October 12, 1967, Game 7 of the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox

Just four days earlier, Bob Gibson had secured a victory for St. Louis, and once again, he took the mound as the starting pitcher. With the final out in the 9th inning, Bob Gibson was once again in control. He threw a slider for the winning pitch, and the opposing batter swung and missed. This secured the eighth World Series trophy for St. Louis in their history.

"Let me give you one piece of advice. Never, ever get Bob Gibson mad!"

- Yogi Berra, legendary catcher of the New York Yankees

9 games, 7 wins, 2 losses, 1.89 ERA, 81 innings (9 innings per game), 92 strikeouts

These numbers, which seem like they belong in a comic book, are Bob Gibson's all-time World Series stats. Gibson's nickname, 'Warrior on the Mound', was born from his ruthless competitiveness and tenacity. He always wanted to finish the games he started. Even managers were hesitant to replace him on the mound. In the World Series, where championships are decided, he pitched an average of 9 innings per game and completed every game except one*. In the 1964 and 1967 World Series, he single-handedly secured 3 of the team's 4 wins and was named MVP** twice in a row.

*Complete game: When a starting pitcher throws every pitch from the beginning to the end of the game.
** In the 120-year history of Major League Baseball, only four players have won the World Series MVP twice. This year, Corey Seager of the Texas Rangers joined the ranks of Sandy Koufax (1965), Bob Gibson (1967), and Reggie Jackson (1977), becoming the first to do so in 56 years.

The year after achieving his second consecutive MVP in 1968, Bob Gibson reached his peak. His stats were 22 wins, 9 losses, and a 1.12 ERA in 34 games*. Notably, he completed 28 of those 34 games and achieved 47 scoreless innings, marking one of the best single-season performances in Major League history. In an effort to boost league popularity by increasing scoring, MLB officials introduced new regulations, known as the 'Bob Gibson Rule**', starting in 1969, which lowered the mound height and narrowed the strike zone, making it more challenging for pitchers.

* An ERA of 1.12 is the lowest in the live-ball era (post-1920). An ERA of 1.5 is considered a formidable barrier for pitchers, and Bob Gibson is the only player to have broken through that wall.
** The league's average ERA at the time was 2.99, a 1.3-point drop from the previous year, highlighting the dominance of pitchers. To address this, MLB officials decided to adjust the rules, naming the new regulations after Bob Gibson, who had the most outstanding performance at the time.

1968 was the peak of Bob Gibson's career, but it was also a year of great disappointment. His team, the St. Louis Cardinals, lost in the final game of the World Series, failing to secure the championship.

Despite his dominant personal performance in Game 1, where he struck out 17 batters* and pitched a complete game shutout**, the final game's loss was particularly bitter. Until the 6th inning, he had pitched scoreless innings, but after two outs in the 7th inning, he gave up four consecutive hits, leading to three runs. The two hits that scored runs could have been caught by the outfielders, leaving him and the fans deeply disappointed. Even as defeat loomed, he took responsibility and finished the game.

* 17 strikeouts remain the highest in a single World Series game.
** Complete game shutout: When a starting pitcher throws every pitch from the beginning to the end of the game without allowing any runs.

Bob Gibson desperately wanted to lead his team back to the top. However, despite approximately seven years of struggle, unexpected injuries and the team's poor performance ultimately dashed his dream of winning a third World Series title.

Bob Gibson was more obsessed with the team's victory than his own records. To honor his dedication, the club retired his number 45 immediately upon his retirement in 1975. He was then inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1981, with over 80% of the vote.

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