RIP Bobby Thomson

The Core Belief

On August 11, 1951, the New York Giants lost to the Philadelphia Phillies and Robin Roberts dropping them 13.5 games behind the first place Brooklyn Dodgers. Miraculously, the Giants won 37 of their last 44 and forced a three game play-off with Dodgers for the National League pennant. The teams split the first two games so the rubber match would decide who faced the New York Yankees in the World Series.

The game was played on October 3, 1951. At 3:58pm EST, left fielder Bobby Thomson hit a walk off home run off of Dodger reliever Ralph Branca to send the Giants to the World Series. The 279-foot shot has come to be known as the Shot Heard ‘Round the World.

Bobby Thomson died to day at the age of 86 after a long illness. However, the sportscasts weren’t filled memories of the single most famous home run in baseball history or of the man who hit it. No. Today’s headlines dealt with more Brett Favre and his continuing Diva should I or shouldn’t I routine.

Thomson wasn’t a Willie Mays type, the man on deck when he hit his famous home run. Thomson was a lifetime .270 hitter in 13 seasons, putting him on par with above average, very good almost there but not quite great players like Roger Maris and Willie Horton. Unlike Favre, Thomson will not be in the Hal of Fame. His Cooperstown moment was that moment in time on October 3.

So as ESPN keeps the sports world updated on As the Favre Turns 24/7, I choose to remember the man who gave the country a piece of it’s mythology.

RIP Bobby Thomson.