Broken bones have impaired many a major league career. (Warm Up Tosses).

IN THE THEATER, THE CUSTOMARY WAY FOR YEARS TO WISH AN ACTOR GOOD LUCK as he makes his first appearance in a show is to pat him on the back and say, "Break a leg!"

How this expression came about has never been clearly settled, but it is certainly one that would stir hostile feelings in a baseball player if it were ever directed at him.

Ball players generally aren't theater buffs so they couldn't be blamed for taking umbrage at such a remark because they most likely don't know its true meaning.

Whatever, broken legs are no laughing matter, and your host columnist can speak from experience on the subject. Before this column was written, I broke the tibia and fibula of my left leg in a nasty fall, and ended up on the six-week disabled list with a steel rod screwed into the leg.

While I was thus incapacitated, I got to thinking about major leaguers who suffered similar injuries and what those injuries--whether to the leg or ankle--did to their careers.

So, please forgive me as I momentarily dwell on the subject instead of bringing you close-to-the-action material that is usually gleaned from a big league dugout, clubhouse or press box.

In the middle of the 1967 season, Bob Gibson of the Cardinals was on his way to his third straight 20-game winning year when he faced the Pirates at Busch Stadium in July. He had posted records of 20-12 in 1965 and 21-12 in 1966.