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Ralph Brancas career was defined by that one high-and-inside fastball.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 famous 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. Cody Martin Hornets Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Marvin Williams Jersey . Goals from Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller extended Bayerns unbeaten run to a record 37 matches. "This record is incredible," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. https://www.hornetslockerroom.com/Cody-Zeller-City-Edition-Jersey/ . 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Well, the New York Jets coach will make the call on wholl be under center against New England on Nov. 27 when the team returns from its bye-week break next Monday.We havent gotten there yet, Bowles said during a conference call Monday. Weve got a week to go for that. Were still evaluating everybody.Petty made his first NFL start Sunday in place of Fitzpatrick, who is recovering from a sprained knee. The second-year quarterback was 19 of 32 for 163 yards with a touchdown, but also tossed an interception with just under two minutes left in the Jets 9-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.That dropped New York to 3-7, with its playoff hopes now barely a flicker. Still, Bowles is sticking with his philosophy of playing the quarterback that gives the Jets the best chance to win. That means Bowles isnt necessarily looking to give Petty extended playing time just to see if he could be the quarterback of the future.At this point, not right now, Bowles said. I mean, he played OK (Sunday), but hes still got a lot of things to learn. You dont learn unless you play, but at the same time, were still trying to win games, too. So, well make that decision as the week goes forward.Bowles said the players will practice Tuesday and then have the rest of the week off. The coaching staff will have meetings Wednesday and then take off until next Monday. As for the quarterback decision, Bowles will talk to his staff and then give both general manager Mike Maccagnan and owner Woody Johnson a heads up on where the situation stands.And, the player he chooses might not necessarily hold the job from here on out.Going forward, it all depends on the play and the health and everything else of everybody, Bowles said. So, it could change, but it could stay the same, as well.Bowles is in a difficult situation, knowing the Jets are now simply playing out the season and Fitzpatrick is unlikely to be back next year. Geno Smith, out for the year with a knee injury, is scheduled to become a free agent. That leaves just Petty and rookie Christian Hackenberg as the quarterbacks who likely will remain on the roster next offseason. And the coach said Hackenberg, a second-rounder from Penn State, is not in the top two right now when it comes to the quarterback situation.But Bowles also has to tread lightly, realizing that looking toward the future at this point sends a message to his players that this season is already a wash.ddddddddddddWith the evaluation process, there comes a point in the future of an organization, toward the end of the season, where you try to see things if they go right here and there, Bowles said. But its always a tough decision one way or the other.Fitzpatrick sprained his left knee at Miami on Nov. 6 and was limited in practice all week while splitting first-team snaps with Petty. Bowles said it would be a game-time decision, but then decided Saturday night that Petty would start against the Rams.He was getting better, but he wasnt well enough on Saturday, in my mind, to even try to do it Sunday, Bowles said.Petty provided an early spark, complete with a standing ovation from the MetLife Stadium crowd as he took the field. He drove the Jets 99 yards on their second possession, finishing with his first NFL TD pass with a little razzle-dazzle on a toss to Brandon Marshall, who flipped it backward to Bilal Powell for a 4-yard score.But New Yorks offense was mostly quiet after that and the positive buzz was silenced by the time Petty was picked off by Alec Ogletree.The Jets also missed out on what appeared would be an easy touchdown just before halftime when Petty couldnt connect with a wide-open Robby Anderson. Bowles said Petty overthrew the ball slightly, but Anderson also slowed a bit on his route.He was calm and he was poised when he was out there, Bowles said of Petty. He threw the deep ball well. He understood his reads. He went where it was supposed to go. He hurried up some things and thats going to happen when a first-time starter comes out there. He hurried some throws and he missed a couple of reads as well.But, for the most part, other than the one turnover, he played OK.Game notes The Jets game against the Patriots was originally scheduled for Sunday Night Football, but was flexed out of the slot and moved to a 4:25 p.m. game and replaced by Kansas City at Denver. ... TE Kellen Davis (elbow) cleared waivers and was added to the Jets injured reserve list. ... Bowles said CB Nick Marshall has a high-ankle sprain.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '