During the summer of 1951, the Brooklyn Dodgers had a comfortable lead over their crosstown rivals, the New York Giants. But as the season drew to a close, the Dodgers lost their hold on first place and had to face the Giants in a playoff. The winner would get to play in the World Series.

On October 3, 1951, the Dodgers lost in spectacular fashion, with pitcher Ralph Branca giving up a ninth-inning home run to the Giants’ Bobby Thomson. Known as the “shot heard ’round the world,” Thomson’s hit is one of the most famous home runs in baseball history.

Harvey Sherman was a teenager living in Brooklyn at the time. And like many other Dodgers fans, he remembers every moment of that day.

Click here to hear Harvey Sherman remembering the Brooklyn Dodgers’ last game at Ebbets Field.

Originally aired September 29, 2011, on NPR’s Morning Edition.