Major League baseball player. For twelve seasons (1944 to 1954 and 1956), he was a pitcher with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, and New York Yankees. Branca will always be remembered for surrendering Bobby Thomson's walk-off home run at the Polo Grounds on October 3, 1951. The home run became known as "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" and gave the New York Giants the 1951 National League pennant and earned the distinction of being one of the most famous home runs in baseball history. Born Ralph Theodore Joseph Branca, he attended A.B. Davis High School in Mount Vernon, New York, and later briefly studied at New York University, where he played baseball and basketball. Signed by Brooklyn as an amateur free agent in 1943, he marked his Major League debut at the age of 18 on June 12, 1944. In 1947, he produced a career-high 21 wins with the Dodgers' team that captured the National League pennant in Jackie Robinson's rookie season. Branca was known for standing beside Robinson while other players refused. Branca earned all-star status that year and pitched in three games during the 1947 World Series, including the starter in Game 1. He would go on to achieve all-star status two more times (1948 and 1949) and appear in one game during the 1949 World Series. In 322 career regular-season games, he compiled an 88 win, 68 loss record, with a lifetime 3.79 ERA, in 1,484 innings pitched. Branca's son-in-law was former Major League player and manager Bobby Valentine. Ralph Branca died in a Westchester County nursing home at age 90 in 2016 and was interred in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, not far from the graves of Babe Ruth and Billy Martin.
Major League baseball player. For twelve seasons (1944 to 1954 and 1956), he was a pitcher with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, and New York Yankees. Branca will always be remembered for surrendering Bobby Thomson's walk-off home run at the Polo Grounds on October 3, 1951. The home run became known as "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" and gave the New York Giants the 1951 National League pennant and earned the distinction of being one of the most famous home runs in baseball history. Born Ralph Theodore Joseph Branca, he attended A.B. Davis High School in Mount Vernon, New York, and later briefly studied at New York University, where he played baseball and basketball. Signed by Brooklyn as an amateur free agent in 1943, he marked his Major League debut at the age of 18 on June 12, 1944. In 1947, he produced a career-high 21 wins with the Dodgers' team that captured the National League pennant in Jackie Robinson's rookie season. Branca was known for standing beside Robinson while other players refused. Branca earned all-star status that year and pitched in three games during the 1947 World Series, including the starter in Game 1. He would go on to achieve all-star status two more times (1948 and 1949) and appear in one game during the 1949 World Series. In 322 career regular-season games, he compiled an 88 win, 68 loss record, with a lifetime 3.79 ERA, in 1,484 innings pitched. Branca's son-in-law was former Major League player and manager Bobby Valentine. Ralph Branca died in a Westchester County nursing home at age 90 in 2016 and was interred in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, not far from the graves of Babe Ruth and Billy Martin.
Bio by: C.S.
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