BASEBALL : DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Thomson, Branca Together Again

Adding to Tuesday’s media crush at Shea Stadium was the presence of former Brooklyn Dodger Ralph Branca and former New York Giant Bobby Thomson, on hand for the unveiling of Leroy Neiman’s latest sports painting entitled “The Shot Heard Round the World” commemorating the 1951 Miracle at Coogan’s Bluff. Thomson, now involved in fund-raising for homeless children, said his famous home run, which beat the Dodgers in a playoff and propelled the Giants to the World Series, “is a nice part of my life but I don’t relive it 24 hours a day. Obviously it’s what people remember me for. Dodger fans still come up to me and say ‘I still hate you’--some with a smile on their face.”

Branca, who threw the pitch, now works in insurance. “The fans love me,” he said. “They loved me then and they love me now. Brooklyn fans were the greatest--they were knowledgeable, they were fair. It was years before I realized it was going to be one of those moments that live on.”

The Dodgers’ triple-A Albuquerque Dukes activated Mickey Hatcher, giving him player-coach status. “It doesn’t change his primary (coaching) role,” said Fred Claire, executive vice president, “but it’s a long season. You never want to rule anything out.” . . . Brett Butler extended his hitting streak to 13 games.