Bobby Thomson Trivia

1. In 1951, Bobby Thomson hit the game-winning home run off of Brooklyn's Ralph Branca giving the National League pennant to the New York Giants. Which pitcher had pitched the entire game for the Dodgers prior to being replaced by Branca?

From Quiz The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Answer: Don Newcombe

Newcombe won 20 games in the 1951 season. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't 21. He still had an impressive career. He was the first player to win the Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and MVP awards in a single career. He made the All-Star team four times. He returned to baseball after missing the 1952 and 1953 seasons due to serving the military in Korea. He did eventually win a World Series with the Dodgers in 1955.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: Polo Grounds

It was a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th inning and the Giants were the home team. The Polo Grounds, in one form or another, served as the Giants' home from 1891 until after the 1957 season when they moved to San Francisco. It was also home for the Mets during their first two seasons in 1962 and 1963.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's 'Shot'

Answer: Dodgers 4, Giants 2

The score was Dodgers 4, Giants 2, in the bottom of the 9th inning, as Bobby Thomson stepped in to face Ralph Branca.

From Quiz The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Answer: 4-1

After giving up a run to make the score 4-2, and with two runners on base, Dodgers manager Chuck Dressen yanked Newcombe in favor of Branca. Thomson would be the only batter he would face.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's 'Shot'

Answer: Ralph Branca

The most famous pitcher after this, Branca gave up the most unlikely home run to the most unlikely of all batters.

From Quiz The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Answer: The Staten Island Scot

Thomson was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1923. He was selected for the All-Star team three times in his career: 1948, 1949, and 1952.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: Chuck Dressen and Leo Durocher

Chuck Dressen managed the Dodgers from 1951 to 1953, winning pennants in the latter two years. Leo Durocher, who had led the Dodgers in the '40s, managed the Giants from 1948 to 1955, winning pennants in 1951 and 1954. The other pairings would have been correct in 1947 (Shotton and Ott), 1949 (Shotton and Durocher), and 1956 (Alston and Rigney).

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's 'Shot'

Answer: Lou Jorda

The man in blue behind the plate was Lou Jorda, calling strike one just before the dinger of Thomson's lifetime.

From Quiz The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Answer: 13

Maybe Branca blamed the unlucky 13 for his misfortune of giving up the home run. The next season he wore number 12.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: Don Newcombe

Don Newcombe pitched for 8 1/3 innings before being relieved by Ralph Branca, who came in to face Thomson. Branca had started the first game of the three-game playoff, losing 3-1 and giving up a home run to Thomson in that game as well. Clem Labine started the second game of the series, shutting out the Giants 10-0. Carl Erskine was on the Dodgers pitching staff, compiling a 16-12 regular season record, but he did not appear in the playoffs.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's 'Shot'

Answer: Fastball

Branca threw strike one on a fastball, before trying it again with another fastball, which Thomson smashed over the left field fence.

From Quiz The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Answer: Willie Mays

It was the 20 year-old rookie, Willie Mays. The "Say Hey Kid" would go on to hit 660 career home runs of his own. His career was nothing short of sensational. 24 All-Star selections, 12 Gold Gloves, 2 MVPs, and the Rookie of the Year award were just some of his credentials to get himself inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: Larry Jansen

Larry Jansen came on in relief of Sal Maglie to pitch the top of the 9th inning, setting the Dodgers down in order. Jim Hearn was the winning pitcher in the opening game of the series, while Sheldon Jones was the losing pitcher in the second game.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's 'Shot'

Answer: Thomson

Bobby Thomson played for several clubs before retiring in 1960, while Branca played for his share of clubs and retired in 1956.

From Quiz The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Answer: Leo Durocher

It was Leo the Lip who led the Giants to the World Series in 1951. He finished his managerial career with 2,009 wins. Unfortunately, he didn't live to see his election into the Hall of Fame in 1994. He passed away in 1991 at the age of 86.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: 13

Branca's number had suddenly become unlucky and he wore the number 12 the next season (although he reverted to 13 in 1953). Dodger uniform numbers 4, 39, and 42, were worn by Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, and Jackie Robinson, respectively.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: Alvin Dark

All of these Giants players later became managers. Shortstop Alvin Dark managed the Giants, Athletics (twice), Indians, and Padres in his career. He was at the helm of the Giants in 1962 when they went to the World Series and lost, and of the A's, when they went to the World Series in 1974 and won. Wes Westrum, a good defensive catcher, was the immediate successor to Casey Stengel as manager of the Mets; he also managed the Giants. Bill Rigney pinch-hit for Westrum in the bottom of the 8th inning, striking out. He had a long career in the dugout, managing the Giants (twice), Angels, and Twins. Eddie Stanky, the tempermental second baseman, made the last out in the bottom of the 8th. He managed the Cardinals and the White Sox and, in 1977, was named manager of the Texas Rangers, but abruptly resigned after one game, perhaps realizing that the sport had passed him by.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: Gil Hodges

First baseman Gil Hodges was also unable to reach the ball hit by Don Mueller, which went into right field for a single. Hodges' exceptional career as a Dodger and his leadership as manager of the Miracle Mets in 1969, merited consideration for the Hall of Fame. Shortstop Reese and second baseman Robinson are already enshrined. Billy Cox was a solid third baseman, but not of Hall of Fame calibre.

From Quiz The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Answer: Polo Grounds

There have been four ballparks known as the Polo Grounds in New York, dating back to the 1800s. The fourth and final one was where this game took place. Built in 1911, it was once the home of the Yankees, the Giants, and the Mets. It was closed when the Mets moved to Shea Stadium in 1963, and would ultimately be demolished in 1964.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: Monte Irvin

Left fielder Monte Irvin had been a star in the Negro Leagues and was one of the first black players signed by the Giants. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973. Right fielder Don Mueller, up immediately before Irvin, had reached on a single. Hank Thompson, sometime third baseman, had grounded out in the bottom of the 8th, pinch-hitting for starting pitcher Sal Maglie. Spider Jorgensen was a reserve outfielder for the Giants who did not enter the game.

From Quiz The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Answer: New York Yankees

The Yankees won the series in six games. It was their third straight World Series win, and 14th overall. They would go on to win many more. This was the final World Series appearance for Joe DiMaggio. It was also the first World Series for both Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. All three would eventually be elected into the Hall of Fame. Both managers, Casey Stengel and Leo Durocher, are also in the Hall of Fame.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: Clint Hartung and Whitey Lockman

After Irvin popped up with Dark and Mueller on base, Newcombe faced first baseman Whitey Lockman, who doubled down the left field line, driving in Dark. Mueller slid hard into third base, suffering a broken ankle that ended his season. He was replaced by pinch runner Clint Hartung. Hartung, nicknamed the "Hondo Hurricane," had been a highly-touted prospect, both as a pitcher and a hitter, in the Giants organization, but his career never amounted to much.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: Andy Pafko

Andy Pafko's best playing days were with the Chicago Cubs in the years immediately preceding. After a short stint with the Dodgers, Pafko moved on to the Braves, where he was a platoon outfielder on the pennant winning clubs of 1957 and 1958. Duke Snider was in centerfield and Carl Furillo in right. Sandy Amoros, whose famous catch preserved the Dodgers' first World Series championship in 1955, did not play for the Dodgers until 1952.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: Willie Mays

Willie Mays, a rookie in 1951, went hitless that day. Hartung was on base. Ray Noble, a backup catcher, had replaced Westrum after he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth, but did not come to bat. Maglie was already out of the game.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: Russ Hodges

Russ Hodges began broadcasting Giants games in 1949 and followed them when they moved to San Francisco in 1958. Ernie Harwell, who went on to fame as the voice of the Tigers, was Hodges' broadcasting partner, handling the telecast for the Giants that day. Mel Allen was the voice of the Yankees, who waited across the Harlem River to play (and beat) the winner of the playoff in the World Series. Vin Scully began broadcasting for the Dodgers in 1950.

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: He was silent for the next minute while the crowd roared

He was silent for the next minute while the crowd roared. Red Barber began broadcasting with the Dodgers in 1939 and later joined Allen in the Yankee booth in 1954. According to Stan Isaacs, Barber described the moment: "...Swung on and belted deep out to left field. It is--a home run! And the New York Giants win the National League pennant and the Polo Grounds goes wild." He was silent for the next 59 seconds while the crowd roared. He then mentioned that a couple of hundred Americans had lost their lives in Korea that week, and said, "The Dodgers will get over this, and so will their fans."

From Quiz Bobby Thomson's "Shot" Revisited

Answer: He was the beneficiary of signs stolen from the catcher

Apparently, catchers' signs had been monitored from the centerfield clubhouse in the Polo Grounds during the 1951 season, and had been relayed to the Giants dugout through an electric buzzer. Thomson, however, maintains that he was not alerted to Branca's pitch, a fastball, when he came to bat in the ninth inning.

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