sentences:  As a rookie, Whitman was the pennant-contending Dodgers' starting left-fielder and #3 hitter on Opening Day, April 16 against the Boston Braves.Although he was held hitless in his first two National League games, he was Brooklyn's regular left-fielder for the season's first 13 games.On May 1, he started in center field and went five-for-five against the Chicago Cubs; the Dodgers won 5–1 to improve their record to 9–4 while Whitman's batting average rose to .263.