Quiz about The Shot Heard Round the World

The Shot Heard 'Round the World Quiz

Most baseball fans know the story. 1951, Giants, Dodgers, Bobby Thomson. This quiz will get a little deeper into the one of the most memorable moments in baseball history. Enjoy.

A multiple-choice quiz by davegrilla. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
davegrilla

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
321,834

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
306

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 24 (8/10), Guest 67 (9/10), Guest 24 (10/10).

This quiz has 2 formats: you can play it as a or as shown below.
Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key.

1. In 1951, Bobby Thomson hit the game-winning home run off of Brooklyn's Ralph Branca giving the National League pennant to the New York Giants. Which pitcher had pitched the entire game for the Dodgers prior to being replaced by Branca? Hint

Don Newcombe

Dan Bankhead

Clyde King

Preacher Roe

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2. The final score of this game was 5-4. What was the score at the beginning of the bottom of the ninth inning? Hint

4-0

4-1

4-2

4-3

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3. Bobby Thomson had a unique nickname even before hitting "the shot heard 'round the world". He earned the moniker partially due to his place of birth. What was his geographical alias? Hint

The Kansas City Killer

The Pawtucket Patriot

The Bronx Bomber

The Staten Island Scot

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4. Which number was Ralph Branca wearing on his uniform during this fateful game? Hint

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5. With Bobby Thomson at bat, and runners on base, Branca chose to pitch to Thomson rather than walk him. If he had walked him, who was waiting for him in the on-deck circle? Hint

Bill Rigney

Don Mueller

Willie Mays

Jack Kramer

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6. The New York Giants manager had said that if he were in Chuck Dressen's shoes, given the hot streak Thomson was on, and first base was open, he would have walked him. What was the name of the winning team's manager? Hint

Cap Anson

Casey Stengel

Connie Mack

Leo Durocher

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7. "THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! Bobby Thomson hits into the lower deck of the left-field stands! The Giants win the pennant and they're goin' crazy, they're goin' crazy!" Who was the man that immortalized the play with this quote on the radio? Hint

Carl Furillo

Russ Hodges

Joshua Harris

Red Smith

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8. Ralph Branca lost both games in the best of three games playoffs to decide the National League pennant.

True

False

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9. There have been many stadiums and fields located in New York City. What was the name of the field where this historic game took place? Hint

Polo Grounds

Ebbets Field

Yankees Stadium

Giants Stadium

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10. After winning the game with "the shot heard 'round the world", the Giants advanced to play in the World Series. Which team subsequently beat them to become the 1951 World Series Champions? Hint

New York Yankees

Detroit Tigers

Boston Red Sox

Washington Senators

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Don Newcombe

Newcombe won 20 games in the 1951 season. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't 21. He still had an impressive career. He was the first player to win the Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and MVP awards in a single career. He made the All-Star team four times.

He returned to baseball after missing the 1952 and 1953 seasons due to serving the military in Korea. He did eventually win a World Series with the Dodgers in 1955.

2. The final score of this game was 5-4. What was the score at the beginning of the bottom of the ninth inning?

Answer: 4-1

After giving up a run to make the score 4-2, and with two runners on base, Dodgers manager Chuck Dressen yanked Newcombe in favor of Branca. Thomson would be the only batter he would face.

3. Bobby Thomson had a unique nickname even before hitting "the shot heard 'round the world". He earned the moniker partially due to his place of birth. What was his geographical alias?

Answer: The Staten Island Scot

Thomson was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1923. He was selected for the All-Star team three times in his career: 1948, 1949, and 1952.

4. Which number was Ralph Branca wearing on his uniform during this fateful game?

Answer: 13

Maybe Branca blamed the unlucky 13 for his misfortune of giving up the home run. The next season he wore number 12.

5. With Bobby Thomson at bat, and runners on base, Branca chose to pitch to Thomson rather than walk him. If he had walked him, who was waiting for him in the on-deck circle?

Answer: Willie Mays

It was the 20 year-old rookie, Willie Mays. The "Say Hey Kid" would go on to hit 660 career home runs of his own. His career was nothing short of sensational. 24 All-Star selections, 12 Gold Gloves, 2 MVPs, and the Rookie of the Year award were just some of his credentials to get himself inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

Answer: Leo Durocher

It was Leo the Lip who led the Giants to the World Series in 1951. He finished his managerial career with 2,009 wins. Unfortunately, he didn't live to see his election into the Hall of Fame in 1994. He passed away in 1991 at the age of 86.

Answer: Russ Hodges

There were a total of four broadcasts of this game. Ernie Harwell, Red Barber, and Gordon McLendon also called the game for their respective stations, but Russ Hodges' call for WMCA is by far the most memorable.

8. Ralph Branca lost both games in the best of three games playoffs to decide the National League pennant.

Answer: True

Branca was accountable for both of Brooklyn's losses. Coincidentally, both times, the winning run came from a Bobby Thomson home run. Branca is also credited for losing the first ever 'end of the season' playoff game in 1946 when the Dodgers were beat by St. Louis.

9. There have been many stadiums and fields located in New York City. What was the name of the field where this historic game took place?

Answer: Polo Grounds

There have been four ballparks known as the Polo Grounds in New York, dating back to the 1800s. The fourth and final one was where this game took place. Built in 1911, it was once the home of the Yankees, the Giants, and the Mets. It was closed when the Mets moved to Shea Stadium in 1963, and would ultimately be demolished in 1964.

10. After winning the game with "the shot heard 'round the world", the Giants advanced to play in the World Series. Which team subsequently beat them to become the 1951 World Series Champions?

Answer: New York Yankees

The Yankees won the series in six games. It was their third straight World Series win, and 14th overall. They would go on to win many more. This was the final World Series appearance for Joe DiMaggio. It was also the first World Series for both Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. All three would eventually be elected into the Hall of Fame. Both managers, Casey Stengel and Leo Durocher, are also in the Hall of Fame.

Source: Author davegrilla

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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