A similar performance Sunday could enhance the Titans | Forum

Ralph Brancas career was defined by that one high-and-inside fastball. Joel Ward Jersey .The Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher who gave up Bobby Thomsons famed Shot Heard `Round the World still echoing more than six decades later among the most hallowed home runs in baseball history, died Wednesday. He was 90.His son-in-law, former big league manager Bobby Valentine, said Branca died at a nursing home in Rye Brook, New York.Branca was a three-time All-Star and spent 12 seasons in the majors. Brought in from the bullpen in the bottom of the ninth inning during the deciding Game 3 of the National League pennant playoff on Oct. 3, 1951, he gave up a three-run homer to Thomson that gave the rival New York Giants a stunning 5-4 victory.The one-out line drive into the left field lower deck at the Polo Grounds prompted the frenetic call from announcer Russ Hodges, The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The team and its fans celebrated wildly as Thomson breezed around the bases while Branca, wearing his unlucky No. 13 jersey, trudged off the mound.You know, Branca told The Associated Press in 1990, If you kill somebody, they sentence you to life, you serve 20 years and you get paroled. ... Ive never been paroled.Thomson, who also homered off Branca in Game 1, capped a sensational comeback for the Giants, who trailed the Dodgers by more than a dozen games heading toward mid-August.For the next 50 years, Branca and Thomson often appeared together at card shows, corporate events and baseball functions, re-telling the story of the home run that grew into a sports legend. They always were friendly at the affairs, sometimes even teaming up to sing about the big moment.I was closer to Ralph than to any other Dodger, Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully said in a statement. He carried the cross of the Thomson home run with dignity and grace.It wasnt until many years later that it was revealed that the Giants had a little extra help.Thats when it came to light that the Giants employed a telescope-and-buzzer system that season to steal signs from opposing catchers. With that advantage, Giants hitters got a boost in their swings.And for years, the question remained: Did Thomson know the high-and-inside fastball from Branca was coming?Thomson firmly asserted that, no, he didnt get a sign in advance. A three-time All-Star himself, Thomson stuck to that claim until he died in 2010 at age 86.Branca, however, wasnt so sure about that.In 2001, the Giants sign-stealing operation was detailed in a story in The Wall Street Journal.A few days after that, Branca and Thomson saw each other for the first time at an event in Edison, New Jersey. They talked in private for five minutes, about a secret theyd both known about but never shared.Later, they spoke about their discussion.Its been a cleansing for both of us, Branca said then. He knew that I knew. Its better this way.To me, it was a forbidden subject, the right-hander said. And I didnt want to demean Bobby or seem like I was a crybaby.Said Thomson: It was like getting something off my chest after all those years. Im not a criminal, although I may have felt like one at first.And then, hours later, Thomson and Branca appeared together in Manhattan at the New York baseball writers dinner. In front of a ballroom full of fans, they took turns singing about the fateful pitch and swing, to lyrics written to the old standard Because of You -- a reprise of the act they performed when the same dinner was held in January 1952.His matchup with Thomson was recounted by Don Delillo in a 1992 Harpers Magazine story Pafko at the Wall, included five years later in the novel Underworld.Yes. It is Branca coming through the dampish glow. Branca who is tall and stalwart but seems to carry his own hill and dale, he has the aura of a man encumbered. The drooping lids, clodhopper feet, the thick ridge across the brow. His face is set behind a somber nose, broad-bridged and looming.One of the last remaining Boys of Summer, Branca was 88-68 with a 3.79 ERA in his big league career. He spent the first 11 years with the Dodgers, then played for Detroit and the Yankees before returning to Brooklyn for a final game in 1956.Branca made his debut as a teen in 1944 and went 21-12 with 15 complete games during Jackie Robinsons first season in 1947. Branca added another win that year at Yankee Stadium in the World Series.Branca to me was a hero, former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda said in a statement. Ralph and I became very close, my family and his family. I always enjoyed being around him. He was a tough one in every way and I really admired him.Branca co-founded the Baseball Assistance Team, which aids members of the baseball family in need of financial, medical or psychological assistance, and served as its president for 17 years. He was a pallbearer at Robinsons funeral in 1972.Ralphs participation in the `Shot Heard `Round the World was eclipsed by the grace and sportsmanship he demonstrated following one of the games signature moments, baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. He is better remembered for his dedication to the members of the baseball community. He was an inspiration to so many of us.Branca is survived by wife Ann and daughters Patti and Mary -- the latter the wife of Valentine.A funeral is scheduled for Tuesday at the Church of the Resurrection in Rye. Timo Meier Jersey . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. Brandon Bollig Jersey . Aside from the trilogy main event title fight, there are a number of intriguing matchups in the heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions. http:///...+burns+sharks+jersey . Tuesdays surgery at Atlantas Piedmont Hospital was performed by Dr. Xavier Duralde and Hawks team physician Dr. Michael Bernot. Through four weeks, the Tennessee Titans were tied for the fewest points in the NFL. Since then, coach Mike Mularkeys vision of exotic smashmouth has played out before everyones eyes.Last weeks 47-25 clobbering of the Green Bay Packers marked the most points for Tennessee in a single game since 2009 and also capped a six-week stretch in which it has averaged 34 points per contest. Whats more, the Titans have scored at least 35 points in each of the last three games.Were making less mistakes, Mularkey said. Weve been very good in the red zone and I think the biggest thing weve done is our third down. Weve been very good on third down which has allowed us to put some of these drives together.We feel like were very hard to defend based on all the things we do and when it comes time to put points up, were putting points up.Tennessee (5-5) will try to keep lighting up the scoreboard at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sunday, when it will play the Colts in a key AFC South matchup. The winner will at least temporarily gain ground on first place Houston (6-3), which plays the Monday night game against Oakland in Mexico City.Indianapolis (4-5) had last week off after dumping Green Bay 31-26 two weeks ago at Lambeau Field, leading wire-to-wire in probably its best performance of the year. The Colts second-best outing this year might have been the first time they played the Titans.With three offensive starters sidelined, Indianapolis established a 17-6 second-quarter advantage, saw Tennessee rally to take a fourth-quarter lead and then scored two touchdowns in an eight-second span inside the last two minutes for a 34-26 win.It was the 10th consecutive victory for the Colts over the Titans, dating back to the 2011 season. And with everyone healthy after the bye week, Indianapolis is in theory fortified to keep its string of dominance going against its division rival.It still comes down to making plays against a good defense, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck said.Despite absorbing 33 sacks and being under siege at times behind a leaky offensive line, Luck is enjoying one of his best seasons, averaging 285 yards per game passing witth a 17-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Paul Martin Jersey. uck dominated the Tennessee back seven last month, piling up 353 yards on 27-of-39 passing. Tight end Jack Doyle and wide receiver T.Y. Hilton took turns whipping defensive backs and linebackers in coverage, combining for 16 grabs and 211 yards. Doyle had the go-ahead touchdown catch on the first play after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter.It was one of the few games this year in which Luck hasnt been continually hassled by the opponents pass rush. The Titans sacked him only twice and on most plays, Luck could have counted to four Mississippi, five Mississippi before throwing.That was in stark contrast to last week, when Tennessee didnt have to worry about the threat of a run after roaring out to leads of 21-0 and 35-10 in the first half against Green Bay. It sacked Aaron Rodgers five times and hit him six others.Coach Mularkey has that team playing at a high, high level, Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano said. Just like we do, Tennessee knows the best way to get into the tournament is to win your division. It comes down to being efficient and executing in all three phases.There was concern prior to last weeks game that a turf toe was slowing down Titans running back DeMarco Murray, but he showed on the first carry that wasnt the case. His 75-yard touchdown run set the stage for another big game, as he rushed for 123 yards on 17 carries while adding the first touchdown pass of his career on a 10-yard halfback option toss to Delanie Walker.Making Tennessees offensive showing even better was that it occurred despite the ejection of left tackle Taylor Lewan less than five minutes into the game. Lewan was tossed for contacting an official during a scuffle after Green Bays Letroy Guion drilled quarterback Marcus Mariota.Mariota went on to throw for 295 yards and four touchdowns, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.A similar performance Sunday could enhance the Titans chances at their first division title in eight years. Cheap NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys' ' '