armchairgm
all sports, all you
+ Add Friends
You are not logged-in.
Sign Up - Log In
Main Page
Sports
Write
Articles
Hot Links
Images
Meet People
Fun
Explore
MLB - NFL - NBA - NHL - College Basketball - College Football - Soccer - Nascar - Other
Article - Locker Room Discussion
All Articles - New Articles - Today's Articles
Submit a Link - Approve Links
Picture Game - Ratings - Polls - Pick Game - Quiz Game - Spring Silliness
Random Page - Random Image - Random Fan
Edit
Page history Discuss pageWhat links here

Ralph Branca

(upload a new image)

Full Name: Ralph Theodore Joseph Branca Primary Position: P
Height/Weight: 6' 3"/220 First Game: June 12, 1944
Birthdate: January 6, 1926 Final Game: September 7, 1956
Birthplace: Mount Vernon, New York MLB Experience: 12 years
Bat/Throw: Right/Right
Rate this Player
3.00
(2 votes)

Contents

  • 1 Biography
  • 2 Statistics
    • 2.1 Pitching Stats
    • 2.2 Fielding Stats
    • 2.3 Batting Stats
  • 3 Transactions
  • 4 Trivia
  • 5 Video Gallery
  • 6 Picture Gallery
  • 7 See Also
    • 7.1 Recent Ralph Branca ArmchairGM Stories
  • 8 Categories

[edit] Biography

Ralph Branca (Ralph Theodore Joseph Branca) was born on January 6, 1926 in Mount Vernon, New York. He pitched his first Major League game on June 12, 1944 for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He played in his last game on September 7, 1956 for the New York Yankees. He also played Detroit Tigers at one point in time in his 12 year career.

Branca had won 21 games in 1947 but he will always be remembered as the pitcher that gave up the game winning home run to Bobby Thomson on October 3, 1951 that sent the San Francisco Giants to the World Series with the three run home run by Thompson in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was a best of three series and Branca had already given up a home run to Thomson in Game 1.

With the Giants winning the game, they erased a 13 1/2 game Brooklyn Dodgers division lead that they had in August, and finished the season tied with the Dodgers compiling a 37-7 record to end the season.

This video shows Thomson hitting the home run that shattered the dreams of the 1951 Dodgers going to the World Series:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrI7dVj90zs&feature=related

While the Giants were celebrating the game winning home run, Ralph Branca was in agony and extremely depressed. Branca illustrates as well as anyone what the agony of defeat can do to a player.

Recently, there have been some allegations that Thomson knew what the pitch was going to be before Branca threw it. This story from espn.com goes into more detail about whether the Giants were stealing the signs on that fateful day:

http://espn.go.com/classic/s/2001/0201/1054936.html

Branca had won 76 games at the end of the 1951 season but in the ensuing four years he was able to post only 12 more wins which was one less win than he won in the 1951 season.

I remember when he appeared on the Concentration game show on television in 1958 when he won 17 games. He became close friends with Bobby Thomson in later years.

Branca would not have been called into the game, but when Carl Erskine bounced a throw in the bullpen while warming up manager Charlie Dressen called in Branca and the rest is history. Branca is 84 today but doubt if many days have gone by in his life when he doesn't think of that home run heard around the world in 1951 and if he doesn't think about it some member of the media probably does.

It seems logical that Branca should have walked Thomson loading the bases and faced the on deck hitter Willie Mays, who was a rookie that season, and even a walk wouldn't have given up the winning run. It is easy to second guess 57 years later what should have been done that day but those decisions had to be made that day and with not a lot of time to ponder those decisions.

Most people believe that Ralph Branca's best season was 1947, when he posted a 2.67 ERA, won 21 games and struck out 148 batters.

[edit] Statistics

[edit] Pitching Stats

Year Team G GS W L ERA K R ER CG SHO SV IP H HR BB IB WP HBP
1944 BRO N 21 1 0 2 7.05 16 36 35 0 0 1 44.2 46 2 32 0 4 5
1945 BRO N 16 15 5 6 3.04 69 44 37 7 0 1 109.2 73 4 79 0 6 0
1946 BRO N 24 10 3 1 3.88 42 34 29 2 2 3 67.1 62 4 41 0 1 0
1947 BRO N 43 36 21 12 2.67 148 100 83 15 4 1 280 251 22 98 0 7 6
1948 BRO N 36 28 14 9 3.51 122 93 84 11 1 1 215.2 189 24 80 0 9 4
1949 BRO N 34 27 13 5 4.39 109 100 91 9 2 1 186.2 181 21 91 0 3 2
1950 BRO N 43 15 7 9 4.69 100 80 74 5 0 7 142 152 24 55 0 1 0
1951 BRO N 42 27 13 12 3.26 118 81 74 13 3 3 204 180 19 85 0 6 3
1952 BRO N 16 7 4 2 3.84 26 29 26 2 0 0 61 52 8 21 0 2 4
1953 DET A 17 14 4 7 4.15 50 55 47 7 0 1 102 98 7 31 0 5 2
1953 BRO N 7 0 0 0 9.82 5 12 12 0 0 0 11 15 4 5 0 0 2
1953 Total 24 14 4 7 4.70 55 67 59 7 0 1 113 113 11 36 0 5 4
1954 NY A 5 3 1 0 2.84 7 5 4 0 0 0 12.2 9 0 13 0 0 1
1954 DET A 17 5 3 3 5.76 15 33 29 0 0 0 45.1 63 10 30 0 0 2
1954 TOT A 22 8 4 3 5.12 22 38 33 0 0 0 58 72 10 43 0 0 3
1956 BRO N 1 0 0 0 .00 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 0
Total NL 283 166 80 58 3.70 757 609 545 64 12 18 1324 1202 132 589 0 39 26
Total AL 39 22 8 10 4.50 72 93 80 7 0 1 160 170 17 74 0 5 5
Total 322 188 88 68 3.79 829 702 625 71 12 19 1484 1372 149 663 0 44 31

[edit] Fielding Stats

Year Team POS G GS INN PO A ERR DP TP PB SB CS PkO AVG
1944 BRO N P 21 0 0 2 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000
1945 BRO N P 16 0 0 7 20 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 .931
1946 BRO N P 24 0 0 3 6 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .900
1947 BRO N P 43 0 0 9 35 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .936
1948 BRO N P 36 0 0 10 18 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .966
1949 BRO N P 34 0 0 6 15 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .913
1950 BRO N P 43 0 0 8 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000
1951 BRO N P 42 0 0 12 19 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1.000
1952 BRO N P 16 0 0 5 7 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .923
1953 DET A P 17 0 0 7 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .944
1953 BRO N P 7 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.000
1953 Total P 24 0 0 7 12 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .950
1954 NY A P 5 0 0 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .800
1954 DET A P 17 0 0 2 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.000
1954 TOT A P 22 0 0 3 9 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .923
1956 BRO N P 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000
Total P 322 0 0 72 169 12 7 0 0 0 0 0 .953

[edit] Batting Stats

Year Team G AB R H HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 2B 3B BB SO HBP SH SB IBB GDP
1944 BRO N 21 6 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
1945 BRO N 16 40 1 4 0 0 .100 .100 .125 1 0 0 11 0 2 0 0 0
1946 BRO N 24 18 3 2 0 0 .111 .304 .111 0 0 5 8 0 0 0 0 1
1947 BRO N 43 97 8 12 0 9 .124 .183 .134 1 0 7 34 0 9 0 0 2
1948 BRO N 36 74 3 15 0 2 .203 .253 .216 1 0 5 16 0 3 0 0 3
1949 BRO N 34 62 5 5 0 2 .081 .197 .097 1 0 9 26 0 8 0 0 1
1950 BRO N 43 34 3 4 2 7 .118 .211 .294 0 0 4 10 0 7 0 0 1
1951 BRO N 42 63 6 11 0 4 .175 .200 .190 1 0 2 26 0 6 0 0 1
1952 BRO N 16 19 0 3 0 2 .158 .158 .158 0 0 0 9 0 1 0 0 0
1953 DET A 17 34 3 4 0 4 .118 .167 .176 0 1 2 14 0 1 0 0 2
1953 BRO N 7 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1953 Total 24 34 3 4 0 4 .118 .167 .176 0 1 2 14 0 1 0 0 2
1954 NY A 5 4 1 2 0 0 .500 .500 .500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1954 DET A 17 13 2 4 0 1 .308 .400 .385 1 0 2 3 0 0 0 0 1
1954 TOT A 22 17 3 6 0 1 .353 .421 .412 1 0 2 3 0 0 0 0 1
1956 BRO N 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total NL 283 413 29 56 2 26 .136 .198 .162 5 0 32 143 0 36 0 0 9
Total AL 39 51 6 10 0 5 .196 .255 .255 1 1 4 17 0 1 0 0 3
Total 322 464 35 66 2 31 .142 .204 .172 6 1 36 160 0 37 0 0 12

[edit] Transactions

  • Signed as an amateur free agent by Brooklyn Dodgers (1943).
  • Claimed on waivers by Detroit Tigers from Brooklyn Dodgers (July 10, 1953).
  • Released by Detroit Tigers (July 16, 1954).
  • Signed by New York Yankees (July 22, 1954).
  • Released by New York Yankees (October 19, 1954).
  • Signed by Brooklyn Dodgers (September 3, 1956).

[edit] Trivia

[edit] Video Gallery

Add Videos

[edit] Picture Gallery

Add Pictures

[edit] See Also

[edit] Recent Ralph Branca ArmchairGM Stories

15
votes
Baseball Notebook: Players From the Past: Ralph Branca

[edit] Categories

Retrieved from "http://armchairgm.wikia.com/Ralph_Branca"

This page was last modified 21:48, 10 April 2008. Content is available under the GFDL.

Categories: Athletes | Baseball Players | Retired Athletes | Retired Baseball Players | Pitchers | Athletes with the Last Name Branca | Baseball Players with the Last Name Branca | Athletes with the First Name Ralph | Baseball Players with the First Name Ralph | Athletes Born in January | Baseball Players Born in January | Athletes Born on January 6 | Baseball Players Born on January 6 | Athletes Born in 1926 | Baseball Players Born in 1926 | Athletes Born in January 1926 | Baseball Players Born in January 1926 | Athletes Born on January 6, 1926 | Baseball Players Born on January 6, 1926 | Athletes Born in Mount Vernon, New York | Baseball Players Born in Mount Vernon, New York | Athletes Born in New York | Baseball Players Born in New York | Brooklyn Dodgers Players | Detroit Tigers Players | New York Yankees Players | 1944 Brooklyn Dodgers Players | 1945 Brooklyn Dodgers Players | 1946 Brooklyn Dodgers Players | 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers Players | 1948 Brooklyn Dodgers Players | 1949 Brooklyn Dodgers Players | 1950 Brooklyn Dodgers Players | 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers Players | 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers Players | 1953 Detroit Tigers Players | 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers Players | 1954 New York Yankees Players | 1954 Detroit Tigers Players | 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers Players | Baseball Players who bat Right Handed | Baseball Players who throw Right Handed | Athletes Who Debuted in June | Baseball Players Who Debuted in June | Athletes Who Debuted on June 12 | Baseball Players Who Debuted on June 12 | Athletes Who Debuted in 1944 | Baseball Players Who Debuted in 1944 | Athletes Who Debuted in June 1944 | Baseball Players Who Debuted in June 1944 | Athletes Who Debuted on June 12, 1944 | Baseball Players Who Debuted on June 12, 1944 | Athletes Who Played Their Last Game in September | Baseball Players Who Played Their Last Game in September | Athletes Who Played Their Last Game on September 7 | Baseball Players Who Played Their Last Game on September 7 | Athletes Who Played Their Last Game in 1956 | Baseball Players Who Played Their Last Game in 1956 | Athletes Who Played Their Last Game in September 1956 | Baseball Players Who Played Their Last Game in September 1956 | Athletes Who Played Their Last Game on September 7, 1956 | Baseball Players Who Played Their Last Game on September 7, 1956 | Baseball Players Who Debuted with Brooklyn Dodgers | Players with 5 years experience in the Major Leagues | Baseball Players with 5 years experience in the Major Leagues | Players with 10 years experience in the Major Leagues | Baseball Players with 10 years experience in the Major Leagues | Players with at least 100 Games | Players with at least 200 Games | Players with at least 300 Games | Players with at least 100 Strikeouts | Pitchers with at least 50 Wins | Pitchers with at least 50 Losses | Pitchers with at least 5 Shutouts | Pitchers with at least 10 Shutouts | Pitchers with at least 50 Home Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 100 Home Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 25 Complete Games | Pitchers with at least 50 Complete Games | Pitchers with at least 100 Walks | Pitchers with at least 200 Walks | Pitchers with at least 300 Walks | Pitchers with at least 400 Walks | Pitchers with at least 500 Walks | Pitchers with at least 50 Games Started | Pitchers with at least 100 Games Started | Pitchers with at least 150 Games Started | Pitchers with at least 162 Innings Pitched | Pitchers with at least 250 Innings Pitched | Pitchers with at least 500 Innings Pitched | Pitchers with at least 1000 Innings Pitched | Pitchers with at least 25 Wild Pitches | Pitchers with at least 25 Hit Batsman | Pitchers with at least 100 Earned Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 200 Earned Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 500 Earned Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 100 Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 200 Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 500 Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 500 Hits Allowed | Pitchers with at least 1000 Hits Allowed | Pitchers with at least 50 Games | Pitchers with at least 100 Games | Pitchers with at least 150 Games | Pitchers with at least 200 Games | Pitchers with at least 250 Games | Pitchers with at least 300 Games | Baseball Players Who Debuted at age 18 | 1947 MLB All-Star | 1948 MLB All-Star | 1949 MLB All-Star | National League All-Stars

Contribute

ArmchairGM's pages can be edited.
Is this page incomplete? Is there anything wrong?
Change it!

Edit this page Discuss this page Page history

Recent contributors to this page

The following people recently contributed to this article.

Embed this on your site
Main Page About Special Pages Help Terms of Use Advertise