Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson Discuss "Who Owns the Plate?"

Reggie Jackson and Bob Gibson offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to understand America's pastime from their unique insider perspective. Legendary. Insightful. Uncompromising. Candid. Uncensored. Learn more about their book, Sixty Feet Six Inches here: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385528696

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Sports

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• Sixty Feet Six Inches
• Bob Gibson
• Reggie Jackson
• Lonnie Wheeler
• baseball

[wistoncap]

EVERY baseball player on the planet who hasn't had to face Bob Gibson is relieved.

[NkrumahTure]

Reggie, for all his great talent he exhibited during his career(and I'm a fan of Reggie's) in the american league has got to be relieved he never had to face Bob Gibson (NL) on a regular basis.

[022171]

gibson built a HOF career on owning the plate, largely through intimidation. so sad that a guy like him would struggle to have success in today's game. the lower mound, the smaller strike zone, and hitters loading up with body armor all tilt the balance of power in the hitters' favor. offense sells tickets, and for a pure baseball fan like me, that's somewhat sad. i'd much rather watch a 2-1 pitchers' duel than a 10-8 slugfest any day.

[mgwilliams1000]

Gibson, Drysdale, Jenkins, Maloney, and of course Koufax. If I'm correct, only a small number of hitters reached 300 batting average in the mid to late 60s. Even Mays got out of the box and changed his stance against Drysdale... and still got put on his butt.

[JTDutch]

@wistoncap ... If Bob Gibson played in this day and age, he wouldn't be the same pitcher. The rules have changed regarding hit batters and brushback pitches - there's no way that element of his game would be as prevalent today as it was back in the 60s and 70s.

[epgrove1961]

I heard from a reliable source that back in the day Gibson made a comment for every Cardinal that gets hit, I'll hit two of their guys. And is it true, that during a game years ago after A Cardinal player got hit, Gibson threw at the first player up next inning while the guy was in the on deck circle?

[KneeToTheDome]

"He hits himself."

[avalsonline2]

@BlankFracksmokesdix you are a fucking idiot.

[sternumagnum]

I thought I knew something about baseball but when I read Keith Hernandez' book I realized I might as well be thinking about another sport.

These guys' insights are similar eye openers.

Of course, Roger Angell's 1980 piece on Bob Gibson is what brought me here in the first place - so I'm already late innings. :-)

[RPenta]

@Dietpepsivanilla That's why you learn some wrestling moves to take the big guy off his feet-but they did not realize that stuff in those days; hell, better to take a shot at getting beat up than let him shell you all day.

Guess you figured out I did not like Gibson or Bill White-too bad I will never get to tell them that.

[RPenta]

@Schrittwieser I hate brushback pitchers; by the way, did you have balls to correct him or did you mark out?

[Dietpepsivanilla]

@RPenta Hoot was also a Golden Gloves boxer. They didn't rush the mound because they didn't want to get beat up.