Whitey Lockman dies at 82; ballplayer helped set stage for 'Shot Heard Round the World'

Associated Press

By Claire Noland
March 20, 2009

Whitey Lockman, whose key hit for the New York Giants in the decisive 1951 National League playoff game against the Brooklyn Dodgers set the stage for teammate Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard Round the World," has died. He was 82.

Lockman, of Scottsdale, Ariz., died Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, his daughter Linda McCorkle said. He had pulmonary fibrosis and pneumonia.
After a 15-year playing career, Lockman managed the Chicago Cubs for parts of three seasons in the early 1970s.

He then spent more than 25 years as a front-office executive and scout for the Cubs, Montreal Expos and Florida Marlins.

Carroll Walter Lockman was born July 25, 1926, in Lowell, N.C., and was signed as a free agent by the Giants in 1943. Two years later he made his major league debut with the team as an outfielder, hitting a home run in his first at-bat. By the 1951 season he was starting at first base for the Giants.

In the third game of a playoff series against the Dodgers at the Polo Grounds on Oct. 3, 1951, Lockman came to bat in the bottom of the ninth facing starting pitcher Don Newcombe and hit a one-out, run-scoring double that cut the Dodgers' lead to 4-2.

Dodgers Manager Charlie Dressen brought in reliever Ralph Branca, who gave up a three-run home run to the next batter, Thomson, which unleashed Giants broadcaster Russ Hodges' famous call, "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!"

The next season Lockman played all 154 games for the Giants and made the All-Star team.

In all he played 13 seasons with the Giants in New York and San Francisco and had stints with the St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds. A right-hander who batted left-handed, he ended his playing career in 1960 with a .279 average, 114 home runs and 563 runs batted in.

A coach with the Giants and Cubs, Lockman worked in the Cubs' front office until 1972, when he became the team's manager.

He replaced Leo Durocher, who had been his manager with the Giants in 1951. Lockman lasted until the middle of the '74 season before returning to the front office with a 157-162 record.

In 2001, after the Wall Street Journal reported that some members of the 1951 Giants had engaged in an elaborate sign-stealing scheme against the Dodgers, Lockman denied being involved.

Lockman served in the Army during World War II.

He was married for 50 years to the former Shirley Conner, who died in 2001.

In addition to McCorkle, he is survived by daughters Cheryl Lockman, Kay Neal and Nancy Lockman and son Robert. Another son, David, died in 2004. Lockman is also survived by his second wife, Linda Lockman; a stepdaughter; three grandchildren; a brother; and a sister.

Services will be private. His family suggests donations to the American Lung Association.

Lockman, Carroll Walter "Whitey"

Published in The Arizona Republic from 3/22 to 3/23/2009

Passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, at the age of 82, on March 17, 2009.

Whitey was born on July 25, 1926 to Charles and Eunice Lockman in Lowell, North Carolina.

He grew up in Homestead village in North Carolina and at the age of 18, made his major league debut with the New York Giants hitting a home run in his first at bat. With the Giants, he was an All-Star (1952) and won a World Series (1954).

In 1951, he hit a ninth inning double and was on second base, when Bobby Thomson hit a home run that was known as the "Shot Heard 'Round the World", winning the pennant against the Brooklyn Dodgers and sending the Giants to the World Series.

He played for the Giants from 1943-1956, St Louis Cardinals (1956), New York Giants (1957), San Francisco Giants (1958), Baltimore Orioles (1959 and the Cincinnati Reds (1959-1960).

He coached with the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs. He managed the Chicago Cubs (1972-1974) succeeding Leo Durocher. His baseball career continued in the front office of the Cubs as Director of Player Development until 1989, when he joined the Montreal Expos in a similar capacity. He joined the Florida Marlins in 1993 and won a World Series with them in 1997.

He retired from professional baseball after 60 years in 2001 to care for his wife of 50 years, Shirley, during her unsuccessful battle with cancer, and his son David who suffered from muscular dystrophy.

Whitey and his family originally lived in Charlotte, North Carolina before moving to Scottsdale, Arizona in 1970. He married his wife Linda in 2007. Whitey will be remembered as a loving son, brother, husband, father and grandfather.

He was a skilled raconteur with a loving, generous nature. He regularly kept in touch with his childhood friends in North Carolina, as well as many other friends and relatives from coast to coast.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Shirley, son, David, and sisters Nell and Lois.

He will be sorely missed by his wife, Linda, his children, Linda McCorkle (Chuck), Cheryl Sue Lockman, Kay Neal (Mike), Nancy Lockman, Robert Lockman, granddaughter Joanie Swearingen, brother-in-law, Ed Conner, sister Peggy Patrick, brother Charles Lockman and extended family, including Rick and Jennifer Blain and their daughters, Paige and Bridget.

A private memorial service was held on Friday, March 20 in Scottsdale, AZ. Arrangements by Messinger Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested in Whitey's name to the American Lung Association.