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Happy heavenly birthday to Bob Gibson, born 91 years ago today in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the most feared pitcher of his generation, famous for throwing inside, refusing to fraternize with opponents, and working at a relentless pace. Vin Scully once said, “Gibson pitches as though he’s double parked.” His longtime catcher, Tim McCarver, recalled being sent to the mound by Cardinals manager Johnny Keane to slow Gibson down. When McCarver explained why he was there, Gibson told him, “Get on back behind the plate. The only thing that you know about pitching is that it’s hard to hit.” No discussion of Gibson is complete without his 1968 season, when he threw 28 complete games, including 13 shutouts, and finished with a 1.12 ERA. He won both the Cy Young and National League MVP that year. The following season, Major League Baseball lowered the pitcher’s mound from 15 inches to 10, partly because of his dominance. Gibson also won seven of his nine World Series starts and was named World Series MVP in both 1964 and 1967. I was lucky enough to meet him and get a photo about 15 years ago. I asked if he would stare me down as if I were in the batter’s box. He obliged. For a moment, I got a glimpse of the snarl that made opposing hitters miserable. But what I remember most is how kind and soft-spoken he was. RIP ⚾️