Stranger to the Game
Norwalk, Connecticut: Easton Press, 1994. Limited First Edition. Full Leather. Fine, No Flaws / No Jacket as Issued. Item #5259
A handsome dark red leather edition SIGNED by both Bob Gibson and Lonnie Wheeler. One of the Easton Press "Baseball Signed First Edition" series.
Includes an in-depth perspective on the life on former National League pitcher, and Hall-of-Famer, Bob Gibson--with special mention of the amazing 1968 summer season. With moire silk endpapers, gold-gilt cover designs and page edges, and bound-in silk bookmark.
In Fine, collectible condition with no flaws. A fascinating read for a collector's sports or biography library.
During a Charlie Rose broadcast on Tuesday, September 27, 1994, former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson discussed his autobiography, “Stranger to the Game,” and reflected on his illustrious career. Gibson explained that the book’s title referenced not only his departure from professional baseball but also the broader “game” that athletes were increasingly expected to play, where etiquette and decorum often discouraged them from speaking openly about their experiences. “My life after baseball… there’s another game you have to play… telling the truth about things,” he told Rose.
In “Stranger to the Game,” Gibson explores the evolution of baseball, the rise and the struggles of the union (The Major League Baseball Players Association), racism, family dynamics, and the extraordinary physics of true athletic performance. He gives special attention to key formative experiences, many of which center on his older brother, Josh Gibson. Josh, himself a gifted athlete on a path toward a professional coaching career (which ultimately never materialized), was the dominant influence in Bob’s life: a mentor, coach, and father figure.
In his June 21, 2020 ESPN article, “Under No Circumstances Did You Ever Mess with Bob Gibson,” Tim Kurkjian recounts legendary stories about Gibson’s intimidating presence. One of the most memorable quotes comes from Doug Rader, who, when asked to name the five best pitchers he ever faced, replied, “That’s easy… Bob Gibson in 1968, Bob Gibson in 1969, Bob Gibson in 1970, Bob Gibson in 1971, and Bob Gibson in 1972.”
Roger Angell, speaking in Ken Burns’ documentary “Baseball (18 ½ Hours),” described Gibson as “a terrifying, formidable, and scary pitcher... the way he threw with an extraordinary flourish, it looked like he was jumping at the batter. He would hit batters. And batters knew this.” In the same documentary, fellow athlete Curt Flood claimed that Gibson “could throw a baseball through a brick wall.”
Rumor has it that after the Cardinals’ 1967 World Series victory over the Boston Red Sox, umpire Augie Donatelli (allegedly) swiped Gibson’s cap.
Price: $235.00 other currencies