gene Hermanski, Jackie Robinson, and Gil Hodges combine for a 7–4–3 triple play during a 5–2 win over the visiting Boston Braves. It is the only triple play in Brooklyn Dodgers history. May 5 – The Red Sox trade outfielder Stan Spence to the St. Louis Browns for outfielder Al Zarilla. May 22 – Don Newcombe of the Brooklyn Dodgers makes his first career start in spectacular fashion, shutting out the Cincinnati Reds, 3–0. Newcombe is the first National League pitcher in 11 years to debut with a shutout. June–July June 2 – The Phillies hit five home runs in an inning, tying a major league record set by the Giants in 1939. The Phillies defeat their opponent this day, the visiting Reds, 12–3. June 5 – Commissioner Happy Chandler rescinds the ban against players who had participated in the Mexican leagues. June 12 – Charlie Grimm resigns as manager of the last-place Chicago Cubs and moves to the club's front office as a vice president. Grimm is replaced by Frankie Frisch. Gil Hodges hits a grand slam and collects eight RBIss for the Brooklyn Dodgers in their 20–7 win over the Cincinnati Reds. June 13 – The Giants trade catcher Walker Cooper to the Reds for catcher Ray Mueller. June 14 – Following the Phillies 4–1 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, first baseman Eddie Waitkus is shot by Ruth Ann Steinhagen, an obsessed fan, at Chicago's Edgewater Beach Hotel. The shooting occurs just before midnight. The bullet punctures Waitkus' lung and lodges near his heart. After undergoing four operations, he recovers enough to play the following season, but he is not the same ballplayer. At the time of the shooting, Waitkus was batting .304 and leading the all-star voting among National League first basemen. Waitkus' shooting serves as the inspiration for the "Roy Hobbs" character in the Bernard Malamud novel, The Natural, and its subsequent film adaptation. June 24 – The Boston Red Sox pound the St. Louis Browns for 25 hits in a 21–2 win. Ted Williams contributes seven RBIss to go along with two home runs, three runs scored, and a stolen base. June 28 – After