Homer History: The shot heard 'round Larry King's world

In our Homer History series, writers re-tell the stories of memorable home runs from their perspective. In this installment, famous baseball fan and TV icon Larry King tells us about one of baseball's most famous homers ever from his perspective — and it's not a joyous one. He hosts the Emmy-nominated Larry King Now and PoliticKING on OraTV. Follow him on Twitter, @KingsThings, and check out his podcast.

(AP)
(AP)

I’ve had a few dramatic home runs that have had an effect on me. One was Stan Musial’s home run in the 1949 All-Star Game at Ebbets Field — the only All-Star Game ever played at Ebbets Field. I wasn’t there, but I was listening on the radio.

Even though I was a Dodger fan, I was a great admirer of Stan Musial, who later in life I would meet on many occasions and interview.

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I witnessed, in person, two walk-off home runs in the same season by Andre Ethier for the Dodgers in Los Angeles. But, and this is a big but, the most dramatic home run in my life was also one of the saddest moments in my life. If not the saddest.

Oct. 3, 1951. Bobby Thomson’s home run to beat the Dodgers in the third game of the playoffs for the National League pennant.

We were ahead by 13 games in mid-August. The lead dwindled down and, at the end of 154 games, we were tied.

It was a three-game playoff. The first game was at Ebbets Field. The Giants won. The second game was at the Polo Grounds. The Dodgers won. The third game was also at the Polo Grounds.

The Dodgers were leading 4-1 going into the bottom of the ninth inning. The Giants got a run in, had two men on base, one out. Rookie Willie Mays was on deck. Bobby Thomson came up to hit. I was listening on the radio at work.

When that home run was struck, I really contemplated suicide. My immediate thought was, “Life can’t go on.”

I’m 18 years old. This was my team. I loved this team. This was Jackie Robinson. This was Duke Snider. This was Pee Wee Reese. They brought me great joy in ’55 when they won the World Series. But that home run, there’s just no way to explain it.

(AP)
(AP)

[Previously in Homer History: Shane Robinson's postseason blast no one saw coming]

I did not hear the Russ Hodges broadcast, which is the most famous, of course. “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!” That was broadcast on two stations. Red Barber was the Dodger announcer and I was listening to Red.

Red did a very interesting thing at the end. After announcing the home run and letting the crowd noise drown him out, he then said something like, “One-hundred and thirteen Americans were killed in Korea this week. Put it in perspective.”

It was a very interesting idea. I still couldn’t put it in perspective.

I had to take the subway home. I lived on Bay Parkway in Brooklyn. It was an elevated station. We had only one Giants fan in our neighborhood. His name was Davey Freed. I got off the train and as I’m walking down the stairs, Davey Freed is at the bottom of the stairs. All he did was laugh. He just laughed.

Later in life, I would emcee a big dinner in New York honoring the ’51 Giants and Dodgers. I would have to bring to the stage both Ralph Branca and Bobby Thomson on stage. Branca, who threw the pitch, and Thomson, who hit it. I looked Bobby Thomson square in the eyes and said, “I still hate you.”

He laughed, heartedly. He was a wonderful guy.

I saw Branca last year at the scouts dinner here in L.A. I’m looking right now at a signed picture of Ralph Branca to me saying, “The Giants stole the pennant.”

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

It was later on revealed that the Giants had an employee in the bleachers signaling the hitters. That caused me even more anguish.

[Elsewhere: Check out the Dunk History series on Yahoo Sports]

So when I think of home runs, I’ve had some good ones. But the biggest one in my life was a tragedy that still, to this moment, brings me unbelievable emotional pain.

COMING FRIDAY: Yahoo Sports' Scott Pianowski recalls one of Reggie Jackson's most titanic postseason homers.

PREVIOUSLY IN HOMER HISTORY
The night a hobbled Kirk Gibson broke my heart (by Mike Oz)
Cal Ripken Jr. wowed us yet again on Iron Man night (by Lauren Shehadi)
When Albert Pujols silenced Minute Maid Park (by Jeff Passan)
Bill Mazeroski's great walk-off World Series winner (by Kevin Iole)
The Big Papi grand slam that still haunts Detroit (by Al Toby)
That time Joe Blanton hit a home run in the World Series (by Sam Cooper)
When Jim Leyritz halted hopes of a Braves dynasty (by Jay Busbee)
Bryce Harper and the home run almost no one saw (by Chris Cwik)

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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!