Bob Gibson Visits Somerset
by Mike Ashmore
July 13, 2006 - Hunterdon County Democrat

There was no press release, no ceremonial first pitch, no announcement on the scoreboard. There was no way for Somerset Patriots fans to know that one of the greatest players of all-time was looking over their shoulders, watching the same game they were.

All-Century Team pitcher Bob Gibson was in Somerset from June 29th to July 1st, on hand to watch his son, Chris, showcase his wares for Atlantic League officials.

"This is a nice ballpark," Gibson said, stoic in his observation of batting practice behind the cage.

Bridgewater's Commerce Bank Ballpark is where Chris Gibson, an outfielder fresh out of Southeast Missouri State, spent three days working out with the team, taking batting practice, and working with Patriots coaches.

"It was nerve racking, I didn't know what to expect," he said. "As a college kid, these guys are it. This is where it's at."

The Patriots are no stranger to famous names, after all, they have had a (Bobby, Jr.) Bonds, a (Edgard) Clemente, and a (Jeff) Nettles suit up for them, with a (Pete, Jr.) Rose a plane trip away from joining the team as well. But if the 22-year-old feels any pressure, it doesn't come from his famous father.

"Whether I play or not, it's my pops, he'll be fine." he said. "It's more the outside stuff, what people think I should be able to do. People say I should be a pitcher and should be throwing 100 miles per hour, but I don't do either of those, so that kind of takes away from the pressure deal."

While league officials don't expect Gibson to sign with any of their eight ballclubs, they were impressed with his skills, and the consensus seemed to be that he could head to one of the other independent leagues in the country.

But as for his father, he was eventually surrounded by fans for autographs. Hey, players turn into fans just like everyone else when they're in the presence of greatness.

One by one, players from Somerset and the visiting Long Island Ducks were frantically searching for pens and baseballs, approaching the 70-year-old living legend no less cautiously than the batters who faced him would.

One of those batters, Bobby Malkmus, was in the stands scouting for the Cleveland Indians, and faced Gibson six times while he was a member of the Philadelphia Phillies in the early 60's.

"Gibson was just tough all-around because of his power pitching and hammer of a curveball," said Malkmus, who managed a two-run triple during his first of six encounters with the St. Louis Cardinals ace on May 4, 1960.

A notoriously tough interview, the intimidating flame-thrower took time to answer questions from reporters during each day of his visit, discussions that included receiving baseball's highest honor.

"That's not a thing that you set out to do," Gibson said of his 1981 induction into the Hall of Fame.

"Everybody wants to be a ballplayer, and everybody wants to get to the Major Leagues, and everybody wants to be real good. But the Hall of Fame isn't one of those things you think about, so that was the ultimate."

But for those players who will never have the good fortune of being enshrined in Cooperstown like Gibson, rubbing elbows with him might just have been the ultimate for them, too.

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