Ralph Branca Dead At 90

The Poet · 11-23-2016, 11:43 PM

Pitcher Ralph Branca, the man who gave up perhaps the most famous home run in MLB history to Bobby Thompson on Oct. 3 1951, the so-called "Shot Heard 'Round The World", has died at the age of 90. The homer was not merely notable in itself, but was especially so as it capped an historic late-season comeback by the NY Giants to take the NL pennant away from the Brooklyn Dodgers, making up a 13 1/2 game deficit in the final month. You need to be even older than I to remember this, but you might remember an outstanding episode of the TV show M.A.S.H. based around this. And speaking of TV, that final game of the three-game playoff was the first baseball game to be televised nationally.

Rest in peace, Ralph. Your name and fame will live as long as does the nation's pastime.

11-23-2016, 11:43 PM	#1
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Ralph Branca Dead At 90 Pitcher Ralph Branca, the man who gave up perhaps the most famous home run in MLB history to Bobby Thompson on Oct. 3 1951, the so-called "Shot Heard 'Round The World", has died at the age of 90. The homer was not merely notable in itself, but was especially so as it capped an historic late-season comeback by the NY Giants to take the NL pennant away from the Brooklyn Dodgers, making up a 13 1/2 game deficit in the final month. You need to be even older than I to remember this, but you might remember an outstanding episode of the TV show M.A.S.H. based around this. And speaking of TV, that final game of the three-game playoff was the first baseball game to be televised nationally. Rest in peace, Ralph. Your name and fame will live as long as does the nation's pastime. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.