Saturday, November 27, 2010

"Now Bobby, Just Imagine Him In His Underwear"

I wonder if Manager Leo Durocher gave that advice to Bobby Thomson before he stepped to the plate against Ralph Branca before the famous "Shot Heard 'Round The World."

Branca was known as a very good starter during his years in Brooklyn. Branca debuted on June 12, 1944, with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and put up a 3.04 ERA in 109.2 innings pitched in 1945, his rookie year. A three-time All-Star, he won 80 games for the Dodgers with a career-high 21 wins in 1947. He is best remembered for one infamous relief appearance in a 1951 playoff game against the crosstown rival New York Giants and gave up that famous home run to Thomson giving the Giants the National League pennant.

Branca later learned that the Giants had stolen the signs to the two pitches he threw Thomson.
So was it the underwear advice or the stolen sign?