Bobby Thomson

Robert Brown Thomson (October 25, 1923 – August 16, 2010) was an American professional baseball player, an outfielder and right-handed batter nicknamed "the Staten Island Scot." Born in the Townhead area of Glasgow, Scotland, he was the youngest of six children of James and Elizabeth Thomson. His father, a cabinet maker, had moved to New York City shortly before Bobby's birth and sent for the family in 1925. Thomson grew up on Staten Island in New York City and signed with the New York Giants for a $100 bonus out of Curtis High School.

Thomson played for the New York Giants (1946–53, 1957), Milwaukee Braves (1954–57), Chicago Cubs (1958–59), Boston Red Sox (1960), and Baltimore Orioles (1960). Over his career he recorded eight 20-home-run seasons and earned three All-Star selections.

His pennant-winning three-run home run for the Giants in 1951, popularly known as the "Shot Heard 'Round the World," is one of the most famous moments in baseball history. The home run overshadowed his other accomplishments. "It was the best thing that ever happened to me," he said. "It may have been the best thing that ever happened to anybody."