Bob Gibson oral history interview, circa 1968
Bob Gibson oral history interview
Datecirca 1968
DescriptionAn interview of Bob Gibson that was conducted by the St. Louis Cardinals in St. Louis, Missouri. Content of the interview include:
Track 1 - First started playing baseball when he was 10 years old, on weekends, he played baseball and during the week he played softball, something he enjoyed doing and was lucky enough to get into professional baseball after he got out of school; his main interest in school was basketball, also ran track; when to Omaha Technical High School, was approached by Cardinals scout Runt Marr right before he got out of high school, but his older brother convinced him he should go to university first, so he attended Creighton University and then became a professional baseball player after he graduated; feels education is very important as far as life is concerned, doesn't have much to do with playing baseball, but if you're going to get a job other than professional sports, education is important (00:00:00 to 00:02:06)
Track 2 - Studied sociology, so if he wasn't an athlete, he would probably be working with people, would enjoy working with children more than grown-ups, a certain feeling you get when you convey something to a child and see the results, more difficult to teach adults (00:02:06 to 00:02:38)
Track 3 - On having two girls, Renee, 10 years old and Annette, 9; stay in Omaha most of the time but spend the summers with him in St. Louis, attend the games or watch him on TV; his oldest girl wants to be a baseball player, but he doesn't know how to explain to her that girls don't play baseball; youngest one likes to go to games and eat popcorn; doesn't really know any of the neighborhood kids in Omaha because he isn't there much and just moved into a new home, so doesn't know too many people yet (00:02:38 to 00:03:51)
Track 4 - On off season business, a radio and television show on Saturdays, and also a job with the city, working with the kids and going around talking to the youngsters in school to convince them to stay in school (interviewer talks to someone off-mic) (00:03:51 to 00:04:40)
Track 5 - Has some off-season business interests, also works with a radio station, doing a sports show on Saturdays, and also works for as the color man for broadcasts of the Creighton University home games (00:04:40 to 00:05:30)
Track 6 - On nickname "Hoot," called him that since he started in professional baseball, seems like they call anyone named Gibson "Hoot" (00:05:30 to 00:06:08)
Track 7 - On being a snappy dresser, most people are concerned about the way they look and so he likes clothes (00:06:08 to 00:06:28)
Track 8 - On his biggest interest being music, loves music and tries to play a musical instrument, rather listen to a record than hear somebody talk; not too many of the guys get together when they are on the road, 2-3-4 other guys on the team take tape recorders with them to listen to music (00:06:28 to 00:07:19)
Track 9 - On tremendous club spirit, the team is about as close as any team could be, a bunch of swell guys on the club and enjoy playing with all of them (00:07:19 to 00:07:47)
Track 10 - On not really following professional baseball when he was young, the first professional baseball game he ever saw was the first one he was in (00:07:47 to 00:08:15)
Track 11 - Would rather be a great hitter than a great pitcher; enjoys playing the game so much that he would like to play every day, a pitcher only pitches once a week, and the 4-5 days he has between starts, he goes crazy sitting on the bench so he would rather be out there playing every day (00:08:15 to 00:09:09)
Track 12 - On the role of the catcher, he comes out for a number of reasons, sometimes just to slow you down, sometimes to tell you something wrong in your throwing, dropping down or trying to get on top too much, so he'll come out and let you know about it (00:09:09 to 00:10:04)
Track 13 - On the biggest influence in his baseball life being his oldest brother, he's the one who got him started in baseball, kept him going when he was young, and the spirit that he had was passed on to him when he grew up; his brother likes baseball as much as Gibson does; his brother played semi-pro ball and managed teams around Omaha, both for kids and grownups, baseball, basketball and football; his brother took the place of a father (phone buzzes) because his father died a month before he was born, so his oldest brother was responsible for the youngest kids, he acted more like a father, his name is Leroy, but they call him Josh; he comes down to the games once in a while, takes about eight hours to drive to St. Louis from Omaha (00:10:04 to 00:11:59)
Track 1 - First started playing baseball when he was 10 years old, on weekends, he played baseball and during the week he played softball, something he enjoyed doing and was lucky enough to get into professional baseball after he got out of school; his main interest in school was basketball, also ran track; when to Omaha Technical High School, was approached by Cardinals scout Runt Marr right before he got out of high school, but his older brother convinced him he should go to university first, so he attended Creighton University and then became a professional baseball player after he graduated; feels education is very important as far as life is concerned, doesn't have much to do with playing baseball, but if you're going to get a job other than professional sports, education is important (00:00:00 to 00:02:06)
Track 2 - Studied sociology, so if he wasn't an athlete, he would probably be working with people, would enjoy working with children more than grown-ups, a certain feeling you get when you convey something to a child and see the results, more difficult to teach adults (00:02:06 to 00:02:38)
Track 3 - On having two girls, Renee, 10 years old and Annette, 9; stay in Omaha most of the time but spend the summers with him in St. Louis, attend the games or watch him on TV; his oldest girl wants to be a baseball player, but he doesn't know how to explain to her that girls don't play baseball; youngest one likes to go to games and eat popcorn; doesn't really know any of the neighborhood kids in Omaha because he isn't there much and just moved into a new home, so doesn't know too many people yet (00:02:38 to 00:03:51)
Track 4 - On off season business, a radio and television show on Saturdays, and also a job with the city, working with the kids and going around talking to the youngsters in school to convince them to stay in school (interviewer talks to someone off-mic) (00:03:51 to 00:04:40)
Track 5 - Has some off-season business interests, also works with a radio station, doing a sports show on Saturdays, and also works for as the color man for broadcasts of the Creighton University home games (00:04:40 to 00:05:30)
Track 6 - On nickname "Hoot," called him that since he started in professional baseball, seems like they call anyone named Gibson "Hoot" (00:05:30 to 00:06:08)
Track 7 - On being a snappy dresser, most people are concerned about the way they look and so he likes clothes (00:06:08 to 00:06:28)
Track 8 - On his biggest interest being music, loves music and tries to play a musical instrument, rather listen to a record than hear somebody talk; not too many of the guys get together when they are on the road, 2-3-4 other guys on the team take tape recorders with them to listen to music (00:06:28 to 00:07:19)
Track 9 - On tremendous club spirit, the team is about as close as any team could be, a bunch of swell guys on the club and enjoy playing with all of them (00:07:19 to 00:07:47)
Track 10 - On not really following professional baseball when he was young, the first professional baseball game he ever saw was the first one he was in (00:07:47 to 00:08:15)
Track 11 - Would rather be a great hitter than a great pitcher; enjoys playing the game so much that he would like to play every day, a pitcher only pitches once a week, and the 4-5 days he has between starts, he goes crazy sitting on the bench so he would rather be out there playing every day (00:08:15 to 00:09:09)
Track 12 - On the role of the catcher, he comes out for a number of reasons, sometimes just to slow you down, sometimes to tell you something wrong in your throwing, dropping down or trying to get on top too much, so he'll come out and let you know about it (00:09:09 to 00:10:04)
Track 13 - On the biggest influence in his baseball life being his oldest brother, he's the one who got him started in baseball, kept him going when he was young, and the spirit that he had was passed on to him when he grew up; his brother likes baseball as much as Gibson does; his brother played semi-pro ball and managed teams around Omaha, both for kids and grownups, baseball, basketball and football; his brother took the place of a father (phone buzzes) because his father died a month before he was born, so his oldest brother was responsible for the youngest kids, he acted more like a father, his name is Leroy, but they call him Josh; he comes down to the games once in a while, takes about eight hours to drive to St. Louis from Omaha (00:10:04 to 00:11:59)
Object numberBL-2001-00092-003
Artist, Creator, or Manufacturer
Gibson, Bob, 1935-2020
Artist, Creator, or Manufacturer
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
Subject
Gibson, Bob, 1935-2020
Classificationsaudio/visual materials
Collection NumberBA RMA 003 St. Louis Cardinals oral history collection
Dimensions8.32175925925926E-03
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Object number: BL-2001-00092-010
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
1967 or 1968
Object number: BL-2001-00092-008
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
circa 1968
Object number: BL-2001-00092-001
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
circa 1968
Object number: BL-2001-00092-005
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
1967 or 1968
Object number: BL-2001-00092-017
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
1968 February 08
Object number: BL-2001-00092-004
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
1967 or 1968