Bob Gibson: Cardinals Ace and 1968 Cy Young and MVP Winner Dies at 84

Bob Gibson was an American baseball pitcher who spent his entire 17-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals and is regarded as one of the most dominant pitchers in history. Born on November 9, 1935, in Omaha, Nebraska, he was the youngest of seven children.

Gibson went 251-174 with a 2.91 ERA and 3,117 strikeouts. In 1968, the "Year of the Pitcher," he posted a 1.12 ERA, the lowest of the live-ball era, and won both the National League MVP and Cy Young awards. He won the World Series MVP in 1964 and 1967 and struck out 17 batters in Game 1 of the 1968 World Series. He also won nine Gold Gloves and threw a no-hitter in 1971.

Gibson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981 on his first ballot, and the Cardinals retired his No. 45. He attended Creighton University on a basketball scholarship and briefly played for the Harlem Globetrotters. He died of pancreatic cancer in Omaha on October 2, 2020, at age 84. Remembered for his fierce competitiveness, he intimidated hitters for nearly two decades.

Achievements: 1968 NL MVP and Cy Young Award winner, 1.12 ERA (1968), World Series MVP (1964, 1967), nine Gold Gloves, Baseball Hall of Fame (1981).

Birth: November 9, 1935 - Omaha, Nebraska.

Profession: Baseball pitcher.

Interesting Facts: He was nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby." After his 1968 season, baseball lowered the pitcher's mound.