Andy Pafko
A consistent All-Star outfielder forever immortalized in a heartbreaking photograph, standing dejected as Bobby Thomson's 'Shot Heard 'Round the World' sailed over his head.
1921–2013 (age 92)·American baseball player·Birthday: February 25·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Andy Pafko played 17 major league seasons as a smooth-fielding outfielder with a reliable bat. He was a four-time All-Star who represented three storied National League franchises. Pafko broke in with the Chicago Cubs, became a fan favorite at Wrigley Field, and hit over .300 three times. He was a key piece of the 'Whiz Kids' Philadelphia Phillies team that won the 1950 pennant. Traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951, he took his position in left field at the Polo Grounds during the decisive third game of the playoff against the New York Giants. Pafko could only watch and slump against the wall as Bobby Thomson's pennant-winning home run cleared the fence. That moment of defeat, captured in a famous photograph, unfairly overshadows his substantial accomplishments. He later found success with the Milwaukee Braves, hitting a home run in the 1957 World Series and earning a championship ring the following year. Pafko was the quintessential solid professional whose career reminds us that even excellent players can become defined by a single, agonizing instant.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Andy was born in 1921, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1921
#1 Movie
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Andy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1921Born
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1926Started school
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1934Became a teenager
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1937Could drive
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1939Could vote
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Turned 21
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1951Turned 30
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 40
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 50
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 60
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 70
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 80
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2013Died at 92
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Was a four-time National League All-Star (1947, 1948, 1949, 1950) while with the Chicago Cubs.
- Hit 20 or more home runs in five different seasons and finished his career with a .285 batting average.
- Played in two World Series, winning a championship with the 1957 Milwaukee Braves.
- Recorded over 1,700 hits and 800 RBIs during his 17-season MLB career.
Did You Know?
He is the left fielder pictured at the wall in the famous photograph of Bobby Thomson's 'Shot Heard 'Round the World' in 1951.
Pafko was traded from the Cubs to the Dodgers in the middle of the 1951 season for a package that included $75,000 and several players.
He hit the first-ever home run for the Milwaukee Braves in 1953, after the team moved from Boston.
His baseball card (#66) is part of the iconic, highly valuable 1952 Topps set.
“I was just a ballplayer who showed up, played hard, and loved being part of the team.”
