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 his yielding of Bobby Thomson's home run at the Polo Grounds on October 3, 1951. The home run which became known as "The shot heard 'round the world" gave the New York Giants the 1951 National League Pennant and earned the distinction as being one of the most famous home runs in baseball history. Born Ralph Theodore Joseph Branca, he attended Davis High School in Mount Vernon, New York and later briefly studied at New York University. Signed by Brooklyn as an amateur free agent in 1943, he marked his Major League debut at the age of eighteen on June 12, 1944. In 1947, he produced a career-high 21 wins with the Dodgers' team which captured the National League Pennant that season. Branca earned all star status that year and pitched in three games during the 1947 World Series. 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.

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 his yielding of Bobby Thomson's home run at the Polo Grounds on October 3, 1951. The home run which became known as "The shot heard 'round the world" gave the New York Giants the 1951 National League Pennant and earned the distinction as being one of the most famous home runs in baseball history. Born Ralph Theodore Joseph Branca, he attended Davis High School in Mount Vernon, New York and later briefly studied at New York University. Signed by Brooklyn as an amateur free agent in 1943, he marked his Major League debut at the age of eighteen on June 12, 1944. In 1947, he produced a career-high 21 wins with the Dodgers' team which captured the National League Pennant that season. Branca earned all star status that year and pitched in three games during the 1947 World Series. 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.

Bio by: C.S.