Bob Gibson was perhaps the best pitcher to ever wear the St. Louis Cardinals uniform.
Often referred to as “Gibby” or “The Hoot,” Gibson was feared by hitters and pitched with a cold, hard-nosed mentality.
He was the ace on three World Series teams for the Cardinals in 1964, 1967, and 1968, winning two rings.
But his best season came in 1968, when he posted a microscopic 1.12 ERA.
Gibson got the start in Game 1 of the World Series against the Detroit Tigers and had perhaps the best start of his life, striking out 17 consecutive batters and leading the Cards to a victory.
One fan tweeted a highlight reel of Gibson’s epic performance that day.
Gibson’s Career Accolades
Gibson was a two-time Cy Young Award winner, a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner, a nine-time All-Star, and MVP, and a two-time World Series MVP.
The Hall-of-Famer posted a career ERA of 2.91 and won a total of 251 games, while also posting an impressive WAR of 89.2.
Gibson’s iconic No. 45 is retired by the Cardinals and can be seen below the jumbotron and on the left field wall at Busch Stadium.
Gibson could always be seen on Opening Day in St. Louis, joining the rest of the team’s Hall-of-Famers on the field during the ceremonies and donning the iconic red jacket that is given to Cardinals Hall-of-Famers.
Gibson sadly passed away on October 2, 2020 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, but his competitive spirit has never been forgotten and he remains one of the best pitchers, if not the best pitcher of all time.
More must-reads: