He was best known for scouting and signing Jackie Robinson, the first black player in the modern era of major league baseball, to the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was also instrumental in scouting and acquiring Roberto Clemente for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In 1951, when Dodger manager Chuck Dressen needed a reliever to face the New York Giants' Bobby Thomson in the ninth inning of the decisive third game of the National League pennant playoff, Sukeforth, coaching in the Dodger bullpen, passed over Carl Erskine and sent in Ralph Branca, who gave up Thomson's "shot heard 'round the world". On January 9, 1952, Sukeforth resigned as a Dodgers coach.
He was best known for scouting and signing Jackie Robinson, the first black player in the modern era of major league baseball, to the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was also instrumental in scouting and acquiring Roberto Clemente for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In 1951, when Dodger manager Chuck Dressen needed a reliever to face the New York Giants' Bobby Thomson in the ninth inning of the decisive third game of the National League pennant playoff, Sukeforth, coaching in the Dodger bullpen, passed over Carl Erskine and sent in Ralph Branca, who gave up Thomson's "shot heard 'round the world". On January 9, 1952, Sukeforth resigned as a Dodgers coach.
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