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Bobby Thomson passed away at the age of 86 on August 17th. Thomson was a 3 time all-star early in his career with the New York Giants, but for the most part was a journeyman outfielder who kicked around the major leagues from 1946 until 1960, playing with 5 different teams. On the last day of the 1951 season however, in the rubber game of a 3 game playoff series with the Giants’ National League rivals, the Brooklyn Dodgers, Thomson went down in baseball history, hitting a game-winning three-run home run. The circumstances surrounding the home run were amazing. The baseball world in those years revolved around the New York teams, the Giants had been favored to win the NL pennant but started out badly, then overcame a 13 1/2 game deficit to catch the Dodgers and force the playoff. The term “walk off home run” didn’t exist in those days, but today Thomson’s shot off of the Dodgers’ Ralph Branca is considered the most memorable “walk off” homer in baseball history. It was named the #1 Most Memorable Baseball Moment on FoxSports’ “Best Damn” series.

In the 1990s, over forty years after his famous home run, Thomson received a letter from an ex-Marine who had been stationed in Korea in 1951: “I was in a bunker in the front line with my buddy listening to the radio. It was contrary to orders, but he was a Giants fanatic. He never made it home and I promised him if I ever got back I’d write and tell you about the happiest moment of his life. It’s taken me this long to put my feelings into words. On behalf of my buddy, thanks Bobby.” That was the kind of impact that baseball, truly the national pastime in those days, had on the general public, and helps explain why the moment is considered so unforgettable.  Click on the link below to watch the video of Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round The World” from the Best Damn series.

Shot Heard \’Round The World