Pre-game chat with Bob Gibson inspirational for Brad Penny

Two hours before he took the mound against the Florida Marlins on Saturday, pitcher Brad Penny sat in the Cardinals clubhouse and listened as Hall of Famer Bob Gibson told stories from his decorative baseball career.

Gibson, of course, is one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history and his 1.12 ERA in 1968 is widely regarded as the reason Major League Baseball decided to lower the pitcher’s mound from 15 inches to 10 inches prior to the 1969 season.

So Penny sat and listened as Gibson talked about everything from his 14-inning complete game loss to his string of starts in the 1964 and 1967 World Series’.

“I love hearing those stories,” Penny said. “I was trying to figure out how in the world they threw 300-something innings every year. You would have to give me the ball and say ‘we’re not taking you out of the game, even if you give up 14 runs’. That to me is the most impressive thing. Those guys had like 50 percent complete games, throwing 300 innings a year. Those days are gone. You’re not going to see that anymore.”

Sure you will…just change the strike zone, the ball, and oil Ray Oyler up with a doozy of a re-ani dose.