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This is Keith Morris of Sports Illustrated. My guest is Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Bob, when a pitcher has a winning streak like 15 or 16 games, do you feel that a certain amount of luck is involved?
Oh, you definitely have to have luck. You can pitch one hit ball as I did before and I lost a ballgame.
So you have to be lucky, your team has to be hitting and you of course have to have good stuff.
Some people feel that this year's Cards are one of the strongest teams of all times. How do you see it?
I think we definitely have one of the best teams in the league.
Of all times I couldn't compare with anybody because I've never seen any of those old clubs they used to have.
But I can't imagine those teams being any better than the team that we have now.
Bob Gibson, do you think that the atmosphere around your club with everybody seeming to get along has helped the Cards make success or has success made everybody get along?
I think the way the players are is definitely a plus as far as having a good ball team.
We've been down before and we had the same guys, we have the same attitude that we have now.
And I think when you stick together there is a certain amount of togetherness that you feel when you're out on the field that is comparable to something that a family has.
And this is the type of ball team that we have.
With such a big lead so late in the season, is there a tendency for your team not to put out quite so much?
I don't think so. Our team right now is not playing real good baseball, but we're a little tired.
We've been playing straight through since July 11th, haven't had an off day.
And the grind is going to make anybody tired.
And when you lose a few games the first thing they say is that you're not putting out or you're getting complacent.
But I don't think that's the point at all.
Another runaway penner for the Cards should mean some bigger salaries next year.
Do you think that a team with so many people on such high salary tends to let up?
I don't think so. And as far as the salary is concerned, that's not my problem.
You have to talk with the general manager about that.
But when you make a little bit of money and you have a good year, there's always a little bit more money to make.
And we play baseball for our living.
It's not one of those deals where it's a raw, raw thing, you know.
And so I'm quite sure the players are aware that if they do a better job, they're going to make better money.
And it's not a thing of complacency.
Well, I see that Prentice Hall has put Bob Gibson's life story into book form, From Ghetto to Glory.
And what is this about mainly?
It's a book about my life from the time I was a kid through the present day.
And I think it's a fairly good book. It explains how I grew up, the things that I did, the schools that I went to, and how I became a professional baseball player.
It should be good reading. Bob Gibson, good luck to you and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Thank you.
This is Keith Morris of Sports Illustrated.