Russ Gibson
Encyclopedia
John Russell Gibson was an American
reserve
catcher
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Boston Red Sox
and San Francisco Giants
between and . Listed at 6' 1", 195 lb., he batted and threw right-handed. Gibson was born and raised in Fall River
, Massachusetts
, and was a graduate of B.M.C. Durfee High School, where he was a three-sport star, including playing forward for the 1956 New England championship basketball team.
Gibson spent ten years in the minors
before serving as a backup catcher for his hometown team, the Red Sox, from 1967 through 1969. As a 28-year-old rookie, he made his major league debut with the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium
on April 14, catching fellow rookie Billy Rohr
, who started
against Whitey Ford
and the New York Yankees
. Rohr was one strike away from a no-hitter
when Elston Howard
looped a two-out, ninth inning single
to right-center field. Gibson also contributed in the Rohr's 3–0, one-hit shutout
, going 2-for-4 and scoring a run
. Later in the season, on June 12 he hit a two-run home run
at Fenway Park
to defeat the Yankees 3–1.
A member of the 1967 "Impossible Dream" Red Sox team, he caught the first game of that year's World Series
against the St. Louis Cardinals
. Coincidentally, Gibson would be replaced by Howard late that season, and would continue to platoon with Howard through the 1968 season. Gibson enjoyed his best season in 1969, when he posted career highs in games played
(85), batting average
(.251), hits
(72), runs (21), home runs (3) and runs batted in
(27), as he platooned
with Jerry Moses
and Tom Satriano
. Before the 1970 season he was sold by Boston to the Giants, playing for them until 1972.
In a six-season career, Gibson was a .228 hitter (181-for-794) with eight home runs and 78 RBI in 264 games, including 49 runs, 34 doubles
, four triples
, and two stolen base
s. Gibson had resided in Swansea, Massachusetts
since 1982, and died there at age 69 after a long illness, on the same day that his 1967 manager Dick Williams
was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
reserve
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
between and . Listed at 6' 1", 195 lb., he batted and threw right-handed. Gibson was born and raised in Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, and was a graduate of B.M.C. Durfee High School, where he was a three-sport star, including playing forward for the 1956 New England championship basketball team.
Gibson spent ten years in the minors
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
before serving as a backup catcher for his hometown team, the Red Sox, from 1967 through 1969. As a 28-year-old rookie, he made his major league debut with the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
on April 14, catching fellow rookie Billy Rohr
Billy Rohr
William Joseph Rohr is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played in the American League for the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians . Listed at 6' 3", 170 lb., he batted and threw left-handed....
, who started
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
against Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
and the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. Rohr was one strike away from a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
when Elston Howard
Elston Howard
Elston Gene Howard was an American Negro League and Major League Baseball catcher, left fielder and coach. During a 14-year baseball career, he played from 1955–1968, primarily for the New York Yankees...
looped a two-out, ninth inning single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
to right-center field. Gibson also contributed in the Rohr's 3–0, one-hit shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
, going 2-for-4 and scoring a run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. Later in the season, on June 12 he hit a two-run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
to defeat the Yankees 3–1.
A member of the 1967 "Impossible Dream" Red Sox team, he caught the first game of that year's World Series
1967 World Series
The 1967 World Series matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Boston Red Sox in a rematch of the 1946 World Series, with the Cardinals winning in seven games for their second championship in four years and their eighth overall...
against the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. Coincidentally, Gibson would be replaced by Howard late that season, and would continue to platoon with Howard through the 1968 season. Gibson enjoyed his best season in 1969, when he posted career highs in games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
(85), batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
(.251), hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(72), runs (21), home runs (3) and runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
(27), as he platooned
Platoon system
The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position—usually one right-handed and one left-handed. Typically the right-handed half of the platoon is played on days when the opposing pitcher is left-handed and the left-handed player is played otherwise...
with Jerry Moses
Jerry Moses
Gerald Braheen Moses is a retired American professional baseball player. A catcher, he signed a bonus contract with the Boston Red Sox in and spent his early Major League Baseball career with the Bosox, but over the course of his nine years in MLB Moses would play for seven different teams...
and Tom Satriano
Tom Satriano
Thomas Victor Nicholas Satriano is a retired American professional baseball player. Although he began his professional career as a third baseman, he converted to catcher and played 321 games as a backstop during a ten-year, 674-game Major League Baseball career from – for the Los...
. Before the 1970 season he was sold by Boston to the Giants, playing for them until 1972.
In a six-season career, Gibson was a .228 hitter (181-for-794) with eight home runs and 78 RBI in 264 games, including 49 runs, 34 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, four triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and two stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s. Gibson had resided in Swansea, Massachusetts
Swansea, Massachusetts
Swansea is a town in Bristol County in southeastern Massachusetts.It is located at the mouth of the Taunton River, just west of Fall River, 47 miles south of Boston; and 12 miles southeast of Providence, Rhode Island....
since 1982, and died there at age 69 after a long illness, on the same day that his 1967 manager Dick Williams
Dick Williams
Richard Hirschfeld "Dick" Williams was an American left fielder, third baseman, manager, coach and front office consultant in Major League Baseball. Known especially as a hard-driving, sharp-tongued manager from 1967–69 and 1971–88, he led teams to three American League pennants, one National...
was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.