Bob Gibson

Lore & Background

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Gibson overcame childhood illness to excel in youth sports. After briefly playing with the Harlem Globetrotters, he chose baseball and signed with the Cardinals. He became a full-time starter in July 1961 and earned his first All-Star appearance in 1962. Gibson won 2 of 3 games in the 1964 World Series, then won 20 games for the first time in 1965. He pitched three complete game victories in the 1967 World Series. He is one of four players and two pitchers to win multiple World Series MVPs. The pinnacle of his career was 1968, the 'Year of the Pitcher', when he posted a 1.12 ERA and recorded 17 strikeouts in Game 1 of the 1968 World Series (which the Cardinals lost). He threw a no-hitter in 1971. At retirement in 1975, he ranked second only to Walter Johnson in career strikeouts. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1981, and the Cardinals retired his number 45 in September 1975.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Busch Stadium is thick with humidity and anticipation as Bob Gibson steps onto the mound. He adjusts his cap, his eyes locking onto the batter in the opposite box with a gaze that seems to pierce through the soul. There is no small talk, only the rhythmic scrape of the rosin bag and the sharp crack of the ball leaving his hand at over 100 miles per hour. The crowd holds its breath as he delivers pitch after devastating pitch, a solitary warrior defending his territory against an army of hitters who know they have been beaten before they even step into the box.

Reader's Guide

Gibson's early life included being born the youngest of seven children in Omaha, Nebraska. His father died before his birth. He suffered from rickets and respiratory disease as a child. He attended Omaha Technical High School, playing track, basketball, and baseball. He won a basketball scholarship to Creighton University, where he majored in sociology. He signed a deal allowing him to play minor league baseball and then for the Harlem Globetrotters, but later focused solely on baseball. In the majors, he debuted in 1959. Manager Solly Hemus shuffled him between bullpen and rotation; Gibson later cited Hemus's racial prejudice. After Hemus was replaced by Johnny Keane in July 1961, Gibson became a full-time starter. Off the field, he helped end segregation in the Cardinals' clubhouse and hotels. In 1962, he pitched consecutive scoreless innings and became an All-Star. In 1963, he relied on his slider and two fastballs, and drove in 20 RBIs. The 1964 Cardinals were noted for racial harmony. Gibson's knee began swelling after his 1971 no-hitter.

Did You Know?

• Gibson legally dropped the name 'Pack' because he disliked it.
• He was named after his father, who died of tuberculosis three months before Gibson was born.
• Gibson's brother Josh, 15 years older, served as his mentor and father figure.
• Indiana University rejected Gibson because their 'Negro athlete quota' was filled.
• Gibson's former teammate Tim McCarver joked that Gibson was 'the luckiest pitcher in baseball' because he always pitched when the other team didn't score.