Bob Gibson was the pitcher in game one of the 1967 World Series. Russ Gibson was the catcher in game one of the 1967 World Series. They were not the battery however. Tim McCarver caught Bob and Russ caught Jose Santiago.
It was actually quite a pitcher's duel in game one of the '67 Fall Classic between the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals. Bob Gibson came out on top, but Jose and his mates put up quite a fight! How about Russ? Gibby seemed to have him.
The Cards charged out early in the third inning. Lou Brock singled, Curt Flood doubled. Roger Maris grounded out, Brock scoring. Santiago got out of the inning with no further damage. But now he needed two runs!
Russ Gibson led off the bottom of the frame for the Sox. Gibson got him on a strikeout. He then might have taken it a little easy, for Santiago was the next batter. Gibson delivered the pitch, and Jose Santiago hit it over the Green Monster to tie it!
St. Louis seemed destined to scored about three runs every inning after that. Yet they came away with just one, total! Julian Javier singled in the top of the fourth. Dal Maxville grounded out, Javier getting to second. Bob Gibson fanned. Lou Brock stroked a singled to left, but Javier tried to score. Carl Yastrzemski, in left for Boston, gunned him out at home. The Red Sox got a man to second in the bottom of the frame when George Scott hit a double. But Hoot get the Cards out of there.
Maris did not ground out in the top of the fifth. He singled. But the other three batters did not get one base. Roger never even made it to second. Bob Gibson settled down and got Reggie Smith to hit a fly do deep right. It stayed in the park for the first out. Russ Gibson went down on strikes again. Gibson made sure to strike out Santiago, as well.
The top of the sixth saw Mike Shannon start things off with a single. A passed ball got him into scoring position with not a man out! However, Santiago settled down, as well. Javier fanned. Dal Maxvill popped up to Gibson behind the plate. The other Gibson flied out to Yaz in left.
In the top of the seventh, it was Lou Brock again! A leadoff single started things. And then, ala Ricky Henderson years later, Brock stole second. Flood grounded out to first, with Scott making the putout unassisted. Roger Maris again grounded out. But again, Brock scored. Another RBI for Maris! More importantly, 2-1, St. Louis. Could Boston retaliate?
Scott grounded out in the bottom of the 7th. Rico Petrocelli fanned. But Smith singled this time, with Russ Gibson to follow. Manager Dick Williams sent up a pinch hitter, Norm Siebern. Gibson, no longer looking at the same surname, focused. But, Smith took off for second and Tim McCarver gunned him out!
The Sox made some switches here. John Wyatt came in to pitch, but he would not be batting 9th. Siebern went in to play right field, taking Russ Gibson's spot as the 8th hitter. Boston's 9th batter in the lineup card was interesting. Elston Howard, the old Yankee pro, came in to catch and take that spot away from the departed Santiago and the arrived Wyatt. Ken (Hawk) Harrelson (You can put it one the LINEUP CARD...YES!) would come out of right for Wyatt's spot. Wyatt was now batting in the 4th spot. Pitcher, batting in cleanup.
Wyatt didn't seem to care about all this. It had no affect on his game plan, which was hold St. Louis in check. Did he ever come through in the top of the 8th, getting the side out, 1-2-3. Javier went down on strikes.
Siebern, also didn't seem to care about his predicament. He led off the bottom of the 8th with a single. Howard, still another Red Sox in an odd spot, got the bunt down. One out and a man on second. Dick Williams had made three brilliant moves, and Boston was coming on strong in every aspect of the game!
Jerry Adair, the leadoff hitter, got the ball in the air. But it was not deep enough to get Siebern to third. When Dalton Jones popped to Maxvill in short, the promising inning was over.
But the Cardinals got a rally going in the top of the ninth! Maxvill led off with a walk. Gibson tried Howard's strategy but failed, popping out to first. Brock drew a walk. Flood flied out, but then Wyatt committed a balk against Maris. Second and third with two outs. Roger ended the drama by flying out!
Yaz flied out to his familiar spot in left to start the ninth. Joe Foy, pinch-hit for Wyatt and grounded out. But the dangerous Scott was still up. Gibson walked him and had to face another pinch hitter. It was Mike Andrews who batted for Petrocelli. He flied out to Maris in right to end the game. 2-1 was the final for St. Louis!
Gibson pitched again in game four, this time in Cardinal land. There was very little suspense in this game. St. Louis took it, 6-0. Russ Gibson did not play. Elston Howard tried his luck against Bob Gibson and came away empty in two tries. Mike Ryan relieved Ellie behind the plate. Ryan had no luck with Gibson and also went oh for two!
Howard stated game seven against Gibson. He had no luck in two tries again. In the eigth inning, with Boston trailing 7 to 1. Rico Petrocelli was on third, having hit a double. Gibby then threw a wild pitch. With no one out, Dalton Jones batted for Howard and walked. Santiago had come in to pitch after Jim Lonborg had been battered for seven earned runs. Now, he was also pinch-hit for. Siebern forced Jones, but Petrocelli scored. It was the first time in three tries against Hoot that the Sox had scored more than one run. But it was also too late! Gibson got the next two batters out of there.
Russ Gibson took over behind the plate in the top of the 9th. Moorehead came in to pitch. The first batter in the top of the 9th was, well who do you think? That's right, Bob Gibson. Russ then got a putout to his name as Bob fanned. But then Brock walked and stole second. Flood also walked. Maris drew a walk! Bases loaded and just one out!
Dan Osinski came in for Boston to pitch to the dangerous Orlando Cepeda. Cepeda popped up foul behind third. It was the shortstop Petrocelli that made the putout. So we have Brock in the Hall Of Fame, Cepeda in the Hall of Fame. Many feel that Flood and Maris should be there. Now it was time for the older brother of a Hall Of Famer to come to the mound and get that third out.
Ken Brett, George's sibling, was on the hill now for the Red Sox. Tim McCarver, catching, came to bat. Russ made sure that Brett felt okay out there. Brett was more than that. McCarver grounded out to Scott at first.
The defiant Boston Red Sox came to the plate for one last try in the bottom of the 9th. It was game over, and everyone at the park seemed to know it. Yaz, though, collected Boston's third hit of the afternoon. But Harrelson grounded into a double play. When Gibson fanned Scott with a sweeping curve, the 1967 World Series belonged to St. Louis!
The 1967 World Series was an interesting affair. Each team had a pitcher that hit a home run. Yaz and Brock were inspirational. Roger Maris had his best Fall Classic. Gibson pitched well. Gibson caught. It's quite a name in World Series history. From George Gibson stopping Ty Cobb on the base paths in 1909, to Kirk Gibson's dramatic walk-off home run off Dennis Eckersley in 1988. But 1967 was the only time we had the pitcher and batter.
I always think about common names that share a big part of baseball history. And for good measure, how about the great Josh Gibson, too? A shame he never got to play in the bigs! Could you imagine a scenario of Bob Gibson, pitching to Kirk Gibson, caught by either George, Josh or Russ Gibson. I'll tell you, Gibson would prevail!
It was actually quite a pitcher's duel in game one of the '67 Fall Classic between the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals. Bob Gibson came out on top, but Jose and his mates put up quite a fight! How about Russ? Gibby seemed to have him.
The Cards charged out early in the third inning. Lou Brock singled, Curt Flood doubled. Roger Maris grounded out, Brock scoring. Santiago got out of the inning with no further damage. But now he needed two runs!
Russ Gibson led off the bottom of the frame for the Sox. Gibson got him on a strikeout. He then might have taken it a little easy, for Santiago was the next batter. Gibson delivered the pitch, and Jose Santiago hit it over the Green Monster to tie it!
St. Louis seemed destined to scored about three runs every inning after that. Yet they came away with just one, total! Julian Javier singled in the top of the fourth. Dal Maxville grounded out, Javier getting to second. Bob Gibson fanned. Lou Brock stroked a singled to left, but Javier tried to score. Carl Yastrzemski, in left for Boston, gunned him out at home. The Red Sox got a man to second in the bottom of the frame when George Scott hit a double. But Hoot get the Cards out of there.
Maris did not ground out in the top of the fifth. He singled. But the other three batters did not get one base. Roger never even made it to second. Bob Gibson settled down and got Reggie Smith to hit a fly do deep right. It stayed in the park for the first out. Russ Gibson went down on strikes again. Gibson made sure to strike out Santiago, as well.
The top of the sixth saw Mike Shannon start things off with a single. A passed ball got him into scoring position with not a man out! However, Santiago settled down, as well. Javier fanned. Dal Maxvill popped up to Gibson behind the plate. The other Gibson flied out to Yaz in left.
In the top of the seventh, it was Lou Brock again! A leadoff single started things. And then, ala Ricky Henderson years later, Brock stole second. Flood grounded out to first, with Scott making the putout unassisted. Roger Maris again grounded out. But again, Brock scored. Another RBI for Maris! More importantly, 2-1, St. Louis. Could Boston retaliate?
Scott grounded out in the bottom of the 7th. Rico Petrocelli fanned. But Smith singled this time, with Russ Gibson to follow. Manager Dick Williams sent up a pinch hitter, Norm Siebern. Gibson, no longer looking at the same surname, focused. But, Smith took off for second and Tim McCarver gunned him out!
The Sox made some switches here. John Wyatt came in to pitch, but he would not be batting 9th. Siebern went in to play right field, taking Russ Gibson's spot as the 8th hitter. Boston's 9th batter in the lineup card was interesting. Elston Howard, the old Yankee pro, came in to catch and take that spot away from the departed Santiago and the arrived Wyatt. Ken (Hawk) Harrelson (You can put it one the LINEUP CARD...YES!) would come out of right for Wyatt's spot. Wyatt was now batting in the 4th spot. Pitcher, batting in cleanup.
Wyatt didn't seem to care about all this. It had no affect on his game plan, which was hold St. Louis in check. Did he ever come through in the top of the 8th, getting the side out, 1-2-3. Javier went down on strikes.
Siebern, also didn't seem to care about his predicament. He led off the bottom of the 8th with a single. Howard, still another Red Sox in an odd spot, got the bunt down. One out and a man on second. Dick Williams had made three brilliant moves, and Boston was coming on strong in every aspect of the game!
Jerry Adair, the leadoff hitter, got the ball in the air. But it was not deep enough to get Siebern to third. When Dalton Jones popped to Maxvill in short, the promising inning was over.
But the Cardinals got a rally going in the top of the ninth! Maxvill led off with a walk. Gibson tried Howard's strategy but failed, popping out to first. Brock drew a walk. Flood flied out, but then Wyatt committed a balk against Maris. Second and third with two outs. Roger ended the drama by flying out!
Yaz flied out to his familiar spot in left to start the ninth. Joe Foy, pinch-hit for Wyatt and grounded out. But the dangerous Scott was still up. Gibson walked him and had to face another pinch hitter. It was Mike Andrews who batted for Petrocelli. He flied out to Maris in right to end the game. 2-1 was the final for St. Louis!
Gibson pitched again in game four, this time in Cardinal land. There was very little suspense in this game. St. Louis took it, 6-0. Russ Gibson did not play. Elston Howard tried his luck against Bob Gibson and came away empty in two tries. Mike Ryan relieved Ellie behind the plate. Ryan had no luck with Gibson and also went oh for two!
Howard stated game seven against Gibson. He had no luck in two tries again. In the eigth inning, with Boston trailing 7 to 1. Rico Petrocelli was on third, having hit a double. Gibby then threw a wild pitch. With no one out, Dalton Jones batted for Howard and walked. Santiago had come in to pitch after Jim Lonborg had been battered for seven earned runs. Now, he was also pinch-hit for. Siebern forced Jones, but Petrocelli scored. It was the first time in three tries against Hoot that the Sox had scored more than one run. But it was also too late! Gibson got the next two batters out of there.
Russ Gibson took over behind the plate in the top of the 9th. Moorehead came in to pitch. The first batter in the top of the 9th was, well who do you think? That's right, Bob Gibson. Russ then got a putout to his name as Bob fanned. But then Brock walked and stole second. Flood also walked. Maris drew a walk! Bases loaded and just one out!
Dan Osinski came in for Boston to pitch to the dangerous Orlando Cepeda. Cepeda popped up foul behind third. It was the shortstop Petrocelli that made the putout. So we have Brock in the Hall Of Fame, Cepeda in the Hall of Fame. Many feel that Flood and Maris should be there. Now it was time for the older brother of a Hall Of Famer to come to the mound and get that third out.
Ken Brett, George's sibling, was on the hill now for the Red Sox. Tim McCarver, catching, came to bat. Russ made sure that Brett felt okay out there. Brett was more than that. McCarver grounded out to Scott at first.
The defiant Boston Red Sox came to the plate for one last try in the bottom of the 9th. It was game over, and everyone at the park seemed to know it. Yaz, though, collected Boston's third hit of the afternoon. But Harrelson grounded into a double play. When Gibson fanned Scott with a sweeping curve, the 1967 World Series belonged to St. Louis!
The 1967 World Series was an interesting affair. Each team had a pitcher that hit a home run. Yaz and Brock were inspirational. Roger Maris had his best Fall Classic. Gibson pitched well. Gibson caught. It's quite a name in World Series history. From George Gibson stopping Ty Cobb on the base paths in 1909, to Kirk Gibson's dramatic walk-off home run off Dennis Eckersley in 1988. But 1967 was the only time we had the pitcher and batter.
I always think about common names that share a big part of baseball history. And for good measure, how about the great Josh Gibson, too? A shame he never got to play in the bigs! Could you imagine a scenario of Bob Gibson, pitching to Kirk Gibson, caught by either George, Josh or Russ Gibson. I'll tell you, Gibson would prevail!
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