Detroit Tigers 0 at St. Louis Cardinals 4, F — 1968 was frequently called “The Year of the Pitcher,” and that season, few were more dominant than Cards’ ace Bob Gibson. The menacing Gibby was in peak form in Game 1, as the NL MVP and Cy Young winner matched up against Tigers’ ace Denny McLain, whose 31 regular-season wins were the most since 1931. Gibson was at his best against the Tigers’ best hitters, striking out Al Kaline and Norm Cash three times each, and fanned 17 to set a World Series record, steam-rolling to a five-hit shutout.
