| There have been so many great moments in the | | | | chase brought an excitement to the game that |
| game of baseball that to list them all would take a | | | | had been lost and might have stayed lost if not |
| book in itself, maybe even several books. What | | | | for those two. |
| follows is simply a few moments in baseball that | | | | In 1932 Babe Ruth went to visit a little crippled |
| may or may not mean something to you. Some | | | | boy in the hospital. The boy asked the Babe if he |
| are from long ago and others are more recent. | | | | would hit a home run for him at his next game |
| These are in no special order. Just a few things to | | | | against Chicago. Ruth told the boy that he would. |
| remind us of how great the game of baseball is | | | | That afternoon, Ruth pointed to the center field |
| and how much it has meant to the American | | | | seats and then on the next pitch hit the ball out |
| people. | | | | of the ball park to the exact spot that he pointed |
| In 1969 a team by the name of the New York | | | | to. Some say it is fact, others say it is just |
| Mets did something that nobody ever thought | | | | legend. It's certainly the stuff of which great |
| they would come close to doing. This team, that | | | | baseball moments are made of. |
| spent the first six years of its existence at the | | | | Arguably the most famous baseball moment of all |
| bottom of the National League, or close to it, | | | | time was on October 3, 1951, when Bobby |
| finally made it to the World Series and took on | | | | Thompson hit what was called "The Shot Heard |
| the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles. After losing | | | | Around The World" when he homered off of |
| the first game, they went on to win four straight | | | | Ralph Branca in the bottom of the ninth inning to |
| to win their first World Series in their history. | | | | cap the miracle comeback of the Giants against |
| The year was 1998. The year before, the | | | | the Brooklyn Dodgers. At one time during the |
| baseball season was lost because of a players | | | | season the Giants were so far back of the |
| strike. Fans were fed up with the game. It was | | | | Dodgers that they were given absolutely no |
| doubtful that they would come back in the | | | | chance to ever overtake them. Thompson's shot |
| numbers that Major League baseball was used to. | | | | not only put the Giants into the record books, but |
| Then, the unthinkable happened. Not one, but two | | | | made household names of both Thompson and |
| players were chasing after Roger Maris' single | | | | Branca who have gone on to do interviews |
| season home run record of 61 homers in a | | | | together for years after. |
| season. Finally, Mark McGwire was the first one to | | | | Just a handful of some of the greatest moments |
| break the record. Sammy Sosa also broke it as | | | | of what many call the greatest game ever |
| well, but McGwire ultimately ended the season | | | | played. |
| with 70 home runs and Sosa finished with 66. The | | | | |