Among the famous people who have made their mark in Major League Baseball history there is a considerable number of colorful and eccentric personalities. Along in there with the statistics of baseball players, perhaps more so than just numbers, the peculiar personality traits of some players have made them stand out in the collective consciousness of baseball fans. One such character was pitcher Bob “Hoot” Gibson who, from 1959 to 1975, was the king of the Cardinals’ pitching mound. His pitching style baffled many batters in opposing teams and made the Cardinals win the World Series twice, plus a third almost-win.

An Awesome Pitcher

Gibson had the best hand for pitching in baseball history. The solid testimony of his strikeout records likewise leaves no doubt that is one of the best pitchers in modern baseball. He registered more than 3,100 strikeouts. He had a total of 251 career victories and an overall Earned Run Average of 1.27. The statistics cannot give a complete idea of how he could make batters do what he wanted from his magic mound. His most spectacular display of pitching prowess was evident during the 1968 season. So impressive was his performance that the year has since been dubbed “Year of the Pitcher.” With 22 victories and a little over a dozen shutouts, his skill had reached a peak and that year was a landmark in baseball pitching history.

An Intimidating and Headstrong Man

What probably served to catch his batters of their guard was his terrifying aspect. That was certainly a perfect complement to the precision of his pitching. He was habitually scowling and aggressive. He not only had frequent and strong comments to make about the opposition but also about his own teammates. He was described by Han Aaron as someone capable of knocking over his own grandmother if she ever provoked him to do that. And one of the things that could really provoke Gibson was for someone to tell him what was wrong with the way he pitched.

Gibson was apparently unembarrassed by his reputation and time and again reminded people of his aggressive temperament. When asked about how he thought the old baseball greats, like Babe Ruth, would have taken to his pitching style he replied, referring to Babe Ruth’s famous 1932 World Series home run, that if he were to pitch to someone swinging the bat upwards towards the stands, that person would not make contact with his bat and because the ball would hit his ribs.

The stint of Gibson with the Cardinals marked a period of achievement and renown for the team. He won two Cy Young pitching awards, to World Series Titles and MVP distinctions plus nine Gold Gloves. The impact of the man’s personality tended to overshadow the greatness of his team, but no bad feelings ever developed. He took part in nine All Star contests. Eventually his team number, 45, was retired by the Cardinals team, never again to be given to anyone else. Six years after he retired he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Author Bio: Ivan Jamison is a big sports fan. You can check out his St. Louis Cardinals Watch or his Chicago Cubs Watch or his Detroit Tigers Watch

Category: Sports
Keywords: St. Louis Cardinals