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Miracle Ball: My Hunt for the Shot Heard 'Round the World
The captivating, utterly improbable but ultimately true story of one man’s quest to solve sports’ greatest What happened to the most famous of all home-run balls–the holy grail of sports?
October 3, 1951. Giants third baseman Bobby Thomson hit the most dramatic home run in the history of baseball. The moment occurred in the bottom of the ninth inning of a sudden-death playoff game between the New York Giants and their arch rivals from Brooklyn, the Dodgers. People across the nation watched on their new TV sets, and the home run became known as “the Shot Heard ’Round the World.”
But after clearing the left-field wall, the central artifact of the play–the ball itself–inexplicably went missing. The mystery of what happened to the legendary baseball has remained unsolved for a half century.
Until now.
Miracle Ball is the gripping account of author Brian Biegel’s two-year effort to unravel the mystery that experts said could never be solved. After his father, Jack, finds a baseball at a thrift store with clues dating back to 1951 and believes it could possibly be the most coveted piece of sports history, father and son begin a journey to prove its authenticity. Biegel becomes consumed with the quest–recognizing it as the only chance to rescue himself from an emotionally devastating personal crisis that had long been crippling him.
The trail takes Biegel, a sports fan and documentary filmmaker, from an auction house in Long Island to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, to a backroom meeting straight out of a Martin Scorsese film to a dusty oil field in Texas, finally arriving at his final destination on a quiet gravel road in New Mexico, the last place he ever expected to be.
Along the way the author meets an amazing cast of characters, including Bobby Thomson himself, who help him in his quest. Each adds their personal memories of the golden age of baseball, giving a broader scope and greater depth to this real-life detective story. As entertaining as it is inspiring, Miracle Ball is a story about faith, family, and heroes, about overcoming the odds and coming into the light, and about discovering the wondrous result of believing in yourself–and the amazing benefits of unconditional love.
A sports story for the ages, an engrossing mystery narrative, and a moving account of a man’s unbreakable bond with his family and of his struggles to save himself, Miracle Ball delivers both heart and headlines.
October 3, 1951. Giants third baseman Bobby Thomson hit the most dramatic home run in the history of baseball. The moment occurred in the bottom of the ninth inning of a sudden-death playoff game between the New York Giants and their arch rivals from Brooklyn, the Dodgers. People across the nation watched on their new TV sets, and the home run became known as “the Shot Heard ’Round the World.”
But after clearing the left-field wall, the central artifact of the play–the ball itself–inexplicably went missing. The mystery of what happened to the legendary baseball has remained unsolved for a half century.
Until now.
Miracle Ball is the gripping account of author Brian Biegel’s two-year effort to unravel the mystery that experts said could never be solved. After his father, Jack, finds a baseball at a thrift store with clues dating back to 1951 and believes it could possibly be the most coveted piece of sports history, father and son begin a journey to prove its authenticity. Biegel becomes consumed with the quest–recognizing it as the only chance to rescue himself from an emotionally devastating personal crisis that had long been crippling him.
The trail takes Biegel, a sports fan and documentary filmmaker, from an auction house in Long Island to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, to a backroom meeting straight out of a Martin Scorsese film to a dusty oil field in Texas, finally arriving at his final destination on a quiet gravel road in New Mexico, the last place he ever expected to be.
Along the way the author meets an amazing cast of characters, including Bobby Thomson himself, who help him in his quest. Each adds their personal memories of the golden age of baseball, giving a broader scope and greater depth to this real-life detective story. As entertaining as it is inspiring, Miracle Ball is a story about faith, family, and heroes, about overcoming the odds and coming into the light, and about discovering the wondrous result of believing in yourself–and the amazing benefits of unconditional love.
A sports story for the ages, an engrossing mystery narrative, and a moving account of a man’s unbreakable bond with his family and of his struggles to save himself, Miracle Ball delivers both heart and headlines.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 29, 2014
Don DeLillo’s fictionalized account of what happened to the “shot heard around the world” ball in Underworld was so excellent that I figured this real account was worth a look. I have to say I was surprised at how far the author got in his quest to find the actual ball. More than 50 years distant (now more than 60) the fact that the eyewitnesses are all dead is a huge obstacle. The conclusion at the end of the book as to who initially had the ball, and why it has never materialized, is entirely believable even if it is not ultimately conclusive. I might go so far as to say that it is probably correct, although there are a couple of questions I would have liked to see pursued a bit further.
On the downside, the author felt compelled to not just tell the story of the investigation for the ball, but to personalize the story as a journey of self-healing, which I guess is par for the course these days. There were also a couple points where the drama was self-created, like when a “tip” came from an individual who had a first and last name of the person who caught the ball. It turns out that this amazing and hard to connect with “source” was simply relaying information that he read in a book, and in fact the same information was printed in the newspaper that day after the game in 1951. You would have thought the newspaper accounts from the next day’s papers would have been an avenue that was exhausted much earlier in the quest.
The literary merit of this book does not warrant the 4 stars I’m giving it, but the coolness of the topic and some of the information that was brought to light ratchet it up.
On the downside, the author felt compelled to not just tell the story of the investigation for the ball, but to personalize the story as a journey of self-healing, which I guess is par for the course these days. There were also a couple points where the drama was self-created, like when a “tip” came from an individual who had a first and last name of the person who caught the ball. It turns out that this amazing and hard to connect with “source” was simply relaying information that he read in a book, and in fact the same information was printed in the newspaper that day after the game in 1951. You would have thought the newspaper accounts from the next day’s papers would have been an avenue that was exhausted much earlier in the quest.
The literary merit of this book does not warrant the 4 stars I’m giving it, but the coolness of the topic and some of the information that was brought to light ratchet it up.
September 19, 2024
As someone who likes baseball, but doesn't know a lot of history about baseball, this was an interesting topic to learn about. I enjoyed going on the journey with Biegal to find the ball. However, the writing doesn't really pull you in. I felt like at times there were too many overly descriptive passages. I struggled to stay interested in reading, until the end when things started to pick up.
May 11, 2009
Well over half a century after the most celebrated home run in baseball history, there are still new stories to tell about it. On October 3, 1951, New York Giants third baseman Bobby Thomson hit a three-run walk off homer to give the Giants a come-from behind victory in the decisive game of the National League playoffs. It was the dramatic exclamation point on a story that had begun ten weeks earlier as the Giants made up a 13 ½ game deficit to tie their arch-rivals, the Brooklyn Dodgers, and take the National League pennant.
Thomson's blast has been the subject of fiction (Don DeLillo), television (an episode of M*A*S*H*) and numerous nonfiction accounts, including Joshua Prager's "The Echoing Green" (2006), which revealed that the Giants' great comeback may have been aided by a complex system to steal opponents' signs. After Prager's work, it seemed like there was nothing more to add. But there was one tale waiting to be told: what happened to the ball that Thomson hit into Section 35 of the Polo Grounds?
The Thomson ball has been called the Holy Grail of sports memorabilia; Brian Biegel spent almost two years on his own grail quest. His father had acquired a worn baseball years earlier that bore the signatures of most of the 1951 Giants and thought it might be the Thomson ball. Biegel's desire to know the truth about his father's artifact took him on a journey from New York City to New Mexico, to the offices of newspapers, television studios, the Baseball Hall of Fame, the home of Bobby Thomson and to the offices of private detectives and forensic experts.
Biegel comes to a plausible, even persuasive conclusion about who caught the ball and why it hasn't surfaced since 1951. This book is as much about his own journey of discovery and self-renewal as it is about the celebrated baseball. A worthwhile and satisfying read.
Thomson's blast has been the subject of fiction (Don DeLillo), television (an episode of M*A*S*H*) and numerous nonfiction accounts, including Joshua Prager's "The Echoing Green" (2006), which revealed that the Giants' great comeback may have been aided by a complex system to steal opponents' signs. After Prager's work, it seemed like there was nothing more to add. But there was one tale waiting to be told: what happened to the ball that Thomson hit into Section 35 of the Polo Grounds?
The Thomson ball has been called the Holy Grail of sports memorabilia; Brian Biegel spent almost two years on his own grail quest. His father had acquired a worn baseball years earlier that bore the signatures of most of the 1951 Giants and thought it might be the Thomson ball. Biegel's desire to know the truth about his father's artifact took him on a journey from New York City to New Mexico, to the offices of newspapers, television studios, the Baseball Hall of Fame, the home of Bobby Thomson and to the offices of private detectives and forensic experts.
Biegel comes to a plausible, even persuasive conclusion about who caught the ball and why it hasn't surfaced since 1951. This book is as much about his own journey of discovery and self-renewal as it is about the celebrated baseball. A worthwhile and satisfying read.
Want to read
May 14, 2009October 3, 1951. Giants third baseman Bobby Thomson hit the most dramatic home run in the history of baseball. The moment occurred in the bottom of the ninth inning of a sudden-death playoff game between the New York Giants and their arch rivals from Brooklyn, the Dodgers. People across the nation watched on their new TV sets, and the home run became known as “the Shot Heard ’Round the World.”
But after clearing the left-field wall, the central artifact of the play–the ball itself–inexplicably went missing. The mystery of what happened to the legendary baseball has remained unsolved for a half century.
Until now.
Miracle Ball is the gripping account of author Brian Biegel’s two-year effort to unravel the mystery that experts said could never be solved. After his father, Jack, finds a baseball at a thrift store with clues dating back to 1951 and believes it could possibly be the most coveted piece of sports history, father and son begin a journey to prove its authenticity.
Along the way the author meets an amazing cast of characters, including Bobby Thomson himself, who help him in his quest. Each adds their personal memories of the golden age of baseball, giving a broader scope and greater depth to this real-life detective story. As entertaining as it is inspiring, Miracle Ball is a story about faith, family, and heroes, about overcoming the odds and coming into the light, and about discovering the wondrous result of believing in yourself–and the amazing benefits of unconditional love.
But after clearing the left-field wall, the central artifact of the play–the ball itself–inexplicably went missing. The mystery of what happened to the legendary baseball has remained unsolved for a half century.
Until now.
Miracle Ball is the gripping account of author Brian Biegel’s two-year effort to unravel the mystery that experts said could never be solved. After his father, Jack, finds a baseball at a thrift store with clues dating back to 1951 and believes it could possibly be the most coveted piece of sports history, father and son begin a journey to prove its authenticity.
Along the way the author meets an amazing cast of characters, including Bobby Thomson himself, who help him in his quest. Each adds their personal memories of the golden age of baseball, giving a broader scope and greater depth to this real-life detective story. As entertaining as it is inspiring, Miracle Ball is a story about faith, family, and heroes, about overcoming the odds and coming into the light, and about discovering the wondrous result of believing in yourself–and the amazing benefits of unconditional love.
June 19, 2009
Possibly the most famous play in baseball history is Bobby Thomson's bottom-of-the-ninth home run off Ralph Branca in the 1951 playoff game between the Giants and Dodgers, which sent the Giants to the World Series and the Dodgers home to Brooklyn. Nowadays, the fan who caught such a ball would either treasure it forever or sell it, but back then, baseball memorabilia wasn't big business. For years, the whereabouts of that ball has been a mystery: who caught it, and what did they do with it? When Brian Biegel's father Jack found a baseball at a thrift store which he thought might be the famous home run ball, Biegel began a quest to find out whether his father's ball was really the one. Along the way, he learned to deal with the potentially devastating depression he'd been saddled with since a series of personal setbacks.
The writing is nothing outstanding, workmanlike and readable, but the book is cleverly structured. As the mystery unfolds and Biegel meets more people who might have a clue for him, there are short flashbacks to the moment of the home run, showing what each person involved was (or might have been) doing. In fact, since Biegel is primarily a documentarian and did make a documentary about that, I wondered if the choice of structure was influenced by his film background. I thought his fight with depression could have been a larger part of the book, but as it was, the course of the ball investigation was so absorbing that I was happily carried along by that. Full of baseball history, legends, and lore, _Miracle Ball_ is a great book for baseball fans.
The writing is nothing outstanding, workmanlike and readable, but the book is cleverly structured. As the mystery unfolds and Biegel meets more people who might have a clue for him, there are short flashbacks to the moment of the home run, showing what each person involved was (or might have been) doing. In fact, since Biegel is primarily a documentarian and did make a documentary about that, I wondered if the choice of structure was influenced by his film background. I thought his fight with depression could have been a larger part of the book, but as it was, the course of the ball investigation was so absorbing that I was happily carried along by that. Full of baseball history, legends, and lore, _Miracle Ball_ is a great book for baseball fans.
April 25, 2009
MLB CSI
The premise of MIRACLE BALL is irresistible: with only two grainy pictures from 1951, can a man track down the arguably most famous home run baseball of all time?
I really enjoyed Brian Biegel's account of his search for the missing Bobby Thompson home run ball from 1951. While I wouldn't call MIRACLE BALL compelling, it was certainly beyond fascinating, with numerous personal accounts of how that moment in history changed lives and how that crack of the bat was so pivotal to not only baseball, but also to the lives of so many fans.
While this book may disappoint some baseball fans for lack of hard core baseball fanaticism and statistics, it has enough emotion from people affected by "The Shot Heard 'Round The World" during the golden era of baseball to make it memorable.
Besides the evidence presented, the most compelling aspect of this book is the lore from a time when baseball truly was "America's Pastime."
Definitely a recommended read for baseball enthusiasts, New Yorkers, and anyone who might have been watching their black and white TV's on October 3, 1951.
Good reading,
Plants and Books
The premise of MIRACLE BALL is irresistible: with only two grainy pictures from 1951, can a man track down the arguably most famous home run baseball of all time?
I really enjoyed Brian Biegel's account of his search for the missing Bobby Thompson home run ball from 1951. While I wouldn't call MIRACLE BALL compelling, it was certainly beyond fascinating, with numerous personal accounts of how that moment in history changed lives and how that crack of the bat was so pivotal to not only baseball, but also to the lives of so many fans.
While this book may disappoint some baseball fans for lack of hard core baseball fanaticism and statistics, it has enough emotion from people affected by "The Shot Heard 'Round The World" during the golden era of baseball to make it memorable.
Besides the evidence presented, the most compelling aspect of this book is the lore from a time when baseball truly was "America's Pastime."
Definitely a recommended read for baseball enthusiasts, New Yorkers, and anyone who might have been watching their black and white TV's on October 3, 1951.
Good reading,
Plants and Books
May 24, 2009
Fantastic story about the author's search for Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round the World", as he also struggles with his own depression and relationship with his father. A great read.
April 26, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “EVEN THE GODFATHER REMEMBERED *THE-SHOT-HEARD-‘ROUND-THE-WORLD*”
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As an individual moment in baseball history… the third and decisive playoff game for the National League Pennant… between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds on October 3, 1951… that was ended with Bobby Thomson’s game winning… and pennant winning… homerun… forever known as “THE-SHOT-HEARD-ROUND-THE-WORLD”…stands out… even fifty-eight-years later… as one of the greatest moments in baseball history. The reason I say one of the greatest moments… is simply because a number of other select moments in time… have also been held up on a pedestal in baseball lore before and after this hallowed game. As an example… the Pittsburgh Pirates Bill Mazeroski’s own “SHOT- HEARD-‘ROUND-THE-WORLD” to win the 1960 World Series over the New York Yankees. And like 1951’s famous picture “PAFKO-AT-THE-WALL” that was one of the most important elements in author Brian Biegel’s life changing journey back in time to try to find out… not only who caught Bobby Thomson’s magical homerun… but what actually happened to that historical baseball? Interestingly enough… the Mazeroski homerun had a similar historical picture… that could have easily been entitled “BERRA-AT-THE-WALL”. And who could ever forget the limping invalid Kirk Gibson’s one-legged GAME-WINNING pinch hit homerun with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of game one of the 1988 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland A’s? And there are many other moments in every baseball lover’s heart. But what adds to the mystique of the 1951 game is a number of circumstances… such as the greatest… most heated rivalry in sports “at-that-time” was the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. It was also the “FIRST” baseball game in history to ever be televised nationally… and obviously… WOW! What a first game for the nation to see!
The author does an absolutely beautiful job of interweaving his deep-seated love and adoration for his Brooklyn Dodger loving parents… along with his ability to adroitly jump back in time to 1951 to introduce an individual that he then… tracks down in the present time… to assist him on his all encompassing quest… to find the “holy-grail” of baseball memorabilia… Bobby Thomson’s game winning homerun that was hit on October 3, 1951… at 3:58 PM. In addition to detailing his exhausting detective work… Brian unabashedly shares with the reader the fact that when his Father approached him with a baseball that he had bought for a couple of dollars at a thrift shop… that was adorned with autographs from 1951 Giant players… and his Dad said he thought this may be the famous Thomson homerun ball… Brian was in the throes of severe depression. Following a painful divorce the author had lost his house… and was now literally curled up in the fetal position… and living in his parents’ house. His depression was so brutal that he was afraid to even go out of the house.
As Brian dedicates his very being to try to make his parents proud of him in his search for the ultimate baseball answer… utilizing everything… from police detectives to enlarge the famous “PAFKO-AT-THE-WALL” photo… use blood spatter techniques… eye-line theories… hire “close-to-the-vest” private detectives… enlist newspaper reporters… TV commentator’s… and more… Brian concurrently uses his quest… to slowly… and painfully… pull himself out of his deep-dark-depression.
For any true old-time baseball fan… the importance and significance of this game… does not have to be explained. Not only does every person that the author comes across remember this life changing moment… but they have a story to share about it that they’ll never forget. And it isn’t just the everyday fan like you and me… “NOVELIST JOHN STEINBECK CALLED IT “THE GREATEST GAME I OR ANYONE ELSE HAS EVER SEEN”… “JACK KEROUAC WROTE, “WHEN BOBBY THOMSON HIT THAT HOMERUN IN 1951, I TREMBLED WITH JOY AND COULDN’T GET OVER IT FOR DAYS AND WROTE POEMS ABOUT HOW IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HUMAN SPIRIT TO WIN AFTER ALL!”… PHILIP ROTH WROTE ABOUT IT IN “THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL.”… “THE TITLE CHARACTER IN WOODY ALLEN’S FILM “DECONSTRUCTING HARRY” SAID ABOUT THE HOMERUN, “IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER BELIEVED THERE WAS A G-D.”… “IN THE GODFATHER… IF YOU LISTEN CAREFULLY DURING THE SCENE WHEN SONNY CORLEONE IS GUNNED DOWN AT THE TOLLBOOTHS, YOU CAN HEAR RUSS HODGES’S VOICE FROM THE THOMSON GAME PLAYING ON THE CAR RADIO AS SONNY’S LAST MOMENTS APPROACH. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS SCENE IS THAT IT TAKES PLACE IN 1949-TWO YEARS BEFORE THE ACTUAL HOMERUN WAS HIT. DIRECTOR FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA THOUGHT ENOUGH OF THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MOMENT TO USE HIS ARTISTIC LICENSE.”
This book is so well written and extremely unique. It combines an historical point in time… with the affects that moment had then… and the repercussions that are still felt fifty-eight years later. This book is an absolute delight!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
As an individual moment in baseball history… the third and decisive playoff game for the National League Pennant… between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds on October 3, 1951… that was ended with Bobby Thomson’s game winning… and pennant winning… homerun… forever known as “THE-SHOT-HEARD-ROUND-THE-WORLD”…stands out… even fifty-eight-years later… as one of the greatest moments in baseball history. The reason I say one of the greatest moments… is simply because a number of other select moments in time… have also been held up on a pedestal in baseball lore before and after this hallowed game. As an example… the Pittsburgh Pirates Bill Mazeroski’s own “SHOT- HEARD-‘ROUND-THE-WORLD” to win the 1960 World Series over the New York Yankees. And like 1951’s famous picture “PAFKO-AT-THE-WALL” that was one of the most important elements in author Brian Biegel’s life changing journey back in time to try to find out… not only who caught Bobby Thomson’s magical homerun… but what actually happened to that historical baseball? Interestingly enough… the Mazeroski homerun had a similar historical picture… that could have easily been entitled “BERRA-AT-THE-WALL”. And who could ever forget the limping invalid Kirk Gibson’s one-legged GAME-WINNING pinch hit homerun with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of game one of the 1988 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland A’s? And there are many other moments in every baseball lover’s heart. But what adds to the mystique of the 1951 game is a number of circumstances… such as the greatest… most heated rivalry in sports “at-that-time” was the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. It was also the “FIRST” baseball game in history to ever be televised nationally… and obviously… WOW! What a first game for the nation to see!
The author does an absolutely beautiful job of interweaving his deep-seated love and adoration for his Brooklyn Dodger loving parents… along with his ability to adroitly jump back in time to 1951 to introduce an individual that he then… tracks down in the present time… to assist him on his all encompassing quest… to find the “holy-grail” of baseball memorabilia… Bobby Thomson’s game winning homerun that was hit on October 3, 1951… at 3:58 PM. In addition to detailing his exhausting detective work… Brian unabashedly shares with the reader the fact that when his Father approached him with a baseball that he had bought for a couple of dollars at a thrift shop… that was adorned with autographs from 1951 Giant players… and his Dad said he thought this may be the famous Thomson homerun ball… Brian was in the throes of severe depression. Following a painful divorce the author had lost his house… and was now literally curled up in the fetal position… and living in his parents’ house. His depression was so brutal that he was afraid to even go out of the house.
As Brian dedicates his very being to try to make his parents proud of him in his search for the ultimate baseball answer… utilizing everything… from police detectives to enlarge the famous “PAFKO-AT-THE-WALL” photo… use blood spatter techniques… eye-line theories… hire “close-to-the-vest” private detectives… enlist newspaper reporters… TV commentator’s… and more… Brian concurrently uses his quest… to slowly… and painfully… pull himself out of his deep-dark-depression.
For any true old-time baseball fan… the importance and significance of this game… does not have to be explained. Not only does every person that the author comes across remember this life changing moment… but they have a story to share about it that they’ll never forget. And it isn’t just the everyday fan like you and me… “NOVELIST JOHN STEINBECK CALLED IT “THE GREATEST GAME I OR ANYONE ELSE HAS EVER SEEN”… “JACK KEROUAC WROTE, “WHEN BOBBY THOMSON HIT THAT HOMERUN IN 1951, I TREMBLED WITH JOY AND COULDN’T GET OVER IT FOR DAYS AND WROTE POEMS ABOUT HOW IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HUMAN SPIRIT TO WIN AFTER ALL!”… PHILIP ROTH WROTE ABOUT IT IN “THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL.”… “THE TITLE CHARACTER IN WOODY ALLEN’S FILM “DECONSTRUCTING HARRY” SAID ABOUT THE HOMERUN, “IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER BELIEVED THERE WAS A G-D.”… “IN THE GODFATHER… IF YOU LISTEN CAREFULLY DURING THE SCENE WHEN SONNY CORLEONE IS GUNNED DOWN AT THE TOLLBOOTHS, YOU CAN HEAR RUSS HODGES’S VOICE FROM THE THOMSON GAME PLAYING ON THE CAR RADIO AS SONNY’S LAST MOMENTS APPROACH. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS SCENE IS THAT IT TAKES PLACE IN 1949-TWO YEARS BEFORE THE ACTUAL HOMERUN WAS HIT. DIRECTOR FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA THOUGHT ENOUGH OF THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MOMENT TO USE HIS ARTISTIC LICENSE.”
This book is so well written and extremely unique. It combines an historical point in time… with the affects that moment had then… and the repercussions that are still felt fifty-eight years later. This book is an absolute delight!
June 2, 2023
I am a big baseball fan. My favorite team is the San Francisco Giants plus I have collected baseball memorabilia off and on over the years. This book was recommended to me by a friend who knew my sports fan background.
This is the story about a man who really turned his life around as a result of his search for the baseball hit by Bobby Thomson against Ralph Branca of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951 in game three of the playoffs to see who would go to the World Series against the New York Yankees. The home run, by the New York Giant, capped a 9th-inning comeback by the Giants at the Polo Grounds. The Shot Heard Round the World.
Brian Biegel's dad thought that he had the famous baseball, which had been missing since it was hit. Brian was depressed and living with his parents following a divorce. He decided to find out where the famous ball was and hopefully confirm his father's claim.
Biegel's father's claim was pretty unbelievable. He had nothing to back it up besides it was a ball from the same era that was autographed by many of the New York Giants. That was it. Biegel sets out all he did in his investigation and we find out what happened to the famous baseball, which was probably worth millions of dollars.
A fun, quick read for a baseball fan and memorabilia collector.
This is the story about a man who really turned his life around as a result of his search for the baseball hit by Bobby Thomson against Ralph Branca of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951 in game three of the playoffs to see who would go to the World Series against the New York Yankees. The home run, by the New York Giant, capped a 9th-inning comeback by the Giants at the Polo Grounds. The Shot Heard Round the World.
Brian Biegel's dad thought that he had the famous baseball, which had been missing since it was hit. Brian was depressed and living with his parents following a divorce. He decided to find out where the famous ball was and hopefully confirm his father's claim.
Biegel's father's claim was pretty unbelievable. He had nothing to back it up besides it was a ball from the same era that was autographed by many of the New York Giants. That was it. Biegel sets out all he did in his investigation and we find out what happened to the famous baseball, which was probably worth millions of dollars.
A fun, quick read for a baseball fan and memorabilia collector.
October 18, 2019
A customer on one of my tours at Oracle Park recommended this to me and I'm really glad he did. This was the story of the hunt for one of the great pieces of sports memoribila in history-the ball Bobby Thomson hit to beat the Dodgers in 1951-the "shot heard 'round the world." It was called this not because of the hysteria of Russ Hodges' call but because it was the first radio broadcast on Armed Services radio heard by our troops in Korea during the Korean Conflict.
The writer and amateur sleuth, Brian goes on a long, widespread and dogged hunt for this ball only to come across a series of of really helpful people and more than a few nut cases. What transpires is an interesting journey not only for the ball but for personal redemption.
My favorite parts were the introductions of most chapters which introduced some of the characters who helped Brian on his journey. They all were recollections of where they were, what they were doing, their reactions on that momentous day in baseball history.
A good read for real baseball fans.
The writer and amateur sleuth, Brian goes on a long, widespread and dogged hunt for this ball only to come across a series of of really helpful people and more than a few nut cases. What transpires is an interesting journey not only for the ball but for personal redemption.
My favorite parts were the introductions of most chapters which introduced some of the characters who helped Brian on his journey. They all were recollections of where they were, what they were doing, their reactions on that momentous day in baseball history.
A good read for real baseball fans.
March 4, 2022
in 1951 the giants' bobby thomson hit a pennant winning three run home run in the 9th inning of game three against the brooklyn dodgers. this has since been known as 'the shot heard 'round the world' and is one of the most famous moments in american sports, due in part because it was an incredibly dramatic moment (home runs in the bottom of the 9th in a championship game etc) but also because it was the FIRST kind of these moments to be on TV, broadcast basically everywhere. but the ball disappeared. due to a nonexistent memorabilia market and a number of other factors, the ball just disappeared. it's been one of the great sport mysteries. so this book tries to solve that mystery using various modern CSI style detecting techniques and some good old fashion luck and coincidence. it also tells the story of the author and his father, and the author's movement through anxiety and depression, using the goal of discovering this ball as kind of a personal SSRI. it's a compelling sports narrative, and if you're into compelling sports narratives get to it.
July 29, 2017
I am a confessed baseball nerd when it comes to the glory of yesteryear and the romanticizing of the game. This book takes me there. Whether it be the neurosis of the author in a search for personal peace, the setting of a city felt alive on an October day, or chasing history, maybe the most significant sports moment in History, I couldn't put it down. This is one of the best books , if not the best book I've ever read. It's a personal thing, I don't think it resonates with a non fan , but for me , even after the third and fourth times I've read it, I end up in these places.
October 5, 2020
A story of a man looking for Bobby Thompson’s home run pall that earned the 1951 National League title for the San Francisco Giants. “The giants win the pennant! The giants win the pennant!” The book also traces the author’s personal life and journey through depression. As you might guess--spoiler alert--he doesn't find the ball. This makes the book basically irrelevant. Not terribly well written and disappointing overall. But, I love the Giants, so I guess there’s a certain satisfaction of learning more about this iconic moment in sports history.
C-
C-
March 14, 2018
The investigative parts of this book are very good, as the author attempts to hunt down the ball from the most famous home run in baseball history. It’s a complicated mystery that he’s unexpected places, and the result is a fun ride to a satisfying conclusion. Fans of baseball history will most enjoy this quick and easy read.
September 1, 2022
A fun book and fast read. Love the photos. Still can’t get over how stubborn the authors father was in thinking he has the famous baseball. Disappointing end, but they say the truth will set you free. Hopefully finding the truth started the story teller back on the road to continued mental health.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2017
For bingo, Mystery.
March 3, 2019
Interesting story that leaves the reader wondering.
August 10, 2010
In 1951 the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants faced each other in baseball's National League championship series. In those days a league championship series lasted only three games, and the Dodgers and the Giants had each won one game, thus forcing a third and final game. It was the bottom of the ninth and the Dodgers were ahead 4-2, but the Giants were at bat and they had two men on base. Former outfielder turned third baseman Bobby Thompson came to the plate. He watched a fastball split the middle of the plate for a called strike. With a count of 0-1 the second pitch was another fastball, slightly high and inside, and Thompson jumped on it. He got good wood on the ball and sent a screaming line drive deep into left field. It was close enough to the third base line that Dodgers fans prayed that it would curl into foul territory. Giants fans prayed that it would remain fair and be long enough to clear the tall left field fence of the Polo Grounds.
This moment was experienced not only by those lucky few that happened to be in the Polo Grounds or others that listened to a play-by-play radio broadcast of the game, but the entire nation watched the Dodgers-Giants game on a coast-to-coast broadcast of that new entertainment medium - television.
Thomspon said that as he saw the ball heading toward left field he expected the ball to bounce off the fence for a double, but it stayed fair and cleared the left field fence by only a few rows of seats landing someplace in section 35 of the Polo Grounds' outfield seating near the left field foul pole.
For Dodgers fans: devastion. For Giants fans: redemption. And, Thompson's 3-run homerun blast was dubbed the "Baseball Shot Heard `Round the World," which has since become sport's "Shot Heard `Round the World."
There is, however, a lingering mystery that surrounds that critical event. What happened to the ball that Thompson sent over the fence that day in 1951? It's been nearly 60 years, and no one has ever come forward with that iconic and elusive bit of sports memorabilia, the actual ball that was the "Shot Heard `Round the World."
This book describes one journalist's quest to discover the fate of Bobby Thompson's 1951 homerun ball. The book simultaneously chronicle's the author's route from the depths of personal despair and pain and how travelling along the path of this quest brought personal recovery and enlightenment to this long lasting mystery.
I do enjoy sports, but I would not call myself either an avid or even active fan, and when I am enthusiastic about a sport it is not baseball. This book nevertheless drew me in, carried me along, and provided me with unexpected insights and enthusiasm for an event that took place years before I was born.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that is a sports enthusiast, especially of you are a basefall fan. And, this book will be of particular interest to anyone engaged in collecting any type of sports memorabilia, as well as anyone interested in the history of sport in America.
I believe this book worth 5 stars because it can and should be enjoyed by sports enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. The book flew by for me...I finished it in only a few sittings. Once I hit the last 1/3 of the book I couldn't put it down.
Thanks to the author and his team of researchers for giving me great ride and for doing what many people thought could not be done.
5 stars all the way!
This moment was experienced not only by those lucky few that happened to be in the Polo Grounds or others that listened to a play-by-play radio broadcast of the game, but the entire nation watched the Dodgers-Giants game on a coast-to-coast broadcast of that new entertainment medium - television.
Thomspon said that as he saw the ball heading toward left field he expected the ball to bounce off the fence for a double, but it stayed fair and cleared the left field fence by only a few rows of seats landing someplace in section 35 of the Polo Grounds' outfield seating near the left field foul pole.
For Dodgers fans: devastion. For Giants fans: redemption. And, Thompson's 3-run homerun blast was dubbed the "Baseball Shot Heard `Round the World," which has since become sport's "Shot Heard `Round the World."
There is, however, a lingering mystery that surrounds that critical event. What happened to the ball that Thompson sent over the fence that day in 1951? It's been nearly 60 years, and no one has ever come forward with that iconic and elusive bit of sports memorabilia, the actual ball that was the "Shot Heard `Round the World."
This book describes one journalist's quest to discover the fate of Bobby Thompson's 1951 homerun ball. The book simultaneously chronicle's the author's route from the depths of personal despair and pain and how travelling along the path of this quest brought personal recovery and enlightenment to this long lasting mystery.
I do enjoy sports, but I would not call myself either an avid or even active fan, and when I am enthusiastic about a sport it is not baseball. This book nevertheless drew me in, carried me along, and provided me with unexpected insights and enthusiasm for an event that took place years before I was born.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that is a sports enthusiast, especially of you are a basefall fan. And, this book will be of particular interest to anyone engaged in collecting any type of sports memorabilia, as well as anyone interested in the history of sport in America.
I believe this book worth 5 stars because it can and should be enjoyed by sports enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. The book flew by for me...I finished it in only a few sittings. Once I hit the last 1/3 of the book I couldn't put it down.
Thanks to the author and his team of researchers for giving me great ride and for doing what many people thought could not be done.
5 stars all the way!
October 23, 2009
Miracle Ball: My Hunt for the Shot Heard 'Round the World is the story of one man's quest to find one of the more treasured artifacts of professional baseball: the Thomson 'shot heard round the world', from the 1951 playoff between the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers. Long given up as a mystery item, lost to time, the book tracks the author's journey from suburban New York and New Jersey, the Baseball Hall of Fame, to an out of the way Catholic convent in New Mexico. The reader meets characters as diverse as New York private investigators, modern crime scene lab technicians, nuns, international businessman and Bobby Thomson himself. In a lot of ways though, the greatest character in this investigation is the author himself, and his relationship with his family, as he recovers from a serious downturn in his life.
Biegel, a long time New York film producer, has attempted to capture a moment in time with his investigation that would be familiar, especially to New York residents at the height of the baby boom era, of local neighborhoods and all the rivalries and attempts to create a better life from the ruins of the Depression and WWII. In a sense, the search for this ball is used to capture a fleeting moment of time, as a representative of a passing era. Using the common experience of a game, whose details are still remembered nearly 60 years later, Biegel explores his life, family and modern America.
This book, a companion read to a film about the search for the "Miracle Ball", is probably too long for the subject, even with its two year search and many characters. As much as the subject was widened, it was never more than a story about one man's personal rise from an abyss in life, and how his search for a bit of memorabilia, enabled him to find some real truth. The story here probably could have been condensed to have been a long magazine article.
While the conclusion is a bit circumstantial, it is plausible enough, though many of the incidents seem a bit forced leading up to the search's conclusion. Still, this book adds an interesting light to a famous moment in American sports history, particularly to the baby boom generation.
Biegel, a long time New York film producer, has attempted to capture a moment in time with his investigation that would be familiar, especially to New York residents at the height of the baby boom era, of local neighborhoods and all the rivalries and attempts to create a better life from the ruins of the Depression and WWII. In a sense, the search for this ball is used to capture a fleeting moment of time, as a representative of a passing era. Using the common experience of a game, whose details are still remembered nearly 60 years later, Biegel explores his life, family and modern America.
This book, a companion read to a film about the search for the "Miracle Ball", is probably too long for the subject, even with its two year search and many characters. As much as the subject was widened, it was never more than a story about one man's personal rise from an abyss in life, and how his search for a bit of memorabilia, enabled him to find some real truth. The story here probably could have been condensed to have been a long magazine article.
While the conclusion is a bit circumstantial, it is plausible enough, though many of the incidents seem a bit forced leading up to the search's conclusion. Still, this book adds an interesting light to a famous moment in American sports history, particularly to the baby boom generation.
June 19, 2010
It's been called "the greatest mystery in sports" by some. What ever happened to the home run ball Bobby Thompson hit to send the New York Giants to the 1951 World Series?
"Miracle Ball", a 2009 book by Brian Biegel chronicles the author's attempt to solve that very riddle: the whereabouts of "The Shot Heard 'Round the World".
Before I began reading, I thought: "How could this be a book? Does the missing ball even matter? If it hasn't been found by now, it's likely gone forever." But after the first 20 pages or so, I was hooked. I needed to know what happened to that ball.
Did finding the ball really matter? Well it did to the author's father, who grew up in Brooklyn loving the Brooklyn Dodgers, and had his heart broken on that October day. The elder Biegel believed he possessed the "Miracle Ball" after purchasing a ball signed by the 1951 Giants at a Salvation Army on Long Island. In his mind, his ball had to be the ball.
Recovering from a torturous bout with depression, the author sets out on a healing journey to thank his father for helping him through his illness in a very unique way: by discovering the fate of the elusive home run ball.
What Biegel finds along the way is nothing short of astonishing. From the Baseball Hall of Fame, to a serendipitous meeting with Bobby Thompson, to forensic photo analysis by the New York City Police Department, to a convent in New Mexico, Biegel amazingly stumbles onto clue after clue that will seemingly lead him to his spherical prize.
Does Biegel find the Shot Heard 'Round the World? You'll have to read the book to find out. Either way, "Miracle Ball" is a terrific read for not only anyone who loves baseball, but anyone who loves a great non-fiction mystery novel.
"Miracle Ball", a 2009 book by Brian Biegel chronicles the author's attempt to solve that very riddle: the whereabouts of "The Shot Heard 'Round the World".
Before I began reading, I thought: "How could this be a book? Does the missing ball even matter? If it hasn't been found by now, it's likely gone forever." But after the first 20 pages or so, I was hooked. I needed to know what happened to that ball.
Did finding the ball really matter? Well it did to the author's father, who grew up in Brooklyn loving the Brooklyn Dodgers, and had his heart broken on that October day. The elder Biegel believed he possessed the "Miracle Ball" after purchasing a ball signed by the 1951 Giants at a Salvation Army on Long Island. In his mind, his ball had to be the ball.
Recovering from a torturous bout with depression, the author sets out on a healing journey to thank his father for helping him through his illness in a very unique way: by discovering the fate of the elusive home run ball.
What Biegel finds along the way is nothing short of astonishing. From the Baseball Hall of Fame, to a serendipitous meeting with Bobby Thompson, to forensic photo analysis by the New York City Police Department, to a convent in New Mexico, Biegel amazingly stumbles onto clue after clue that will seemingly lead him to his spherical prize.
Does Biegel find the Shot Heard 'Round the World? You'll have to read the book to find out. Either way, "Miracle Ball" is a terrific read for not only anyone who loves baseball, but anyone who loves a great non-fiction mystery novel.
June 28, 2009
There are certain sporting events that cross beyond the merely "exciting" or "important" and become iconic. Bobby Thompson's home run in the 1951 playoffs that gave the Giants the pennant is iconic because of the situation surrounding the game--the interest in the teams stretched beyond New York City, the series was one of the first widely-televised sporting events in the United States, and the play-by-play call was one for the ages. In this text, Biegel does a masterful job at demonstrating what it means for a game to become an icon as he undertakes a search for the impossible--the ball that was hit by Thompson into the stands.
Biegel's writing style is very personable and introspective. He has a unique ability to make nearly everyone he describes memorable, from the cranks who call an information telephone number to a nun who's not interested in talking about baseball on the phone. The interspersed stories from that day in 1951 are well-written and illustrative of the gravity of the moment, and Biegel's life situation during the search is touching and worth the read.
Overall, Biegel produces a very good story that keeps the reader interested to the very end. If you're a baseball fan or if you just like a good search for the truth, this one is worth your time.
Biegel's writing style is very personable and introspective. He has a unique ability to make nearly everyone he describes memorable, from the cranks who call an information telephone number to a nun who's not interested in talking about baseball on the phone. The interspersed stories from that day in 1951 are well-written and illustrative of the gravity of the moment, and Biegel's life situation during the search is touching and worth the read.
Overall, Biegel produces a very good story that keeps the reader interested to the very end. If you're a baseball fan or if you just like a good search for the truth, this one is worth your time.
July 24, 2009
Great heartwarming story. Easy read (I was through it in two days and I'm a slooow reader). The author's search for the ball and himself meshed nicely. His perseverence and "luck" (providence) were enough to evoke the "you can't make this stuff up" response from even the most cynical. The forensic analysis was pretty fascinating. Most of all the book made me feel good for the author as his recovery from depression was a direct result of his passionate search for the holy grail of baseball memorabilia. As a result of this book I now wear a Saint Rita medal around my neck and I wonder if anyone is out there searching throuh landfills in New Mexico.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2009
Great account of an author's search for "The Shot Heard 'Round The World", Bobby Thompson's homer in the 1951 playoffs vs. the Dodgers. I really enjoyed the beginning of each chapter where the author flashes back to the child hood memory of the event as told through each of the key people in the book.
February 2, 2010
Such a great book! This book has a very 'if-you-build-it-they-will-come' feel to it but unlike Field of Dreams, this story is true. It's about the author (ironically enough a Dodger fan) and his quest to find the elusive home run ball hit by Bobby Thomson in the 1951 pennant race between the Giants and the Dodgers. Great ending...just don't skip ahead!
November 15, 2010
This book was fascinating! I love a good baseball book, and this certainly is one. Brian Biegel shares from his heart and from his life as he searches for the home run baseball from "the shot heard 'round the world," the home run hit by Bobby Thomson to win the National League pennant for the New York Giants in 1951.
Great read!
Great read!
September 1, 2016
While not the best written book, it is a great story, well told, personalized and a great page turner, another one I could not put down. If your a baseball fan, this is a must read. I wasn't around during that golden age of baseball, but this made it feel real.
Want to read
May 19, 2010get this for Dad for Father's day?
May 30, 2010
For the men in my life...both old, middlin', and young...
June 21, 2012
Very well done.
July 9, 2012
Awesome! As an SF Giants fan, this book is historically special. As a baseball fan, it's awesome. The story is wonderful and keeps you interested in how it all ends.
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