Bob Gibson RIP

Why do you add “who lived”, is their a category for pitchers who haven’t lived?

pitchers who lived wrote:

Why do you add “who lived”, is their a category for pitchers who haven’t lived?

There is a category for posters who haven’t lived, and you are obviously one of them. Get a life dude.

I recently found a Gibson 1959 Topps Rookie card in good condition in a box in my mother’s attic. In the past few weeks I’ve been trying to price it out- it was going for over 1000$ ; wonder if his passing will inflate that?

cardcollector wrote:

I recently found a Gibson 1959 Topps Rookie card in good condition in a box in my mother’s attic. In the past few weeks I’ve been trying to price it out- it was going for over 1000$ ; wonder if his passing will inflate that?

It very well might. It is amazing what some of these old cards in good condition are worth.

Jokersrus wrote:

cardcollector wrote:

I recently found a Gibson 1959 Topps Rookie card in good condition in a box in my mother’s attic. In the past few weeks I’ve been trying to price it out- it was going for over 1000$ ; wonder if his passing will inflate that?

It very well might. It is amazing what some of these old cards in good condition are worth.

Too bad it is not a '52 Mickey Mantle rookie card. One of those sold for over a $1 million. But you are probably have to have it graded.

He was a great all around athlete who put fear into his opponents.

Jokersrus wrote:

Bob was a legendary MLB pitcher, one of the best who ever lived. Bob was 84.

Damn.

So many of the super heroes of my youth are gone.

RIP Mr. Gibson, one of the best ever. Team mate Lou Brock, also one of the best ever, died last month.

1.12 ERA in 1968.

In other baseball news, Bert Thiel died in August. That leaves Del Crandall as the last living player for the Boston Braves.

WWRD wrote:

1.12 ERA in 1968.

That was a huge factor in lowering the pitcher's mound. RIP.

HRE wrote:

WWRD wrote:

1.12 ERA in 1968.

That was a huge factor in lowering the pitcher's mound. RIP.

He was pretty impressive the following year.

This guy was a way bigger deal than I feel like he ever seemed to get credit for.

And that isnt to say he didn't get much credit; he kinda did. Just, to me, the hype didn't live up to the the reality. Feel like his passing is also a bigger deal than it is likely to get acknowledged for, but to be fair, the current news cycle is CRAZY so there is some very noticeable context as to why. Those circumstances are probably not all that unlike how his impact on the game of baseball is a bit muted, to those not in the know, by the aforementioned changing if the height of the mound.

I'm sure the argument would have to be that the mound being lowered was the result of a league-wide trend that had evolved into a nearly game breaking advantage to the pitchers, but damned if I don't think it was really GIBSON that lead to the change as much as any other larger scale trend.

That's almost akin to rasing the hoop in the NBA a bit to reduce some of MJs (or any other great who dominated his era) advantage.

MLB Complete Games Leaders

1968

Juan Marichal 30

Bob Gibson 28

Denny McLain 28

Fergie Jenkins 20

Luis Tiant 19

Gaylord Perry 19

Mel Stottlemyre 19

Dave McNally 18

Jerry Koosman 17

Jim Hardin 16

2019

Shane Bieber 3

Lucas Giolito 3

Mike Minor 2

Zach Eflin 2

Mike Leake 2

Justin Verlander 2

Ivan Nova 2

Walker Buehler 2

Sandy Alcantara 2

Back then men were men. Gibson was Superman, powerful pitcher and a good hitter, as well. He didn't get all the recognition he deserved mainly because he was in St Louis and not in NYC. Think Don Newcombe, another good pitcher, but not quite on the same level as Gibson.

Much different game today. Listen to some of the old play by play games from back in the 50's and 60's and you will be amazed how quickly each inning went by. No 10-15 pitches per batter. Guys came up to swing and pitchers went right after them.

He was a star basketball player at Creighton and played one year with the Harlem Globetrotters.

The difference is that power hitters have replaced the good defense/ no hit players. Current hitters come to swing and usually miss. The hitters in Gibson's era hit to all fields, tried to put the ball in play and 100Ks+ was rare. It takes more pitches in a game with a lot of Ks.

As far as complete games, Gibson in the 9th was a better option than anyone that could be brought in from the bullpen. Now, just about every team has at least a couple of relievers that can dominate for one inning. Pedro was the last pitcher that was the best choice for the 9th.

They also pitched in a 4 man rotation vs today’s 5 and even 6 man rotation.

The strike zone was larger.