"The Giants win the Pennant!"  The Giants win the Pennant."

Bobby Thomson became immortalized with that call, as "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" completed the biggest regular season comeback as the Giants rallied from 13 ½ Games back from Mid-August in 1951 to force a three-game playoff.  Thomson hit the walk-off Home Run to win Game 3 and the Pennant, and even though New York lost the World Series to the Yankees, it remains among Baseball's most iconic moments. 

Of course, Thomson was more than that Home Run, but we had to start there!

Thomson was signed as an Amateur Free Agent before the 1942 Season, but he served three years in the American Military during World War II service.  When he returned, he was in the Minors for most of his 1946, before he was called up, and had 154 Hits and 29 Home Runs in his official rookie year of 1947.

Thomson made the following two All-Star Teams, excelling in the latter year with his first 100-RBI (109 RBI, 27 HR) year, with his only .300 season (.309).  Thomson remained a solid power hitter, belting at least 24 Home Runs over the next four seasons, the last three seeing him break 100 RBI.  The year he hit his most famed Home Run (1951) was his best campaign, with career-highs in Home Runs (31), Triples (14, and league-leading), and he was eighth in MVP voting.

The Giants traded Thomson to the Milwaukee Braves after the 1953 Season, and with the proper respect to Thomson, the timing was good, as he was never an All-Star again.  He briefly returned in 1956 but was traded again before the next season began.

As a Giant, Thomson batted .277 with 1,171 Hits and 189 Home Runs.

Sal Maglie took a long time to establish himself as a Major League Pitcher, but that was not due to a lack of skill.

It took him until the age of 28 to make the big leagues, debuting for the New York Giants in 1945 after four years in their farm system.  He did well, going 5-4, but he had an offer to pitch in the Mexican league for more money.  Maglie took it but was subsequently banned by the Commissioner for his decision.  It was a costly trip South of the Border, as the team, he signed with could not afford him for long, and he was out of the game on a professional level.  Five years later, the ban was lifted, and he was back in 1950.

Nicknamed the “Barber” for his penchant for throwing balls close to the batter’s faces, Maglie had an incredible return, winning the ERA Title (2.71) with a stellar 18-4 Record.  He was just as good, the next two All-Star appearing seasons, leading the NL in Wins (23) and H/9 (7.7) in 1951, finishing fourth in MVP voting.  With Maglie excelling, New York won the 1951 and 1954 Pennant, winning the World Series in 1954.

Back issues took their toll on Maglie, who could not replicate his past success.  He was waived by the Giants during the 1956 Season and claimed by Cleveland, and though he was never an All-Star again, he played until 1961.  

As a Giant, Maglie went 95 and 42 with an ERA of 3.13.

If you are a regular visitor at Notinhalloffame.com, you know that we created the Notinhalloffame NBA Cup, where in every regular season game, we award points (5-4-3-2-1) to the top five performers.  This is the third year that we have done this, and Denver’s Nikola Jokic won the first two.

To keep everyone regularly in the loop this time, we have decided to give regular updates, starting at when the first player cracked 100 Points, and tell all of you the top ten.  We will this going forward with every update as the first player breaches the elevated ten-point threshold afterward.

Here is the current top ten, based on the first player to breach 130 Notinhalloffame Cup Points:

1. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, 134 Points:  32 Games, 33.6 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 8.8 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 31.5 PER, 6.5 WS.  (#1 on last ranking)

Doncic pulled back as the lone top man in Cup Points, and for our money, he is the current favorite for the MVP.  At present, he is leading the NBA in VORP (3.9), and is second in Points, fourth in Assists, and sixth in Steals per Game.

2. Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets, 133 Points:  34 Games, 29.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 26.8 PER, 5.5 WS.  (#1 on last ranking)

The Nets are on fire, and whether are winning or losing, Durant always shines.

3. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, 125 Points:  33 Games, 31.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 25.5 PER, 5.2 WS.  (#4 on last ranking)

Tatum continues to get better which should scare the hell out of anybody cheering against the Celtics.  He has never finished a season averaging over 30 Points per Game, and Tatum is over that now.

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, 123 Points:  31 Games, 31.5 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 27.4 PER, 5.0 WS.  (#3 on last ranking)

Gilgeous-Alexander is going to be an All-Star this year, and is shattering last year’s averages, which were already good.  How great will this Canadian be?

5.  Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, 122 Points:  29 Games, 31.7 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 5.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 28.1 PER, 3.9 WS. (#5 on last ranking)

Giannis is back where he belongs in the top five and the two-time MVP’s Bucks look ready to win it all.  He is in the top five in Rebounds and Points per Game.

6. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, 116 Points:  31 Games, 25.7 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 9.4 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 32.3 PER, 6.6 WS.  (#6 on last ranking)

The “Joker” is on fire lately, and we know someone wants to get that third Cup!  He is currently leading the NBA in PER 32.3, Box Plus/Minus (12.2) and Win Shares (6.6).

7. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics, 115 Points:  33 Games, 27.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 20.2 PER, 2.9 WS. (#7 on last ranking)

Brown’s appearance here gives Boston the only team to have two players in the top ten, and he currently has the highest traditional numbers of his career.  

8. Joel Embiid, Phila, 109 Points:  25 Games, 33.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.6 BPG, 30.6 PER, 4.6 WS.  (Not on last ranking)

Embiid makes his 2022/23 top ten debut, and is currently leading the NBA in Points per Game, which is currently higher than last year’s league lead.

9.  Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies, 108 Points:  28 Games, 27.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 23.3 PER, 2.8 WS. (#10 on last ranking)

Morant is the face of the Grizzles, and he is posting similar numbers from last year, when he took Memphis to the next level.

10. Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors, 102 Points:  26 Games, 30.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 6.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 26.7 PER, 4.1 WS. (#7 on last ranking)

Curry is now out with an injury, and just hung on to a top ten spot.  He will be off by the next update.

Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers fell off the top ten.

Our next update will happen after the first player breaches 140 Cup Points.

d Cavaliers fell off the top ten.

Our next update will happen after the first player breaches 140 Cup Points.

Today, we lost the GOAT.

The man known universally by only one name, Pele, passed away at the age of 82 from colon cancer. 

Pele led his home nation of Brazil to the game’s highest pinnacle, the World Cup, to three victories (1958, 1962 & 1970), doing so with class, flair and unequalled skill, and would become a global ambassador.  He was known in every country, a hero to millions and an icon of sport.  Pele scored 95 Goals for his country, and 618 for his Brazilian club team, Santos, where he played from 1956 to 1974.  He would later lend his talent to the New York Cosmos of the NASL until 1977, when he played his final game in front of 77,000; a match between New York and Santos.  Fittingly, he played one half for each team.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Pele.