If Your Birthday is November 9th

...you share it with Hall of Famer Bob Gibson. Now pinch yourself, this still-intimidating figure turns 80 today.
Remember how Perry Mason "owned" the courtoom? Gibson had the same commanding presence working on a mound.

The greatest pitcher in Cardinals history joined Juan Marichal, Don Drysdale, Fergie Jenkins and Tom Seaver as the National League's dominating pitchers of the 1960s.

For those lucky enough to have seen in his prime, do you have a favorite Gibson moment? Was it helping the Cardinals storm from behind to capture the 1964 NL pennant? Or besting Mel Stottlemyre and the Yankees in that fall's World Series? 1967 -- when he returned after missing half the season with a broken leg to lead St. Louis to its second championship of the decade? Or 1968, when he was the most dominant hurler in the Year of the Pitcher? Maybe August 1971, when he notched his 200th career victory and in the next start threw the only no-hitter of his career.

I had the honor of meeting Bob at WFAN this fall, when he was in New York promoting his book Pitch by Pitch.

 Who else shares November 9th with Bob?

  • Another beloved Cardinal name -- Whitey Herzog, the manager and architect for the club's three pennants and 1982 World Series title.
  • Yankees rookie 1st baseman Greg Bird, who took over for an injured Mark Teixeira and smacked 11 homes in 46 games.
  • Adam Dunn, who knew a thing or two about home runs -- he belted 463 in 2001 major league games.
  • Moonlight Graham, who played a half-inning in the outfield for the 1905 New York Giants, but never got the chance to bat. His story was woven into the classic baseball movie Field of Dreamsi, where he was portrayed by Burt Lancaster. Graham, who went onto a far longer career as a physician in Minnesota, has several birthdates listed on different sources -- ranging from December 28th to November 12th, and November 9th. But we'll go with November 9th, because of the good company he shares.
  • Dennis Murray, my college classmate, great friend and baseball travel "compadre." This gifted broadcast news producer has the seat next to mine as we travel near and far to enjoy the magic of baseball every spring and summer.

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