Bob Gibson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bob Gibson
Gibson at Roger Dean Stadium in 2010
Pitcher
Born: (1935-11-09)November 9, 1935 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Died: October 2, 2020(2020-10-02) (aged 84) Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
April 15, 1959, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last appearance
September 3, 1975, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	251–174
Earned run average	2.91
Strikeouts	3,117
Teams
St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975)
Career highlights and awards
9× All-Star (1962, 1962², 1965–1970, 1972) 2× World Series champion (1964, 1967) NL MVP (1968) 2× NL Cy Young Award (1968, 1970) 2× World Series MVP (1964, 1967) 9× Gold Glove Award (1965–1973) NL wins leader (1970) MLB ERA leader (1968) NL strikeout leader (1968) Pitched a no-hitter on August 14, 1971 St. Louis Cardinals No. 45 retired St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Major League Baseball All-Century Team
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	1981
Vote	84.0% (first ballot)

Robert Gibson (born Pack Robert Gibson; November 9, 1935 – October 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played for 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the St. Louis Cardinals. People called him "Gibby" and "Hoot."

Gibson was an amazing pitcher. He won 251 games and had 3,117 strikeouts. His earned run average (ERA) was 2.91, which is very good. He was chosen for the All-Star team nine times. He also helped his team win the World Series twice.

He won two Cy Young Awards, which go to the best pitchers. In 1968, he was named the National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP). Gibson was known for being very competitive and tough on batters. In 1981, he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first try. The Cardinals honored him by retiring his uniform number 45. They also put him in the team's Hall of Fame in 2014.

Early Life and Sports Talent

Bob Gibson was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on November 9, 1935. He was the youngest of seven children. His father died before he was born, so he was named Pack Robert Gibson. But he didn't like the name Pack, so he later changed it to Robert.

As a child, Bob had some health problems, like rickets and a serious lung illness. But he loved sports and was very active. His older brother, Josh, was a big influence on him. Josh coached many youth basketball and baseball teams, often through the local YMCA. Bob played on these teams and became very good.

In high school, Bob played track, basketball, and baseball. He even needed a doctor's permission to play because of a heart murmur he developed during a growth spurt. In his senior year, he was named to the All-State basketball team. This helped him get a full athletic scholarship to Creighton University for basketball.

At Creighton, Bob studied sociology and continued to be a star in basketball. After college, he had a big decision to make. Both the famous Harlem Globetrotters basketball team and the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team wanted him. He signed with the Cardinals but played basketball with the Globetrotters for a year first. He then decided to focus only on baseball.

Baseball Career Highlights

Bob Gibson joined the Cardinals' main team in 1959 as a relief pitcher. He later became a starting pitcher and got his first big league win that year. In his early years, he moved between the main team and minor league teams.

In 1961, a new manager, Johnny Keane, took over the Cardinals. Keane had coached Gibson before and believed in him. He made Gibson a full-time starting pitcher. This was a turning point for Gibson's career. Around this time, Gibson and his teammates Bill White and Curt Flood worked to end segregation in baseball. They pushed for all players to stay in the same clubhouses and hotels, no matter their race. The Cardinals became the first sports team to fully integrate, which was a big step forward.

Becoming an All-Star (1962–1967)

In 1962, Gibson started to shine. He pitched many scoreless innings and was chosen for his first All-Star team. Even after breaking his ankle late in the season, he still had over 200 strikeouts.

The Cardinals became a strong team in 1964. They had great team spirit and no racial tension, partly because of the changes Gibson and his teammates helped make. They had an amazing comeback, winning many games at the end of the season to make it to the 1964 World Series.

In the 1964 World Series, the Cardinals played the New York Yankees. Gibson pitched in three of the seven games. In Game 7, with only two days of rest, he pitched almost the whole game. He helped the Cardinals win their first World Championship since 1946. Gibson also set a new World Series record by striking out 31 batters.

Gibson in 1962.

Gibson continued to be an All-Star in 1965 and 1966. In 1965, he won 20 games for the first time. In 1967, he had a scary moment when a batted ball fractured his leg. But he returned later that season, and the Cardinals won the National League pennant.

In the 1967 World Series, Gibson was incredible. He pitched three complete games, allowing only three runs. He even hit a home run in Game 7! The Cardinals won the World Series again. Gibson became the only pitcher to be on the mound for the final out of Game 7 of a World Series multiple times.

The Amazing Year of the Pitcher (1968)

The 1968 season was known as "The Year of the Pitcher" because pitchers were so dominant. Bob Gibson was the best of them all. He had an incredible earned run average (ERA) of 1.12. This was the lowest ERA in the "live-ball era" (since 1920) and the third-best of all time! He also pitched 13 shutouts, meaning the other team scored no runs when he pitched.

Gibson won the National League MVP Award for his amazing season. In Game 1 of the 1968 World Series, Gibson struck out 17 Detroit Tigers batters. This set a World Series record that still stands today! He was so dominant that the league changed some rules after this season. They lowered the pitcher's mound and changed the strike zone to make it a little easier for batters. These changes were sometimes called the "Gibson rules."

Later Career and Retirement (1969–1975)

Even with the rule changes, Gibson remained one of the best. In 1969, he won 20 games again. He also became the third pitcher in MLB history to get 200 strikeouts in seven different seasons. On May 12, 1969, he threw an "immaculate inning," striking out three batters on just nine pitches.

In 1970, Gibson had another fantastic year, winning 23 games. He also won his second Cy Young Award. Gibson was also a good hitter for a pitcher. In 1970, he batted .303, which was better than some of his teammates!

In August 1971, Gibson reached two big milestones. He got his 200th career victory. Ten days later, he threw a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates. On July 17, 1974, he became only the second pitcher in MLB history, after Walter Johnson, to strike out more than 3,000 batters.

Gibson retired at the end of the 1975 season. He finished his career with 251 wins, 3,117 strikeouts, and a 2.91 ERA. He also won nine Gold Glove Awards for his excellent fielding.

"Don't Mess with Hoot"

Bob Gibson was known for being a very tough and competitive player. He rarely smiled on the field. He would sometimes throw pitches close to batters to show them who was in charge. This was a way to intimidate them, but he had good control and didn't hit many batters.

Even with his teammates, Gibson could be very direct. Once, when his catcher Tim McCarver came to the mound, Gibson told him, "The only thing you know about pitching is that it's hard to hit." Gibson himself joked that he only made faces while pitching because he needed glasses and couldn't see the catcher's signals!

After Baseball

After retiring as a player in 1975, Bob Gibson stayed involved in baseball. He worked as a coach for his former teammate Joe Torre, who became a manager. Gibson was even called an "attitude coach" at one point. He also worked as a pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves and later returned to coach for the Cardinals.

Gibson also spent time as a radio commentator for Cardinals games. He even appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1968, playing guitar alongside fellow pitcher Denny McLain, who played the organ.

Personal Life

Bob Gibson had three children. He enjoyed playing the guitar.

In July 2019, it was announced that Gibson had pancreatic cancer. He passed away on October 2, 2020, at the age of 84. This was exactly 52 years after his famous 17-strikeout game in the 1968 World Series.

Honors and Legacy

Bob Gibson's number 45 was retired by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975.

Bob Gibson received many honors for his incredible career. His jersey number 45 was retired by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975. In 1981, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In 1999, he was ranked number 31 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. He was also chosen for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, which honors the best players of the 20th century.

There are statues of Bob Gibson in front of Busch Stadium in St. Louis and outside Werner Park in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. A street in Omaha is also named Bob Gibson Boulevard. In 2014, he was inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum. At the time of his death, Bob Gibson still held many Cardinals pitching records, including most wins, complete games, shutouts, and strikeouts.

Career MLB Statistics

Pitching

Records Held

• National League Shutout Championships in Live-Ball Era: Led or tied four times (1962, 1966, 1968, 1971).
• Gold Gloves for Pitchers: Nine consecutive Gold Gloves (1965–1973), which is third all-time among pitchers.
• Single-Season Earned Run Average: 1.12 ERA during 1968 is the lowest in the live-ball era and third-best all-time.
• Most Strikeouts During a World Series Game: 17 strikeouts during Game 1 of the 1968 World Series.

See also