The Giants Win The Pennant

Bobby Thomson was a very good baseball player. Bill James a few years back ranked him as the 57th-best right fielder in baseball history, a couple of slots behind Jackie Jensen, a few places ahead of Dave Justice. Thomson could run (he once led the National League in triples) and he had some power, and in his four prime years — 1949-1952 — he averaged 26 home runs, 100 RBIs, posted a 126 OPS+ and walked more often than he struck out. Bobby Thomson, of course, is not especially well remembered for being a very good baseball player. There have been a lot of very good players. He is — like Don Larsen, like Roger Maris, like Joe Carter, like Kirk Gibson and even like Vic Wertz and Mitch Williams and Ralph Branca — remembered for a moment. A feeling. A memory that has launched books and movies and songs and the most passionate radio call that ever was: “The Giants win the pennant!” A couple of years ago, I put together a list of the 20 greatest home ...