[Vision2020] Talkin' Baseball - RIP Herman Franks

[Scott Dredge]

Hey all,

With the MLB season starting next week, there is sad news (at least to me) in the baseball world.  Former Giant's Manager / Coach, Herman Franks, died March 30 at the age of 95.  He is perhaps best known for his role in the Miracle at Coogan's Bluff (aka 'The Shot Heard Round The World' - New York Giant Bobby Thomson's walkoff homerun in the Polo Grounds to defeat the hated cross town rival  Brooklyn Dodgers for the NL Pennant in 1951).  [Trivia Notes: When Thomson hit his game winning homerun, 20 year old rookie Willie Mays was in the on deck circle waiting to bat behind Bobby Thomson.  The Thomson homerun drove in Whitey Lockman and pinch-runner Clint Hartung who had come into the game after Don Mueller had broken his ankle sliding into third base on the previous play.]

Also note that the Mariner's home opener is Tuesday April 14 with first pitch scheduled at 3:40pm.

-Scott



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Franks

According to author Joshua Prager in his 2006 book The Echoing Green, Franks played a critical role in the Giants' Bobby Thomson's famous pennant-winning home run in the 1951 NL playoffs -- Baseball's Shot Heard Round The World. According to Prager, Franks was stationed in the Giants' center-field clubhouse at the Polo Grounds, their home field, stealing the opposing catcher's signs through a telescope and relaying them through second-string catcher Sal Yvars (who was stationed in the bullpen) to the Giants' coaches and hitters.  When asked where he was when Thomson hit his home run, Franks said, in 1996, that he was "doing something for Durocher" at the time.

'There's a long drive... it's gonna be, I believe...THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!' - Giant's broadcaster Russ Hodges

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