It was the summer of 1963, Bob Gibson was already well on his way to establishing himself as one of the most fearsome, intimidating pitchers in big league history.
Pete Rose was a 22-year-old rookie, the cocky Cincinnati kid with a crew cut.As Rose recalls that night in St. Louis, he was playing second base when Gibson hit a double early in the game.“So I walk over, I don’t know any better, and I say, ‘What’d ya hit, Gibby?’ He’s bent over, got his hands on his knees, and he don’t say nothing.
So I ask him again, ‘What’d ya hit, Gibby?’ Nothing,” the all-time career hits leader said Saturday.Puzzled, Rose asked his manager about the exchange when the inning ended.