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 “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” Photo Gallery
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Baseball’s Version of “The Thrill of Victory…and The Agony of Defeat!” Part Two

Here’s the “flipside” to one of the most memorable days in baseball history: Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard Round the World” at the Polo Grounds in 1951. As we all know, the home run gave the Giants the 1951 pennant, and etched into our baseball consciousness the immortal rantings of broadcaster Russ Hodges as he screamed into his microphone: “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!”

Check out the footage of this historic moment along with Russ Hodges’ classic call:

While an immense celebration erupted for the Giants on their home field, things were not quite the same for the Dodgers in the visiting team clubhouse. Over there, the reality of what had just happened gradually settled in: Ralph Branca had just thrown a “gopher ball” at the worst possible moment, a “shot” that cost the Dodgers the 1951 pennant. 

In the classic photo above, we see a distraught Branca lying prone on the

clubhouse steps with his head buried in his arms and the weight of the world on his shoulders. He feels like he let his team down (although none of us would think that he did), and will now have to live with the memory. Coach Cookie Lavagetto, having apparently given up trying to console Branca, sits nearby, equally dejected.

That’s baseball! One hit thrusts one team soaring to unimaginable heights…while the same hit sinks another into the deep depths of depression.

What’s ironic about this photo is that just four years earlier, Cookie Lavagetto had been on the other side of the fence, when he was the hero in another unforgettable World Series moment [ed. note: see my previous post]. He came off the bench in the ninth inning in Game Four of the 1947 World Series and hit a

double off the right-field wall. The hit not only broke up Bill Bevens’ bid for a World Series no-hitter – something which had never happened before – but it drove in two runs to give the Dodgers a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 walk-off victory.

Lavagetto was at the very tail end of his major league career. As a matter of fact, this was his last game and his only hit of the series which was eventually won by the Yankees in seven games. What a way to go out!

There’s nothing like World Series wins and losses to bring out the entire gamut of emotions. And no one knew that better than Cookie Lavagetto!

(Stay tuned for Part Three of this series!)

Gary Livacari