Robert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals . A nine-time All-Star selection, Gibson accumulated 3,117 strikeouts during his career, won two Cy Young Awards, was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1968, and was a member of two World Series championship teams. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981, his first year of eligibility. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Gibson overcame childhood illness to... excel in youth sports, particularly basketball and baseball. After briefly playing under contract to both the basketball Harlem Globetrotters team and the St. Louis Cardinals organization, Gibson decided to only continue playing baseball professionally. Once becoming a full-time starting pitcher in July 1961 Gibson began experiencing an increasing level of success, earning his first All-Star appearance in 1962. Along the way Gibson became known for his fierce competitive nature and the intimidation factor he used against opposing batters.
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