The 1968 Major League Baseball season is remembered as "The Year of the Pitcher", when St. Louis Cardinals ace Bob Gibson delivered arguably the most dominant pitching campaign in history. At 32 years old and well into his prime, the 6’ 1” righty from Omaha threw 300-plus innings and finished with a microscopic 1.12 ERA – still the lowest single-season ERA in the live-ball era (post-1920). Gibby went 22-9 with 13 shutouts and 28 complete games in 34 starts, also leading the league in strikeouts with 268. With these numbers, it was no surprise that he easily won both the National League Cy Young and MVP awards.

The Cards went on to win the NL pennant thanks to their unhittable horse and nearly completed a dream season, falling just short in a thrilling 7-game World Series against the Detroit Tigers. In Game 1 of that epic Fall Classic, Gibson pitched his final masterpiece of the season, striking out 17 batters – still a World Series record – in a 4-0 complete game shutout. So overpowering was Gibson in 1968 that MLB lowered the mound five inches the following year to restore the competitive balance. The man they called “Hoot” changed the way baseball was played forever.

We are thrilled to offer this amazing piece of baseball history to the hobby: Bob Gibson’s 1968 game-worn road jersey from the greatest statistical season ever by a pitcher. Authenticated by SGC with the second-highest possible grade attainable, it comes from the collection of a lifelong St. Louis sports fan who grew up in the Gateway to the West during the 1960’s rooting rabidly for the Redbirds.

The road gray flannel jersey has the team’s classic birds-on-a-bat logo above a cursive "Cardinals" in red and yellow chenille on the front. Gibson’s number “45” is sewn on the front and larger on the back in matching red felt numerals outlined in navy blue. There are four custom breathing holes under each armpit. All seven original buttons remain intact. On the front left tail is an aged red Rawlings tag with frayed edges indicating Gibson’s size 44. A "Set 1 1968" flag tag is attached to the white cleaning instructions label at the very bottom of the shirttail. Flanked in between is "Gibson 68" in red chain stitching. The Hall of Fame hurler has autographed the front right tail in bold blue pen (9/10 strength).

The wonderfully preserved jersey comes in all-original form except for restored “GIBSON” fabric lettering on the upper back. In SGC’s detailed evaluation, renowned jersey authenticator Dave Grob notes the “exceptionally well executed name restoration” as elevating its grade to Excellent/Superior (E/S), just one notch below a perfect Superior (S) designation that only 100% original shirts can achieve. According to Grob, the jersey exhibits “heavy use and wear” with mild fabric pilling, a few frayed threads, and evidence of multiple of laundry cycles from repeated use. (A horizontal crease on the lower front visible in some of our house images can easily be removed with steam or ironing). During his epic ’68 season, Gibson started 16 games on the road, going 12-3 with a 0.81 ERA. He notably started Game 4 of the World Series in Detroit, pitching a CG five-hitter with 10 strikeouts in the Cards’ 10-1 victory.

A full SGC booklet is included; the grade breakdown and several excerpts are posted for review. Autograph certification has been provided by longtime autograph expert Steve Grad of GRAD Authentication. (The autograph will pass any reputable third-party service.)