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“The Thrill of Victory”…and “The Agony of Defeat!” Photo Gallery
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Baseball’s Version of:
“The Thrill of Victory”…and “The Agony of Defeat!”
As October baseball gets closer, it might be a good time to reflect on what I call baseball’s version of “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” Probably the quintessential example of this is Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard Round the World” at the Polo Grounds. As we all know, the home run gave the Giants the 1951 pennant, and etched into our baseball consciousness the immortal rantings of broadcaster Russ Hodges as he screamed into his microphone: “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!”
While an immense celebration erupted for the Giants on their home field, things were not quite the same for the Dodgers in the visiting team clubhouse. Over there, the reality of what had just happened gradually settled in: Ralph Branca had just thrown a “gopher ball” at the worst possible, a “shot” that cost the Dodgers the 1951 pennant.
In the classic photo above, we see a shocked Branca lying prone on the clubhouse steps with his head buried in his arms, and the weight of the world on his shoulders. He knows he let his team down, and will now have to live with the burden. Coach Cookie Lavagetto, having apparently given up trying to console Branca, sits nearby, equally dejected.
That’s baseball! One hit thrusts one team soaring to unimaginable heights…while the same hit sinks another into the deep depths of depression.
What’s ironic about this photo is that just four years earlier, Cookie Lavagetto had been on the other side of the fence, when he was the hero in another unforgettable World Series moment. He came off the bench in the ninth inning in Game Four of the 1947 World Series and hit a double off the right field wall. The hit not only broke up Bill Bevens’ bid for a no-hitter – something which had never happened before – but it drove in two runs to give the Dodgers a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 walk-off victory. Lavagetto was at the very tail end of his major league career. As a matter of fact, this was his last game. And was his only hit of the series – eventually won by the Yankees in seven games – and was his last as a major leaguer. What a way to go out!
There’s nothing like post-season wins and losses to bring out the entire gamut of emotions. Check out the photo gallery to see a sampling of baseball’s version of incredible highs and lows, as I mix in “The Thrill of Victory” with the “Agony of Defeat!” Be sure to check out the photo of Cookie Lavagetto’s moment in the sun, as he’s hoisted onto the shoulders of his teammates.
Gary Livacari
Photo Credits: All from Google search
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