One of the Most Famous
Homers in Baseball History
Was Slugged 75 Years Ago
1948 Bowman
1952 Bowman
BY MARK A. LARSON
Editor & Publisher
Seventy-five years ago — on Oct. 3, 1951 — the New York Giants’ Bobby Thomson hit one of the most memorable home runs in baseball history. … Originally, it was known as the “Miracle of Coogan’s Bluff,” now it’s more commonly remembered as the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World.”
AT THE TIME: All eyes are on the Polo Grounds (home of New York’s Giants and located at Coogan’s Bluff in New York City). It’s the third — and final game — of a special National League best-of-three playoff due to a first-place tie between the Giants and their crosstown rivals, the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Series is tied at one game apiece.
Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth of that last playoff game. The winner goes to the World Series and the loser goes bye-bye. The home team Giants have already scored a run but are still trailing 4-2, with two men on base and one out. It still looks bleak for New York as the Dodgers are just two outs away from advancing to the Fall Classic.
Up to the plate steps right fielder Bobby Thomson. So far in the game Thomson has driven in a run while going 2-for-3, including a double. The first pitch is a strike. On the second pitch from Brooklyn hurler Ralph Branca, Thomson drills the ball over the left field fence. Three runs score and the Giants take the game, the playoffs and the pennant. Pandemonium ensues as Polo Grounds fans, television viewers across the nation and a worldwide radio audience can’t believe their eyes and ears.
Cartoons on the backs of Topps’ 1958, 1959 and 1956 cards
THE MAKING OF THE MIRACLE: To put into perspective the totality of what turned out to be the Giants’ miraculous year, one needs to go back about two months before the 1951 N.L. season came to an end. On Aug. 11, 1951, the Dodgers were comfortably settled in first place 13 games in front of the second-place Giants. Then New York went on a tear. The Giants won 37 of their last 44 games – including a 16-game winning streak which began on Aug. 12. Meanwhile, Brooklyn was mediocre, playing just bit over .500 and their once insurmountable-looking lead slowly melted away. When all was said and done, on the last day of regular play, the Dodgers and Giants ended up with identical records of 96-58. That was a miracle in itself, but for Giants fans, the best was yet to come.
★ Three-time All-Star Bobby Thomson played in the major leagues for 15 years from 1946-60.
★ He was a member of the Giants, Braves, Giants again, Cubs, Red Sox and Orioles.
★ In career 6,305 at bats, Thomson hit .270, scoring 903 runs, with 264 lifetime home runs and 1,026 RBIs.
★ During the five-year period from 1949-53, he averaged 27 homers and 102 RBIs per season – topping 100 Ribbies four times.
★ Thomson was traded to Milwaukee after the ‘53 season for pitcher Johnny Antonelli (who became a 21-game winner for the Giants). Then he suffered a broken ankle during spring training with the Braves. From that point on, his career went on a downward trajectory and he would never be the same.
★ As a sidenote, that injury in early 1954 allowed a starting spot in Milwaukee’s outfield to open up. It was filled by then rookie Hank Aaron. And, as they say, the rest is history.
~~~ More Bobby Thomson Cards ~~~
CARD TRIVIA: Swell’s choice of photo for the above card is somewhat unique. After three and a half years in a Milwaukee uniform, Thomson returned to the New York Giants in a trade on June 15, 1957. Following the ‘57 season, the Giants relocated to the west coast. But Thomson never played in a regular season game for the “San Francisco” Giants, as he was dealt to the Cubs on April 3, 1958. Therefore, the uncommon photo with Thomson wearing an “SF” cap was probably snapped during the brief six-week period of spring training in 1958.
See related article on BaseballCardFun.com about the 1951 pennant race entitled:
“BASEBALL ON TV — M*A*S*H (Featuring: Jim Lefebvre)”
Click Link Here
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