Baseball History: Bobby Thomson Dies at 86

The Giants win the pennant, the Giants win the pennant....

Bobby Thomson hit one of the most if not the most dramatic home runs in baseball history on October 3rd, 1951, when he hit a home run that turned a 4-2 defeat into a thrilling 5-4 come from behind win for the New York Giants over the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The hero of the 1951 NL playoffs died Monday at the age of 86 at his home in Savannah, Georgia. The mere mention of his name brings back memories of that day in 1951 when Thomson hit the "Shot heard around the world".

The Dodgers had took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning and Bobby Thomson tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh when he hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring Monte Irvin.

However, the Dodgers came back with three runs in the top of the eighth to give them a 4-1 lead. The Giants were unable to score in the bottom of the frame and Dodgers went down in order in the top of the ninth.

Alvin Dark and Don Mueller singled to start the bottom of the ninth for the Giants. Monte Irvin made the first out when he popped up to first base. Then, Whitey Lockman hit a double to left field scoring Dark to make it a 4-2 game.

Then Don Newcombe was relieved by Ralph Branca who had given up a home run to Thomson earlier in the playoff series and was facing Thomson with runners on second and third and with one out.

More here-

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/438422-bobby-thomson-dies-at-86

and the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrI7dVj90zs