Look at this guy. As they say, he was a specimen, figuratively and literally.
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| Young Bob Gibson, early 1960's: "You lookin' at me?" |
Bob Gibson had previously pitched in the 1964 World Series, splitting two games with the New York Yankees. This was, of course, before he became Bob Gibson. The no-nonsense, "I'll-stick-this-baseball-past-your-uvula" Bob Gibson. Check out the signature game of his career, from this clip from the 1968 World Series. Love the play-by-play and commentary by Harry Carey ("He's going with the Mustard") and Curt Gowdy. Vintage stuff, kids. Watch Gibson as his eyes burn a hole through the NBC television camera back of homeplate... just like he melted the Detroit Tigers on that warm afternoon of October 2, 1968 in St. Louis, MO.
It may have been the most memorable sports moment involving an African American in the entire decade of the 1960's.
Other contenders?
*The 1965 World Series introduced America to the first black American, Jim "Mudcat" Grant to pitch and win a World Series Game. In whiter-than-Wonderbread Minnesota!*Wilt Chamberlin scored 100, and then repeated the same number in one NBA game in 1962.*Juan Carlos and Tommie Smith shocked the sporting public with their fists raised high on the medal stand at the '68 Summer Olympics to announce Black power & pride - thus earning a hellacious ass- whipping from their mothers*Cassius Clay knocked out a thug and sometime boxer Sonny Liston to become the heavyweight champ, never once shutting his piehole in doing so
*Bill Cosby violently slam dunked an orange into a wastepaper basket during an episode of "I-Spy"
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| Juan and Tommy letting us all know they knew the correct answer! |
But this was different. With temerity, fearlessness, and the white-hot flame of black pride, Bob "Hoot" Gibson struckout 17 Detroit Tigers in Game One of the 1968 World Series, October 2, 1968. And he's our lead off post at "New Frontier Baseball. I hope you will come back to enjoy it!
Keep On Keepin' On!
TT
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| Gibby! |
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