Bobby Thomson

Born: 10/25/1923 in Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland

Died: 8/16/2010 in Savannah, GA, USA

MLB Debut: 1946-09-09 | Final Game: 1960-07-17

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Robert Brown Thomson

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Biography

Bobby Thomson was a prominent Major League Baseball player whose career spanned from 1946 to 1960. Born in 1923, Thomson emerged as a key figure in the National League, known for his powerful bat and clutch performances. Over the course of 1,779 games, he accumulated 1,705 hits, including 264 home runs, and drove in 1,026 runs, finishing his career with a batting average of .270. His ability to deliver in high-pressure situations made him a fan favorite and an essential part of the lineups he played in. Thomson was selected as an All-Star three times during his career, recognition of his contributions to the game during an era that included fierce competition and evolving playing styles. His most storied moment came in 1951 when he hit the “Shot Heard 'Round the World,” a dramatic home run that secured the New York Giants' victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers and clinched the National League pennant. This defining moment not only solidified his legacy in baseball history but also exemplified the fierce rivalries of the time. With 38 stolen bases to his name, Thomson showcased a well-rounded skill set that helped him thrive as a position player in the dynamic landscape of mid-20th century baseball.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
1779	6305	903	1705	267	74	264	1026	38	559	804	0.270	0.332	0.462	0.794	11188.4

Career AVG .270 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .332 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .462 vs. league average .386 across their career seasons — +19.6% above league average.

Career OPS 0.794 vs. league average 0.719 across their career seasons — +10.5% above league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1946	NY1	NL	18	54	8	17	4	1	2	9	0	4	5	0.315	.256 (+23%)	.328 (+10%)	.358 (+50%)	.687 (+31%)	234.5
1947	NY1	NL	138	545	105	154	26	5	29	85	1	40	78	0.283	.262 (+8%)	.336 (avg)	.376 (+35%)	.712 (+18%)	1755.9
1948	NY1	NL	138	471	75	117	20	2	16	63	2	30	77	0.248	.263 (-6%)	.340 (-13%)	.379 (+6%)	.719 (-3%)	-463.5
1949	NY1	NL	156	641	99	198	35	9	27	109	10	44	45	0.309	.262 (+18%)	.343 (+3%)	.384 (+35%)	.727 (+20%)	2319.7
1950	NY1	NL	149	563	79	142	22	7	25	85	3	55	45	0.252	.265 (-5%)	.346 (-6%)	.401 (+12%)	.747 (+3%)	241.5
1951	NY1	NL	148	518	89	152	27	8	32	101	5	73	57	0.293	.260 (+12%)	.336 (+14%)	.385 (+46%)	.721 (+31%)	3264.4
1952	NY1	NL	153	608	89	164	29	14	24	108	5	52	74	0.270	.252 (+7%)	.326 (+1%)	.369 (+30%)	.696 (+17%)	1746.0
1953	NY1	NL	154	608	80	175	22	6	26	106	4	43	57	0.288	.264 (+9%)	.335 (+1%)	.397 (+19%)	.733 (+10%)	1164.9
1954	ATL	NL	43	99	7	23	3	0	2	15	0	12	29	0.232	.261 (-11%)	.333 (-5%)	.390 (-17%)	.723 (-12%)	-177.2
1955	ATL	NL	101	343	40	88	12	3	12	56	2	34	52	0.257	.258 (-1%)	.332 (-4%)	.393 (+5%)	.726 (+1%)	-12.4
1956	ATL	NL	142	451	59	106	10	4	20	74	2	43	75	0.235	.258 (-9%)	.331 (-9%)	.397 (+3%)	.728 (-3%)	-332.2
1957	ATL	NL	41	148	15	35	5	3	4	23	2	8	27	0.236	.257 (-8%)	.323 (-12%)	.391 (avg)	.715 (-5%)	-170.3
1957	NY1	NL	81	215	24	52	7	4	8	38	1	19	39	0.242	.257 (-6%)	.323 (-7%)	.391 (+8%)	.715 (+1%)	-170.3
1958	CHC	NL	152	547	67	155	27	5	21	82	0	56	76	0.283	.257 (+10%)	.324 (+8%)	.394 (+18%)	.719 (+14%)	1490.4
1959	CHC	NL	122	374	55	97	15	2	11	52	1	35	50	0.259	.256 (+1%)	.323 (-1%)	.392 (+2%)	.715 (+1%)	14.8
1960	BOS	AL	40	114	12	30	3	1	5	20	0	11	15	0.263	.255 (+3%)	.323 (avg)	.387 (+13%)	.711 (+7%)	111.5
1960	BAL	AL	3	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0.000	—	—	—	—	111.5

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
6	21	1	5	1	0	0	2	5	0	0.238

Playoff Batting by Year

Year	Round	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
1951	WS	NY1	6	21	1	5	1	0	0	2	5	0	0.238

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	1	1	10	0	2	2
2B	9	0	27	20	5	4
3B	184	6	200	361	38	27
OF	1506	580	3563	111	74	24

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1946	NY1	3B	16	0	18	25	3	0
1947	NY1	2B	9	0	27	20	5	4
1947	NY1	OF	127	0	330	12	7	2
1948	NY1	OF	125	0	313	10	10	2
1949	NY1	OF	156	0	488	10	9	4
1950	NY1	OF	149	0	394	15	9	5
1951	NY1	3B	69	0	90	136	14	13
1951	NY1	OF	77	0	168	3	6	1
1952	NY1	3B	91	0	82	184	17	13
1952	NY1	OF	63	0	152	3	1	0
1953	NY1	OF	154	0	391	16	7	0
1954	ML1	OF	26	23	45	3	1	2
1955	ML1	OF	91	86	182	5	6	0
1956	ML1	3B	3	3	5	10	3	0
1956	ML1	OF	136	115	257	7	7	0
1957	ML1	OF	38	37	78	2	1	0
1957	NY1	3B	1	1	0	3	0	0
1957	NY1	OF	71	51	124	2	1	0
1958	CHN	3B	4	2	5	3	1	1
1958	CHN	OF	148	146	353	13	4	3
1959	CHN	OF	116	96	223	9	3	4
1960	BOS	1B	1	1	10	0	2	2
1960	BOS	OF	27	25	65	1	2	1
1960	BAL	OF	2	1	0	0	0	0