1960
BOBBY THOMSON   OF

When New York Giants announcer Russ Hodges uttered the immortal words “The Giants win the pennant!” the legacy of Bobby Thomson was indelibly etched into baseball history. Bobby's October 3, 1951, home run off Ralph Branca was ranked number one on The Sporting News' "Greatest Baseball Moments". His heroics made prior years lose emphasis in establishing his career legacy. That pennant race itself was one of the most exciting in baseball history.

Bobby was an All-Star in 1952 and his 24 home runs led the team, but the Giants finished in second place. He again led the Giants in home runs in 1953, but the Giants struggled and finished the season in fifth place.

His services continued to be a marketable commodity, and in 1954, he was traded to the Milwaukee Braves. His old team, the Giants, won the pennant that year while Bobby fractured his ankle in spring training and the injury hampered him the entire season.

In 1957, he was 33 and considered past his peak by many and Milwaukee sent him back to the Giants. The Braves won the pennant that year and for Bobby, it was the second time he was traded away from a team that went on to win a World Series the season he left.

He was sent to the Cubs in 1959 and was then traded to the Red Sox in December.

In the early part of 1960, he alternated with Ted Williams in left field and on April 23rd, had two hits including a homer while the Sox beat the Senators, 8 to 3.

The next day he went 4-for-5 with a triple and another homer in an 11-10 win. The Sox were down 11-7 in Washington and his two-run ninth inning homer brought them within two. Lou Clinton then homered but that was it. The Sox lost 11 to 10.

Bobby played just 40 games with the Red Sox in 1960 before being released in July. For his time in Boston that year, he batted .263 with five homers.

He finished his career as a three-time All-Star with a batting average of .270 and 264 home runs.

In retirement, he worked as a sales executive with the Westvaco paper products Company. The Thomson family settled in Watchung, New Jersey. Elaine, his wife of over 40 years, died in 1993, and son Bobby Jr. died suddenly the same year.

Remembered throughout his life by one moment in time, in the final analysis, Bobby Thomson was a shy and reserved man who consistently tried to fulfill all requests, whether for a story or a simple autograph. 
He died on August 16, 2010 at his home in Savannah, Georgia, at 86 years old. He had been in failing health and had taken a bad fall.