Classic SI Photos of Bob Gibson

Eight-time MLB All-Star, two-time Cy Young winner and 1968 MVP Bob Gibson turned 81 years old on Nov. 9, 2016. Standing tall on the high pitching mounds of the 1960s, few pitchers insisted on owning the inner half of the plate the way Gibson did. In his autobiography, the Hall of Famer wrote that he threw nine pitches: "two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a change-up, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman." Here, we present these classic SI photos of the St. Louis Cardinals pitcher nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot" (a reference to western film star Hoot Gibson).

Classic SI Photos of Bob Gibson

Bob Gibson

Walter Iooss Jr

October 8, 1964 — World Series, Game 2

Bob Gibson

Walter Iooss Jr

October 4, 1967 — World Series, Game 1

Bob Gibson

Walter Iooss Jr

October 4, 1967 — World Series, Game 1

Bob Gibson

Neil Leifer

October 12, 1967 — World Series, Game 7

Bob Gibson

Neil Leifer

October 12, 1967 — World Series, Game 7

Bob Gibson

Walter Iooss Jr

March 22, 1968 — spring training

Red Schoendienst (2), Mike Shannon (18), Bob Gibson (45), Roger Maris (9), Tim McCarver (15), Curt Flood (21), Dal Maxvill (27), Orlando Cepeda (30), Julian Javier (25) and Lou Brock (20)

Neil Leifer

September 12, 1968

Roger Maris, Tim McCarver, Bob Gibson, Mike Shannon, Lou Brock, Orlando Cepeda, Curt Flood, Julian Javier, Dal Maxvill and Red Schoendienst

Neil Leifer

October 7, 1968 Sports Illustrated cover

Al Kaline and Bob Gibson

Walter Iooss Jr

October 2, 1968 — World Series, Game 1

Bob Gibson

Walter Iooss Jr

March 5, 1970 — spring training

Bob Gibson

Walter Iooss Jr

March 5, 1970 — spring training

Bob Gibson

Walter Iooss Jr

March 5, 1970 — spring training

Bob Gibson

John D. Hanlon

May 30, 1975

Bob Gibson and Denny McLain

James Drake; Walter Iooss Jr

July 19, 1993 Sports Illustrated cover

Bob Gibson and Jeff Parrett

John Biever

July 1, 1995

Roger Clemens, Bob Gibson, Sandy Kaufax, Nolan Ryan and Warren Spahn

Chuck Solomon

Oct. 24, 1999 — MLB All Century Team (World Series, Game 2)

Bob Gibson and Brian Barton

Heinz Kluetmeier

February 28, 2009 — spring training

Bob Gibson and President Barack Obama

David Bergman

July 14, 2009 — MLB All-Star Game

Adam Wainwright, Bob Gibson and Bruce Sutter

David E. Klutho

October 19, 2011 — World Series, Game 1

Bob Gibson

Al Tielemans

October 27, 2013 — World Series, Game 4