Wow, Brock and Gibson both gone within about a month of each other. Two of the main thorns in the side of the '64 Phillies and guys that both came back as part of the Baseball Classics series of exhibitions to play against the 25 year anniversary 64 team in 1989. I wanted to come and watch that game so badly but couldn't make it but remember it well. Gibson, Brock, Aaron, Torre, Williams and several other former all-stars played a 3 inning game against the '64 Phillies team and were ahead 1-0 after 3 [when the game was supposed to be over] but the innings went so fast that they decided to play 1 more inning...and the Phils tied the game. Mauch, who showed up when many in Philadelphia didn't think he would come back, remarked that if only the '64 Phillies had been allowed to play 1 more game...
Speaking of Gibson in 1964, he won 19 games and would have won 20 but in a mid May game against the Phillies at old Busch Stadium he was thrown out in the bottom of the 4th inning with a 7-1 lead after getting hit by Phils starter Dennis Bennett and tossing his bat towards the mound. He got tossed and Roger Craig finished the eventual 9-2 win. Brock was not yet on the Cards and at this point the Cards looked to me like a 5th place team behind the Phils, Giants, Reds and Dodgers.
A month later, literally minutes before the trade deadline on June 15 the Cards dealt former 20 game winner Ernie Broglio to the Cubs for a talented but erratic young outfielder named Lou Brock. We know how this all worked out for the Phils, Cards and Brock. He and Gibson were incredible players and will both be missed.
RIP Bob "Hoot" Gibson.
