Ralph Theodore Joseph "Hawk" Branca was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1944 through 1956.
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26 Facts About Ralph Branca
2.
Ralph Branca was born in Mount Vernon, New York, as the fifteenth of 17 children.
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3.
Ralph Branca's father, John Branca, was a trolley car conductor from Italy.
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4.
Ralph Branca played college baseball and college basketball for the NYU Violets.
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5.
Ralph Branca was exempted from military service during World War II, due to his asthma and a punctured eardrum.
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6.
Ralph Branca debuted in the major leagues at age 18 on June 12,1944, and put up a 3.
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7.
On Opening Day in 1947—which was Jackie Robinson's major league debut—Ralph Branca lined up on the field beside Robinson, while other players refused.
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8.
Ralph Branca earned his first All-Star appearance and helped the Dodgers win the National League pennant.
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9.
Ralph Branca was the starting pitcher in Game 1 of the 1947 World Series.
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10.
Three-time All-Star, Ralph Branca won 80 games for the Dodgers with a career-high 21 wins in 1947.
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11.
Many surviving members of the 1951 Giants and Dodgers are interviewed, and Ralph Branca was the only one, other than Yvars, who believes Thomson took the sign.
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12.
Ralph Branca appeared in only 12 games for the Dodgers during the 1952 season.
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13.
Ralph Branca was only the second player in MLB history to be ejected from a World Series, and the first who was not actually in the game at the time.
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14.
Ralph Branca began the 1953 season with Brooklyn, but was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Tigers on July 10,1953.
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15.
Ralph Branca pitched for the Minneapolis Millers in 1955, but was released due to ineffectiveness caused by an arm injury.
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16.
In 1956, Ralph Branca appeared at Old Timer's Day for the Yankees, believing his career was over.
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17.
Ralph Branca became friends with Thomson, a bond that lasted into each man's old age, including joint television and trade show appearances.
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19.
Ralph Branca was a long time member of Westchester Country Club.
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20.
Ralph Branca was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.
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21.
Ralph Branca was a pallbearer at Jackie Robinson's funeral in October 1972.
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22.
Ralph Branca was a contestant on Concentration starting in 1963, where he won 17 consecutive games.
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23.
Ralph Branca married Ann Mulvey, whose parents were part-owners of the Dodgers, in 1951, shortly after giving up the famous home run.
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24.
Ralph Branca was the last living member of the 1947 Dodgers baseball team.
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25.
Ralph Branca was interred in Section 26 of Gate of Heaven Cemetery in suburban Westchester County.
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26.
Ralph Branca's grave is adjacent to Section 25, where Babe Ruth and Billy Martin are interred.
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