An exceptional career....intimidation factor on the field incomparable, maybe only Don Drysdale came close in his class....Tour de force on the mound in the 60’s and the early 70's....So many strengths....A player you did want him on your side, not against you...he was a Cardinal red from beginning to end.....Three time postseason virtuoso regardless of series outcome....a 7-2 W-L record in 9 complete games over three fall classics....owns two WS MVP awards....a clean sweep eluded him via the Cardinal seventh game loss to the Tigers in 1968....the only setback capping a MVP and Cy Young winning year....the astonishing regular season ERA of 1.12.....incredibly logged 28 complete games in 34 starts along with 22 wins....seemingly a manager dared not to take him out of a game...a stat impossible by today’s standards even when it is compared to MLB yearly total....post game he was aloof and distant, Gibson’s passion and drive to win was put out on the ball yard...sometimes to the consternation of teammates and press...spent a 4 month stint with basketball Harlem Globetrotters before professional play.....signed by the St Louis Cardinals and conveniently assigned to AAA squad in his hometown of Omaha Nebraska....Career might have never took off if it wasn't for manager Johnny Keane....the helmsman in Omaha, Keane saw what Gibson could be....Career flourished when they were reunited under the Gateway Arch erasing Gibby's first two underwhelming seasons that were plagued by racial undertones....Keane left after the 1964 championship but Hoot didn’t miss a beat with successor Red Schoendienst in 1965....won at least 20 games five times under Red's command....in all likelihood would have vied for a 6 consecutive year stretch if not for an injury midseason 1967 leaving him with 13 win....made up for his absence in 1967 WS....1970 his last year of 20+ wins, awarded him with his second Cy Young award....slipped a bit in 1971 with a 16-13 record but was able to get his only no hitter of his career vs. the eventual World Champion Pirates....against age and time puts together his last great season in 1972 winning 19 contests and lowering his ERA by half a point.... Exited playing after 1975 season as his effectiveness diminished....logged 255 complete games, it would take an estimated 7 seven years for all of baseball to match that total....took 9 consecutive gold glove awards and four time league shutout leader....no slouch with a bat either...went yard 24 times in the regular season plus add two in the World Series...Well know in baseball circles for his hospitality off the field...HOF inductee in 1981....recently passed away in October 2020 succeeding teammate Lou Brock by a month.
