Ralph Branca
1926–2016 (age 90)
Baseball pitcher
Biography
Ralph Branca rose from a Brooklyn childhood to become a cornerstone of the Dodgers' pitching staff, blending a lively fastball with a calm demeanor that earned the respect of teammates and rivals alike.
After retiring from the mound he remained a generous ambassador for baseball, offering encouragement to young pitchers and keeping alive the stories of the golden era he helped to define while staying close to the communities that now honor him at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.