Easily my most important piece of baseball history is an autographed ball by Bobby Thomson. You may have heard of "The Shot Heard Round the World"? It was the game-ending home run hit by New York Giants outfielder Bobby Thomson off Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca at the Polo Grounds to win the National League pennant at 3:58 p.m. EST on October 3, 1951. As a result of the "shot" the Giants won the game 5–4, defeating the Dodgers in their pennant playoff series, two games to one. It is one of the most famous moments in Major League Baseball history. I get chills watching the video.
A few years back I wrote a letter to Thomson, included a ball and a card and asked if he would be willing to give an autograph to a fan of baseball gone by. I was shocked to find a ball in the mail later that was covered in stats and an autograph by Mr. Thomson. The inscription reads...
Bobby Thomson
Flying Scotsman (Thomson's nick name)
48, 49, 52
"The Shot Heard Round the World"
Oct, 3 1951
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