 In 2001, Journalist Joshua Prager published that the Giants secretly learned opponents'finger signals, when several players told the Wall Street Journal that beginning on July 20, 1951, the team used a telescope and buzzer wire to steal the finger signals of opposing catchers careless enough to leave their signs unprotected. Giants catcher Sal Yvars told Prager that he relayed to Thomson the stolen sign for Branca's fastball. Thomson always insisted that he had no foreknowledge of Branca's pitch. Branca had been aware of the rumors and was skeptical of Thomson's denial, but later told The New York Times in 2001, "I didn 't want to diminish a legendary moment in baseball. And even if Bobby knew what was coming, he had to hit it .... Knowing the pitch doesn't always help."
