On October 3, 1951, Bobby Thomson of the New York Giants hit one of the most momentous home runs ever to fly out of a Major League ballpark. Trailing the Brooklyn Dodgers 4-1 heading into the bottom of the 9th of the final game of the National League playoff series, the Giants rallied to beat the Dodgers and advance to the World Series against their iconic cross-town rivals the New York Yankees thanks to Thomson’s enormous blast into the Polo Grounds’ left-field bleachers. Here is the now-famous video of the exciting event:
The “Shot Heard ‘Round The World” catapulted Thomson’s image as a good, solid power hitter into that of a veritable baseball legend. Today, few baseball fans even remember the ensuing World Series (which the Yankees won in six games), but every true fan of America’s Pastime is familiar with that one giant swing of the bat that sent the Dodgers packing and the Giants on to the 1951 Fall Classic.
Bobby Thomson passed away last night at his Georgia home. He was 86.
Still exciting!!