St. Louis Cardinals Mount Rushmore
By David Hill
Bob Gibson (1959-1975)
A flamethrower who had no real sense of command early in his career, Bob Gibson earned his reputation as one of the more intimidating pitchers in the game.
The ace of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1960s, Gibson was more than angry on the mound; Joe Torre once referred to him as “hateful.” He pitched inside, using his high octane fastball to send hitters to the dirt. He used that intimidation to great effect, making nine All Star Games, and winning two Cy Young awards. He was the 1968 NL MVP, and was named the MVP of the 1964 and 1967 World Series. Gibson was also handy with the glove, winning nine Gold Glove awards.
Gibson changed the game during his career. He was the first of the modern strikeout artists, recording nine seasons with 200 or more strikeouts. Overall, he posted a 251-174 record with a 2.91 ERA and a 1.188 WHiP. In his 3884.1 innings, Gibson struck out 3117 batters, becoming the second pitcher in MLB history to reach the 3000 strikeout mark.
He was not just the first of the modern strikeout pitchers. Gibson complete changed the game due to his dominant 1968 campaign. Considered one of the best performances in MLB history, he posted a 22-9 record with an incredible 1.12 ERA and a 0.853 WHiP, striking out 268 batters. Gibson was so dominant, and offense was so stagnant, that the mound was lowered after the season.
Bob Gibson changed the game, helping usher baseball into the game we know it as today. The greatest pitcher in St. Louis Cardinals history, he deserves a place on the franchise Mount Rushmore.