Sometimes becoming famous carries with it a big price tag. Ralph Branca, an outstanding Dodger pitcher, gained some of his fame early in his 1947, at age 21, he won 21 games. Ralph had other winning seasons also; however, his name is more famous in baseball history for just one pitch he threw.

In 1951 the New York Giants pulled a miracle finish to catch and tie the Dodgers after being 13 1/2 games behind in August. This tie on the final day of the season forced a best-of-three playoff series to decide the National League pennant.

The Giants won Game 1. The Dodgers won Game 2 when Clem Labine hurled a 10-0 shutout. Newcombe had the start for Game 3 and took a two-run lead into the ninth inning. Two "seeing eye" base hits brought the potential winning run to home plate in the person of Bobby Thomson. Charlie Dressen called the bullpen at the Polo Grounds, where Branca and I were warming up. Clyde Sukeforth, the bullpen coach, answered the phone. "They're both ready," he said. "However, Erskine is bouncing his overhand curve." Dressen said, "Let me have Branca." On Ralph's second pitch, Thomson hit a three-run homer to win the game and the pennant. Whenever I'm asked what my best pitch was, I say, "The curveball I bounced in the Polo Grounds bullpen."

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