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A pitcher's duel is common in the World Series. But the 1968 World Series turned out to be a pitcher's duel between two pitchers: Detroit's Mickey Lolich and the Cards' Bob Gibson. Both were dominating on the mound. Both kept their teams in the Series by winning their first two starts. It would all come down to the decisive game 7, where the veteran World Series pitcher Gibson would go head to head with Lolitch for the first time in the Series. Only one pitcher could win this duel ... and the Series.
1968 was frequently called "The Year of the Pitcher," and that season, few were more dominant than Cards ace Bob Gibson. The menacing Gibby was in peak form in Game 1, as the NL MVP and Cy Young winner matched up against Tigers ace Denny McLain, whose 31 regular-season wins were the most since 1931. Gibson was at his best against the Tigers' best hitters, striking out Al Kaline and Norm Cash three times each, and fanning 17 to set a World Series record, steamrolling to a five-hit shutout.
The Cards sent Nelson Briles (19-11, 2.81 ERA) to the mound to follow Gibson's historic Game 1 performance. The Tigers countered with Mickey Lolich (17-9, 3.19 ERA). Briles proved to be less dominant than Gibson, giving up solo homers to Willie Horton, Lolich and Cash. Lolich, however, proved to be very much like Gibson, going the distance and giving up one run while striking out nine. The Tigers won 8-1 to even the Series at one game apiece.
As the scene moved to Tiger Stadium, Detroit looked to Earl Wilson (13-12, 2.85 ERA) to keep the Cards' bats off balance. St. Louis went with Ray Washburn (14-8, 2.26 ERA). But this would be a game of long ball. Specifically, three-run homers by Cards catcher Tim McCarver and first baseman Orlando Cepeda would more than overcome three runs given up by St. Louis pitching. The Cardinals took the game, 7-3, and led the Series, 2-1.
Rain fell on Tiger Stadium for Game 4. But the storm cloud the Tigers were worried about was on the mound in the fearsome form of Game 1 winner Gibson. Gibson did not disappoint, striking out 10 and holding the Tigers to one run in another overpowering complete game performance. The Cards' Lou Brock created some thunder of his own, falling a single short of the cycle and driving in four runs. McLain, the first 30-game winner in three decades, took his second loss of the Series as St. Louis won, 10-1, to take a seemingly comfortable 3-1 Series lead.
The sun came out on Tiger Stadium for Game 5. It also came out on the Tigers. The Cards jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead against Game 2 winner Lolich in the top of the first. But Lolich beared down, aided by superb Detroit defense. He struck out eight and gave up no more runs, pitching a complete game. He also started the bottom of the seventh off with a single, starting a rally that would lead to Kaline driving in the winning run. Detroit won, 5-3, and cut the Cards' Series lead to 3-2.
Returning to Busch Stadium, the Tigers played inspired baseball. Their offense exploded for 13 runs, 10 of them coming in the third inning to tie a World Series record. Highlights included a grand slam by Jim Northrup and a four-RBI day for Kaline. McLain, who had been 0-2 in the Series, looked more like the pitcher he was during the regular season, going the distance and giving up one run while striking out seven. The Tigers won, 13-1, evening the Series at three and forcing a Game 7 showdown.
By the time the '68 Series made it to a decisive Game 7, the Tigers had already been victimized by Gibson twice -- striking out a Series-record 17 times in Game 1, and managing only one run on five hits in Game 4. But Lolich had already won two games in the Series himself (Games 2 and 5), and he was up to the challenge of taking on Gibson in Game 7 on only two days' rest. Lolich spun a gem, with only a ninth-inning homer by Mike Shannon spoiling his shutout as the Tigers won the World Series in seven games.
Copyright 1968 by the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball
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Audio |
Jack Buck, play-by-play
Ernie Harwell, play-by-play
Pee Wee Reese, play-by-play
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| Game 1 - October 2, 1968 |
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Tigers |
0 |
5 |
3 |
| Cardinals |
4 |
6 |
0 |
| Game 2 - October 3, 1968 |
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Tigers |
8 |
13 |
1 |
| Cardinals |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| Game 3 - October 5, 1968 |
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Cardinals |
7 |
13 |
0 |
| Tigers |
3 |
4 |
0 |
| Game 4 - October 6, 1968 |
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Cardinals |
10 |
13 |
0 |
| Tigers |
1 |
5 |
4 |
| Game 5 - October 7, 1968 |
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Cardinals |
3 |
9 |
0 |
| Tigers |
5 |
9 |
1 |
| Game 6 - October 9, 1968 |
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Tigers |
13 |
12 |
1 |
| Cardinals |
1 |
9 |
1 |
| Game 7 - October 10, 1968 |
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Tigers |
4 |
8 |
1 |
| Cardinals |
1 |
5 |
0 |
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