The 10 Most Disappointing Final Seasons in MLB History
Bob Gibson, 1975 St. Louis Cardinals, 3-10, 5.04 ERA, 1.67 WHIP
Bob Gibson is famously known for a few things—his two MVP awards in the World Series, including a 3-0 record in the 1967 World Series victory over the Boston Red Sox; his record-setting 1.12 ERA in 1968, and his indomitable competitive spirit. To illustrate this point, Roger Angell wrote in The Summer Game that Gibson said about his desire to win, “I’ve played a couple hundred games of tic-tac-toe with my little daughter and she hasn’t beaten me yet. I’ve always had to win. I’ve got to win.”
Gibson won 251 games in his career, including five seasons with 20 or more victories. He won two Cy Young Awards and one MVP Award and led the league in shutouts four times.
The end of Gibson’s career came quickly. Gibson had a 2.77 ERA as a 37-year-old in 1973, then went 11-13 with a 3.83 ERA in 1974. He routinely had swelling in his knee during the ’74 season, but came back for another season in 1975. He had recently divorced from his wife and admitted to using baseball to help cope with the failed relationship.
The 1975 season did not go well as Gibson started 14 of his first 15 games but went 2-8 with a 5.13 ERA. He was moved to middle relief and had some success, allowing no runs in five of his first six outings out of the bullpen.
The end was ugly. Facing the Cubs on September 3, Gibson came into the game with the score tied 6-6 in the top of the seventh inning. He got Bill Madlock to fly out, but walked Jose Cardenal, gave up a single to Champ Summers, and walked Andre Thornton to load the bases. Gibson induced Manny Trillo to ground into a force at the plate for out number two, but a wild pitch to Jose Morales scored a run. Morales was then intentionally walked and Pete LaCock came up and hit a pinch-hit grand slam that blew the game wide open. Gibson got Don Kessinger to ground out to end the inning. It was the last inning of his career. Gibson said later, “When I gave up a grand slam to Pete LaCock, I knew it was time to quit.”
According to a story in Joe Posnasnki’s book about the 1975 Cincinnati Reds (The Machine), Gibson eventually got his revenge: “Many years later, he [Gibson] was pitching in an old-timers game. And Pete LaCock was playing too. LaCock stepped up to face Gibson, who was well into his fifties. Gibson stared him down and promptly hit LaCock in the back with a pitch. ‘Ow Bob, what gives?’ LaCock asked. ‘I’ve been waiting for years to do that,’ Gibson said.”
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