For drama, still can't beat Thomson's shot
File photo shows New York Giants' Bobby Thomson, left, and Brooklyn Dodgers' Ralph Brance fooling around before the World Series at Yankee Stadium. (Oct. 10, 1951) Credit: AP
People already are calling the frenetic finish to the wild-card races Wednesday the most exciting day in baseball history. That might very well be true, although the real test will be if fans still are talking about it 60 years from now.
For now, "The Shot Heard 'Round the World," Bobby Thomson's home run off Ralph Branca on Oct. 3, 1951, remains the single most famous baseball moment.
It was immortalized by Russ Hodges' call, "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! . . . " It was glamorized by being the setting for Don DeLillo's 1997 novel, "Underworld," and a "M*A*S*H" episode. It was scrutinized decades later with revelations that the Giants stole signs with a centerfield telescope that season.
Former soldiers have told of hearing about the home run, which ended a three-game tiebreaker between the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers, while serving in Korea. As Brian Biegel, author of "Miracle Ball," has said, "They call it 'The Shot Heard 'Round the World' for a reason."
Biegel sees a line from the Thomson homer and the Rays, Red Sox, Braves and Cardinals games Wednesday night.
"It connects the generations. The important thing is that it shows how baseball is full of theatrics," said the author, who is preparing for a screening next month in Tribeca of the movie version of "Miracle Ball," the saga of the Thomson homer ball.
Stan Isaacs, who would have a long career as a Newsday columnist and sports editor, covered that game for the Daily Compass. He believes the Wednesday drama outdid "The Shot."
"That really was tumultuous. Thomson's was only one game," he said Sunday, "although the Thomson game was more important. It sent the team to the World Series."
He remembers seeing the ball leave Thomson's bat. The Giants fan in him started saying, "Get into the upper deck!" When it just cleared the fence, he told himself he would visit the Giants' clubhouse first. "I don't think there was champagne or anything like that,'' he said. "Thomson was still in shock."
Isaacs has a photo of himself interviewing Thomson, taken from footage in Ken Burns' "Baseball" documentary. He has a distinct memory of seeing Branca sprawled out on the steps outside the Dodgers' clubhouse. And he saw Jackie Robinson come into the Giants' clubhouse to congratulate the Dodgers' bitter rivals.
Those are images that don't fade after 60 years.
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