Franchise Comparison: Historic Home Run
Welcome to my first installment of my 3,864 part series of comparing the Dodgers and Giants (no, Stephen Colbert, I didn’t steal this idea from your better know a district segment…right). Over the coming weeks, maybe months, possibly years, I’ll be comparing various plays, people, and anything else you or I could think of, between the Dodgers and Giants. I’ll write a little synopsis about each side, give my conclusion, and hope you chime in. Maybe it can be like in high school where teachers give you the option of strong disagree, disagree, agree, or strongly agree, and you can tell me how great or terrible I am. First up, of course, are the Dodgers.
No legs under him, tre-mendous.
Kirk Gibson’s Home Run off Dennis Eckersley in the 1988 World Series.
It was a lucky year of the Dragon, 1988. Orel Hershiser put together an amazing year Cy Young year, breaking a consecutive inning streak by Don Drysdale and carried the staff into the playoffs.. However, a phenomenon was happening in Oakland. Well traveled pitcher Dennis Eckersley came to the Oakland A’s as a mediocre starter where Tony LaRussa planned to use him as a long relief man. An injury to their closer the previous year pushed Eckersely into the closer role, and he had a breakout year in 1988. Closing wasn’t necessarily just a one inning affair in those days, sometimes it took 4 outs, others 8, but saves weren’t the 3 out cake walks they are today.
Fist pump, fist pump, fist pump! Way before it was cool on Jersey Shore.
Kirk Gibson, a year after winning a hearing that proved owners colluded against him, chose to sign with the Dodgers and became an MVP and clubhouse leader. He eventually lead the Dodgers to the World Series win that year, but it was game 1 that really distinguished his career. After injuring both his legs in the NLCS and battling a stomach virus, Gibson wasn’t expected to be available for the game. He hobbles up to the plate, takes a few abysmal swings, and then knocks a well placed slider from Eckersley over the right field fence to win the game. I know many of you Giants fans won’t admit to doing it, but doing the Kirk Gibson fist-pump as a walk-off is pretty standard celebration. Certainly, a classic home run that eventually lead to the Dodgers winning the World Series in 1988. Let’s move onto the, you guessed it, Giants.
Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”
Pretty awesome picture for a Giants uniform.
No, there is no “P” in his last name, as so many baseball fans commonly misspell. Before we get into this home run, Thomson was a legit player throughout his career. He had eight consecutive season of 20+ homers, and this is no small feat when you played at a field with the dimensions of the Polo Grounds. It was 1951, as the last years of Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giant baseball were beginning to whisper rumors of the west, and the Dodgers were dominating all season. This was pre-playoff era, so each team with the best record from the American and National leagues played one another in the World Series. The Giants erased a 13 and a half game deficit on the Dodgers to force a three game playoff at the end of the season. As the real life movie script goes, the game was decided in the 3rd and final game in the bottom of the ninth. Russ Hodges gave the call, and the screams of “The Giants win the pennant, the Giants win the pennant!” after Thomson hits the home run, instantly becoming the epitome of classic broadcasting. The only qualm I have, is that calling it “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World” is a bit misleading, for there wasn’t internet or any other medium that could make this phrase literally true. However, it was a truly amazing home run.
Lookin’ good at Pac Bell.
My conclusion may surprise you. Especially since it’s my first franchise comparison, but it has to go to the Giants. Bobby Thomson was playing against the Dodgers which really tips off the classic-ness for me. What do you think? Which home run would you choose and why? Thanks again for reading, and please let me know if you enjoy or despise the franchise comparison. I mean, I have a long commitment to the series that will require a lot of attention. Let me know in the comments or by email!
Gonna have to disagree with you on this one. Putting the whole “electronic sign stealing” by the New York Giants aside, I still feel the Gibson home run was much bigger than the Thomson blast.
Both of those players had career years during those two seasons. Thomson finished 8th in the NL MVP voting in 1951, hitting a career high 31 home runs, walking more than he stuck out and posting a batting average near .300 and an on-base percentage near .400. Gibson ended up winning the MVP award in 1988, but statistically, if you compare those two seasons, Thomson beat him out in the majority of the stat categories.
There are a few reasons why I feel the Gibson home run was “better”. First of all, the importance of the game. The ‘shot heard around the world’ occurred during a regular season game (an extended one). Sure it was the last game of the season (and more or less the NLCS of that time), against the hated rival, but still. Gibson’s occurred during the World Series.
Second, the pitchers they faced. Bobby Thomson was facing Ralph Branca, who the Giants beat just days before in the first game of the 3 game playoff, and really had no business trying to close out Don Newcombe’s gem, being a starter and all. Branca went 13-12 on the season with a 3.26 ERA and walked about as many people as he struck out. Gibson, on the other hand, had to face Dennis Eckersley, who, as a closer, finished 2nd in the Cy Young vote that year, as well as 5th in the MVP voting. That’s tough to do as a relief pitcher. Eckersley that season posted a 2.35 ERA, with 45 saves, while striking out nearly 7 times more batters than he walked. His home runs allowed per 9 innings that year was 0.6. He also just won the MVP of the ALCS.
Third, Bobby Thomson was healthy, while it was a miracle Kirk Gibson could even walk to the batter’s box. Most people just see the home run and that’s it. But if you’ve watched the entire inning, it’s absolutely amazing. Eckersley quickly gets Scioscia to pop out on two pitches, then strikes out Jeff Hamilton on 3 pitches. Mike Davis then walked, thus bringing up Gibson. As Vin put it, with a bad left hamstring and a bum right knee, Gibson could neither push off or land while swinging. After an almost 8 minute at bat, that started out quickly with an 0-2 count, which also included 8 pitches and 4 pickoff attempts, history was made. The only thing that’s keeping it from being the greatest at bat of all time, was if it had occurred in the 7th game rather than the 1st.
Also, that season, the Athletics with a 104-58 record, and the Mets, with a 100-60 record, were the two heavy favorites in each of their leagues. The A’s swept the Red Sox in the ALCS while the Dodgers pulled off another miracle to squeak by the Mets.
“I don’t believe what I just saw! I don’t believe what I just saw… I’m stunned… I’ve seen a lot of dramatic finishes in a lot sports, but this one might top almost every other one.”
-Jack Buck-
that’s good knowledge sean. but i’m still going thomson. tough to take into consideration of branca not being a closer because the position wasn’t necessarily created yet, or at least established. i think gibsons season and playoff play should be remembered, as well as the remarkable at bat, but i still have to go thomson because the call is so distinct and the jump up he does. Plus, as he rounds the bases pushing people out of the way it’s so memorable. Mixed with the rivalry it still gets my vote, by a hair.
Fair enough. I knew you were a closet Giants fan. Only kidding! Yeah my brother bought me the 1988 World Series DVD pack, that has all the games as well as two games from the NLCS against the Mets. Cool stuff. Being that I was just barely 3 when that happened, I don’t remember much from that World Series, and by much I mean anything.
http://www.amazon.com/Angeles-Dodgers-Series-Collectors-Edition/dp/B000ZDQI80
I would be more than happy to make some copies and send them you’re way if you’re interested! Let me know.
Yeah, they didn’t have closers back then, but the point was that Branca wasn’t prepared to pitch that day and wasn’t nearly the pitcher Eckersley was that year. And the Jack Buck call was one of the top baseball calls of all time! As well as Vin’s call. The only points I’ll give to Thomson was the fact he did it against the Dodgers. But then again, those two teams can’t play each other in the World Series, so you can’t fault Gibson for that. And I would put Steve Finley’s Grand Slam against the Giants in 2004 on par with the Thomson home run. I still have that game on VHS!