Robert (Bobby) Thomson
(The Flying Scotsman)

1923 - 2010

Baseball player who hit the 'shot heard round the world'. Born in Glasgow, Thomson's family emigrated for the USA when he was just two years of age, but he never forgot his Scottish roots. He started playing baseball at a young age and was spotted by the New York Giants while still at school. By 1947, Thomson was playing in the Major League alongside stars such as Joe Di Maggio and Babe Ruth and was renowned for his running speed.

He was most famous for winning the 1951 National League Championships for the Giants against the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the last inning of the last game of a three-game play-off, Thomson hit a heart-stopping home run, which became known as the 'shot heard round the world'. This feat was commemorated by the US Postal Service on a postage stamp.

Thomson retired from baseball in 1960, having hit 264 home runs and being twice named as a National League All Star. He was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

He died at his home in Georgia (USA).

Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry