RALPH BRANCA HAS PASSED

Quick note folks, baseball great Ralph Branca has passed away.  The story was released on Twitter by Bobby Valentine, Ralph's son in law.

One of the greatest guys to ever throw a pitch or sing a song is longer with us. Ralph Branca Passed this morning.

— Bobby Valentine (@BobbyValentine) November 23, 2016

ESPN writes: "Branca was born in 1926, the 15th of 17 children, and was raised in Mount Vernon, New York, just north of New York City. He arrived in the major leagues as an 18-year-old in 1944...

Branca pitched in the major leagues for 12 seasons, posting an 88-58 record, but he's best remembered for the home run he gave up to Thomson.

The Dodgers held a 4-2 lead in the third game of a three-game playoff against the Giants when Branca came on in relief of Don Newcombe with one out and two men on. Thomson hit Branca's second pitch down the left field line for the game-winning home run.

Later Branca recalled sitting with a priest and family friend, asking why this had happened to him. 'Because,' he was told, 'you're strong enough to bear it.'

Branca and Thomson, wedded in baseball lore, later forged a friendship that carried through appearances and card shows."

Branca... dead at the age of 90.

Loved my many... and played his heart out.

GIANTS BEAT CARDINALS. YOU CAN NEVER STOP BELIEVERS!

I'm a big fan of announcer Jon Miller.  So when I heard that he called this home run last night by Travis Ishikawa to put the San Francisco Giants into the World Series, I got chills... not so much because it was Jon Miller doing the call, but because he knew exactly what he was doing with that call.  He was making it his own, but giving us alittle nostalgia as well.  Here's is Miller's call.



Then, here's the broadcast call.






Anyway... I like Miller's call better.

Ishikawa's walk off is every reason you love this great game of baseball.  And while I wasn't rooting for the Giants, how can you not tip your cap to just incredible ball playing this entire Championship series... both AL and NL.  I'm a Yankee fan. I bleed blue all year long... but I am most passionate about baseball, the big stage and understanding what shining, being clutch and climbing the mountain is all about.  That's the foundation of what BYB is all about as well. Push yourself. Try harder than the day before. Get knocked down and get back up.  In the end, find your passion, believe in yourself and you will succeed.  Don't believe me? Read us... read Erica Morales, or Jeana Bellezza.  Read Ike Dimitriadis or Mike O'Hara.  Read Steve Skinner or Alexis Garcia or Suzie Pinstripe.  Read Wolfgang Von Bunt.  Hell... read me. We stand tall knowing that defeat makes us stronger.  Stepping stones build character.  We're a bunch of individuals that have come together to create the best team on the web.  That's not me talking... that you reading daily.  We succeed... just like teams have... Like the 1998 Yankees... the Kansas City Royals... and even the San Francisco Giants.  Believe and you will win.

Here's the greatest part about believers.  The Yankees can't see them even when they're in front of their face.  Travis Ishikawa played 1 game for the Yankees in 2013. He had 2 at bats, both strikeouts.  Meanwhile, other teams ended up taking a chance on him and Ishikawa didn't give up on himself.  Last night, he walked off for the San Francisco Giants. If he gave up... that doesn't happen.  It's baseball magic.  Gotta love it.

There's not much more to say about last night's game.  The Cardinals were eliminated. The Giants were not. And now the World Series will begin next Tuesday. 

So I ask you this... even if you're not a Giants fan or Royals fan... How can you not be romantic about baseball?

I'll leave you with the Bobby Thomson home run from 1951.Another believer... God I love this game.



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SEARCHING FOR THE "SHOT HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD"

We're baseball nuts here. I love the Yankees, but I really dig baseball history, that's why I'm going to Watch Discovery Velocity Network on September 29th to watch the "gonzo-like" documentary by Brian Biegel called "Miracle Ball".

It's Mr. Biegel's search for the Bobby Thomson home run ball from October 3, 1951. How cool is that?

Apparently Brian's father thought he might have the ball and when an auction house offered a $1 million reward for the Thomson ball, he decided to bring it in. After all, Brian's dad thought he had bought the real ball at a thrift shop years earlier.  When the auctioneers "rudely" turned him away, that's when Brian's quest began... He decided to prove his dad right or at least find the real ball. They use police forensics and photo research and went all over the country to try and crack the case.

Look, this stuff is fascinating to me. Years ago, this type of baseball merchandise wasn't considered valuable. That's why we're finding all kinds of stuff in people's attics now. Back in the day, people would catch a baseball, collect tobacco cards and shove them in a drawer. Then, years later a grandchild would find it and it not only turns out to be the real thing, but it's valuable. I love those happy endings and I can't wait to see this special event on Discovery Velocity to find out if Brian got to the bottom of it.

(In Photo: Brian Biegel, Scott Weitz. Producers of documentary)
The Definitive Documentary on the Fate of Bobby Thomson’s Legendary 1951 Home Run Ball Premieres  Saturday, September 29 at 8PM ET/PT with an Anniversary Encore on Wednesday, October 3 at 6:30PM ET/PT only on VELOCITY

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

THE BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE NEWSSTAND IV

It's another round of the Bleeding Yankee Blue Newsstand, and it's become more popular than I thought it would be...that's a good thing. Thank you.

THE BABE'S HAT UP FOR AUCTION:  Remember that Babe Ruth hat that David Wells had? It's up for auction.  According to the New York Post, it's supposed to go for at least $300,000.  Read about it HERE. Look, my take on this is easy, if you can afford it, you best be trying to bid on that piece of history.  I love everything about Babe Ruth, but I clearly cannot afford anything like that.  Very cool.

(Hat in photo, not the actual hat)
The auction has other items as well, the Post says: "The auction house opened bidding and the online sale goes through May 19. Other notable items in this baseball sale include there is: "A 1920 Yankees jersey worn by Ruth is expected to fetch more than $1 million. The cap worn by Bobby Thomson when he slugged, arguably, baseball’s most famous home run, could go for $100,000. The Flying Scot’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” won the 1951 National League pennant for his New York Giants. The 1968 road Yankees jersey, worn by Mickey Mantle when he hit career homer No. 535, should also reach six digits."

THANKS FOR THE SHOUT OUT: It's nice to be acknowledged when you get something right or fun that no one else has and thanks to this blog HERE, we got props. Boom!  Full disclosure, Steve Skinner is a Guest writer for Bleeding Yankee Blue, but that being said, it's a respect thing and I wanted to give him a proper thank you. He wrote a piece about Derek Jeter and how a week ago when Jeet was asked about if 3000 hits distracted him like Joe Girardi suggested, he dismissed it.  Skinner then was nice enough to credit
BYB for our video nugget.
 
 "As reported in Bleeding Yankee Blue, Jeter dismissed the theory that his struggles last season were the result of the pressure surrounding his reaching 3000 hits and that they were a “mechanical thing”.  What ever the case may be, our beloved captain – a New York Yankees legend – is back." I appreciate it...Thank you!

JUST A BIT OUTSIDE... No, Bob Uecker isn't a New York Yankees and there is only 1 reason why I'm putting Uecker in this Newsstand... I loved him in Major League and I did him as a broadcaster.
Dave Martin of the Epoch Times, read HERE had this nugget and I'm happy to report that Uecker was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Congrats Bob!

 MOVING DAY:  Here's a nugget I missed... so sue me, I'm busy.  I didn't realize this happened, but it's important just the same.  Apparently Robinson Cano has moved into Jorge Posada's old locker at Yankee Stadium. ESPN has the story HERE. According to ESPN, "...Cano had, without asking, been assigned his old corner locker, a place of honor. 'Jorge told me, 'Now you've got to make me proud,'' Cano said with a laugh."

HARPER UNDER A MOON: Bleeding Yankee Blue is excited about Bryce Harper, because as you know, we love baseball and respect the game and the talent of so many of these players. We have a great piece in the BYB archives about Harper titled WHY BRYCE HARPER COULD BE A YANKEE, check it out.  Anyway, Harper had his first hit in the majors 2 nights ago and someone decided that mooning the camera would be funny.  See if you can find the "Where's Waldo" moment in this screen grab.

For more of the Bleeding Yankee Blue Newsstand, check out I, II and III.

ORDER A BYB SHIRT NOW, DROB WEARS ONE! Also, Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.