TODAY IN BASEBALL TAKES US TO ST. PETERSBERG, FLORIDA MARCH 13, 1954. A nasty break for a veteran opened the door for a future superstar on this date in 1954. It was an exhibition game against the New York Yankees. Milwaukee Braves outfielder Bobby Thomson was trying to beat a throw to second base. The former New York Giant , who hit “the shot heard round the world,” in October of ’51, slid awkwardly and broke his ankle in three places.
Thomson would be out of the lineup until July. Put into the lineup was a skinny, 20-year old kid from Mobile, Alabama by the name of Henry Louis Aaron . He would be a regular in the Braves outfield for the next 21 years (He played 2 more years for the Milwaukee Brewers).
With Thomson’s injury many thought the Braves were out of the 1954 pennant race. Sportswriter Henry McCormick wrote, “With him [Thomson] may go the Braves’ hopes of staying in the thick of the pennant fight.” But the Braves stayed in the ‘54 race almost until the end. They were only four games out on September 15th, finishing 8 games out in third place, 89-65. Aaron played 122 games, hit .280 with 13 home runs and 69 RBI.
Hammerin Hank would become and remain the home run king (755) until Barry Bonds broke it in 2007. Aaron remains the all-time RBI leader (2,297). He was voted to 25 all-star games (they used to play two each season). Aaron would have eventually found his way into the Braves lineup, but he got a little push on this date because of Bobby Thomson’s tough break.
Contributing sources:
Bobby Thomson
Wisconsin State Journal, March 14, 1954, by Henry McCormick,
1954 NL pennant race