A Moment in Time: An American Story of Baseball, Heartbreak, and Grace

by Ralph Branca

A first-hand account of the golden era of baseball from Jackie Robinson’s friend, former teammate and featured player in the 2013 biopic "42."Ralph Branca is best known for throwing the pitch that resulted in Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ’Round the World,” the historic home run that capped an incredible comeback and won the pennant for the New York Giants in 1951. Branca was on the losing end of what many consider to be baseball’s most thrilling moment, but that notoriety belies a profoundly successful life and career. A Moment in Time details the remarkable story of a man who could have been destroyed by a supreme professional embarrassment—but wasn’t. Branca came up as a young phenom, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers during their heyday. He was a staple of the Dodgers’ teams in the late 1940s, dominating the National League. It’s no stretch to say that New York baseball was the center of the sporting universe and that the players were part of the fabric of the neighborhoods, of the city itself. A Moment in Time offers a rare first-person perspective on the golden era of baseball, opening a window on an amazing world populated by legendary characters such as Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Gil Hodges, Leo Durocher, Branch Rickey, and Walter O’Malley. Ralph Branca sits us down and tells us an entertaining, deeply inspiring, classic baseball tale. *** I LOVE BASEBALL. “Baseball is the reason I am writing this book, the reason I’ve led a life worth reexamining and dissecting. Baseball is the passion that carried me from childhood to manhood. It is how I fought my way from the working class to the middle class. Were it not for baseball, I would not have met Ann, my wife, the mother of our daughters, and my dearest friend for the past sixty years. Baseball has excited my mind, stirred my soul, and brought out the best in me. I look at baseball deeply. Most of us whose lives have been defined by baseball do. Of course, it’s principally a sport—a beautiful sport based on a poetic geometry. It is a game played outside of time. You play it not until the clock runs out, but until there is a clear winner. That takes as long as it takes. It is a pastoral game usually set inside a city. You play in a pasture—an urban pasture—where an expanse of grass calls you to the competition. Of course, you can also play on the dirt field of a farm, a sandlot, or a concrete street. Wherever you play, though, time is suspended. Like millions of other kids, I lost track of time whenever I played—playing through breakfast, lunch, dinner; playing until the very last rays of daylight disappeared; playing under the glow of a street lamp or a full moon; playing with the hope that the game would never stop and that real time—any time but baseball time—would never resume. The dream was to turn life into a baseball game.” —from the Introduction

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Biography

242 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 20, 2011

Reviews

[John Yingling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today, if Ralph Branca is remembered at all, it is for giving up "The Shot Heard Round the World", Bobby Thompson's pennant-winning home run on October 3, 1951, that propelled the New York Giants into the World Series, and sent the heartbroken Brooklyn Dodgers home for the winter. There is, on film, the scene of Mr. Branca throwing down the resin bag and walking, head down, towards the clubhouse. On radio, there is Russ Hodges' famous call: "The Giants win the pennant!" The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!" It would be a shame if that's all people remember, because Ralph Branca was a very good pitcher, an All-Star, a 20-game winner (1947), and a member of several Brooklyn National League champion teams. Even more than that, he came from a very close-knit family and was himself a devoted family man, married for 65 years. And, he stood up for Jackie Robinson and his other African-American teammates when they were subjected to the racist attitudes of the time. In so many ways, he was a man to be admired. This book is his story of his life on and off the field, and it is informative and warm and a very personal look at his life and at the America of the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Highly recommended as a sports book and as an inspirational story of a man who refused to let a tragic moment in his sporting experience define who he was and how he would lead the rest of his life.

[Scott Breslove · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book because Ralph Branca was doing a signing at Bookends, which is a bookstore near my parents house. I waited on a relatively short line (very short, if I compare it to the one for Justin Tuck a few hours early), which was awesome for me, because it gave me time to chat with Ralph, have him also sign my Baseball Encyclopedia and take a picture without feeling rushed. Ralph and his wife Ann, who was there with him, were two of the nicest people ever, and I had a great time chatting with them. I think Ralph especially liked my Brooklyn Dodger hat, which I made sure to wear to the event. Anyway, why do I mention all this? Because this book felt like it was a continuation of the conversations that Ralph, Ann, the other customers in the store, and I were having. It was warm, heartfelt, and caring. Ralph is very candid in the book, which is great, he basically opens the door, invites us (the reader) into his living room, and starts chatting about his life as a baseball player, and it is AWESOME.
I feel like, as a baseball fan, I should have known more about the Thomson/Branca thing. After reading Ralph's book, I shouldn't ever have to say that again. But it is not only about that one pitch, it is so much more. It is great stories about his courtship of his wife, the trials and tribulations of being Jackie Robinson's teammate, and so much more. I think anyone who enjoys a good story, fiction, or in this case, nonfiction will enjoy this book, and being a baseball fan only enhances the enjoyment. Pick it up, I don't think you be upset.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the contents of "A Moment in Time" are well known by fans of baseball history, but Branca's first person account gives a fresh turn to the subject. It's something of a bittersweet tale, not only because of the famous homer by Bobby Thomson, but also because it tells of the unfulfilled career of the very likable Branca. The Dodger pitcher had some very good seasons at a young age, but was essentially washed up at 30. It's a common story, but Branca tells it first-hand, with commendable honesty.

There's plenty of "inside dope" on the main characters of that era in Dodger history: Jackie Robinson, Branch Rickey, Leo Durocher and many others. Overall, a very enjoyable book.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about baseball, but it really feels like a yarn told by an old ballplayer. Ralph Branca, former Brooklyn Dodger, Boy of Summer, friend of Jackie Robinson and the man who threw the pitch that led to the "Shot Heard 'Round the World" on October 3 1951, wants to tell his story. It is not long and not overly sentimental, but it is beautiful in its own way. Branca does not shy away from being an old timer. He is an old ballplayer and full of opinions, about the past and the present. He tells us about NYC in the depression, about playing baseball in the 40s, about wanting to join the army in WW2, and about life at Ebetts Field. He was there when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. He played against DiMaggio, Mantle, Berra, Mays and Bobby Thompson. He played with Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Gil Hodges, Duke Snyder and Don Newcomb, just to name a few. What is not to love about this tale. It is a great story and it is all true. But the "most true" thing he shares is how he learned that the Giants had cheated in 1951 and how he kept it to himself for 50 years. Now it is time to talk, and talk he does.

[Don Kyser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick book. Interesting stories from the Brooklyn Dodger glory years and growing up and coming of age in 40s and 50s. Listened to audio book and the narrator was quite good.

[Chuck Neumann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. It is funny that the event that made him the goat in 1951 is the reason Ralph Branca is remembered today. Mr. Branca and his co-writer wrote a very readable book. Ralph is not shy about giving his opinions. For example, he loved his manager Leo Durocher but really disliked later managers Burt Shotton and Charlie Dressen. Yet, he had his best seasons under them, and Durocher - as the Giant manager - "cheated" to help make Branca the "goat" of the 1951 season. The book mainly concerns the 1951 season, when Branca's pitch was hit for a homer by Bobby Thomson to give the Giants the N.L. pennant. It does cover in detail his life leading up to that, and I found that the most interesting part of the book. After the 1951 season his career declined quickly, he blames sitting on a coke bottle. He doesn't go into much detail on his later life, which was quite successful. The "Cheating" scandal really isn't that interesting to me - even if the batter knew it might be a fast ball he still had to hit it. His ability to bounce back in his life, if not his career, is a interesting story.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Dad was for some reason a die hard Brooklyn Dodgers fan. He grew up in the Midwest but the Dodgers, not the Cardinals and certainly not the KC A's were his team. Branca is famous becasue it was his misfortune to of given up the homerun to the hated NY Giants in a playoff game in 1951. The book tells of his love of the game of baseball and of an unlikely friendship with his protanganist Bobby Thompson. Would reccomend this book to anyone who wants to read from someone from the Golden Years of basebal.

[Dale Stonehouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great story line, even for those not yet born in 1951, but there is nothing outstanding about this book. I did learn that in addition to giving up the "shot heard around the world," Branca was one of the best pitchers in baseball for a few years. He describes the intimacy of playing in Ebbets Field, a neighborhood stadium many fans could walk to for games. Anyone who remembers baseball without all the flash and noise between innings will like this.

[Jim Blessing · Rating 2 out of 5]

Considering that I'm normally very interested in books on baseball, this one was OK only. The most interesting point was that Bobby Thompson knew what pitch was coming when he hit the shot heard around the world.

[Lisa Kilbride · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real eye-opener; even though Hank Greenberg had already told about this in his autobiography, it's heartbreaking to read about from the point of view of the pitcher who was so hurt by it. Does this carry over to the Dodgers and Giants of today?

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

If your a big baseball fan you will enjoy this book. If your not familiar with the history of 1950's era baseball in New York City this book might not be for you.