Cardinals At Pirates, The Four Immortals Of The Alabaster Plaster, June 16, 1961
23 April 2026
Album art features Bob Gibson
Just another Friday night in the Steel Capital of the world, and the defending World Series champions welcome the St Louis Cardinals to Pittsburgh? Think again.
The Pirates’ 1960 World Series win feels like it is from another era, as the team struggled through injuries and performance, but was still adrift in the middle of the National League. The NL is looking tired as well, stuck with 8 teams and a 154-game season, waiting for the expansion and a league-wide draft to rip up the old order.
Yet the new order is on the field tonight, as the Forbes Field crowds witness what we now know is a Hall of Fame showcase: the legendary Stan Musial in the twilight of his career, the power of Roberto Clemente on his way to his first batting title, the defensive wizard Bill Mazeroski, and a young, ferocious Bob Gibson.
It’s Bob Gibson who stands out. In 1961, Gibson unlocked his pitching, moving from a sophomore-year ERA of 5.61 to throwing 10 complete games and posting an ERA of 3.24. He’s tonight’s starting pitcher, throwing to the young Tim McCarver, also on his way to changing the baseball world forever.
Ewan Spence and the Classic Baseball Radio team bring you this recreated radio broadcast from June 16, 1961. This should not be considered a complete or fully accurate historical record. Nevertheless, this is our story of the game.
We thank Retrosheet, Sports Reference, Sports Logos Net, Tom R Audio, and Crafting The Call.
You can find the boxscore here.
Listen to the episode
Further Reading
An overview of Forbes Field’s unique characteristics, including "Death Valley" and the hard infield. https://www.brooklineconnection.com/history/Facts/ForbesField.html
A comprehensive look at Gibson’s career, including his intimidation tactics and Harlem Globetrotters background. https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/bob-gibson/
How Bill White, Curt Flood, and others integrated the Cardinals' spring training https://www.stlredbirds.com/2020/11/08/how-bill-white-curt-flood-and-others-integrated-cardinals-spring-training/
Tribute to Ken Boyer, still the only Cardinal to hit for the cycle twice. https://www.baseballhistorycomesalive.com/tribute-to-ken-boyer/
Carl Warwick’s aggressive pinch-hitting approach coming off the bench for St. Louis. https://retrosimba.com/2025/04/21/carl-warwick-came-through-in-a-pinch-for-cardinals/
A look at Dick Groat’s role in one of the most efficient double-play tandems in baseball history. https://www.psacard.com/cardfacts/baseball-cards/1961-topps/dick-groat-1/45518
Was Left-Handed catcher Smokey Burgess one of the best-hitting catchers of all time? https://tht.fangraphs.com/bl-tr-part-2-the-best-left-handed-hitting-catchers-in-major-league-history/
Examining Clem Labine’s durability as a reliever and his success in neutralising great hitters like Stan Musial. https://thisdayinbaseball.com/clem-labine-page/
Tim McCarver’s transition from a bonus-baby catcher to a three-time Emmy-winning broadcaster. https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/tim-mccarver/
Tim McCarver and Chris Cannizzaro’s catching duel during 1961. https://retrosimba.com/2017/01/04/catching-competition-chris-cannizzaro-vs-tim-mccarver/
The 1961 MLB Expansion Draft: How the Cardinals and Pirates lost key players like Bob Lillis and Hal Smith to the new franchises. https://sabr.org/journal/article/the-colt-45s-and-the-1961-expansion-draft/
“Tim McCarver Sings Selections From The Great American Songbook.” https://www.discogs.com/release/12488582-Tim-McCarver-Sings-Selections-From-The-Great-American-Songbook