Monday, October 19, 2015

TURN BACK THE CLOCK 1951: BOBBY THOMPSON AND THE "SHOT HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD"

Today’s “Turn Back the Clock” card is a 20th Anniversary card in the 1971 set for the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”, New York Giant Bobby Thompson’s pennant clinching home run off of Brooklyn Dodger pitcher Ralph Branca on October 3rd, 1951 (funny enough, 63 years ago today as I write this! Happy 63rd birthday Dave Winfield!!!).
Take a look at my card:


We’ve all heard the story numerous times over the years: with the Brooklyn Dodgers seemingly steamrolling their way to another National league pennant, the Giants went on a tear in the last weeks of the season, winning 37 of 44 games to catch the “Bums” and force a playoff series, which the Giants would end up winning 2 games to 1 with Thompson’s homer.
Of course the story would get A LOT more interesting years later when it was confirmed that the Giants were stealing signs during the second half of the season, AND during the October 3rd game, taking some luster off of the historic event.
Nevertheless, Thompson’s homer is still the stuff of legend, AND as I mentioned earlier above, it was also the exact day that a future Hall of Famer outfielder, Dave Winfield, was born.
Just one of those things that always stayed with me since childhood...