The
Detroit Tigers are a
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
team based in
Detroit, MichiganDetroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Wayne County. Detroit is a major port city on the Detroit River, in the Midwest region of the United States. Located north of Windsor, Ontario, Detroit is the only major U.S. city that looks south to Canada. It was founded...
. One of the
American LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, that eventually aspired to major league...
's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in . The Tigers have won four
World SeriesThe World Series has been the annual championship series of the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada since 1903, concluding the postseason of Major League Baseball...
championships (1935, 1945, 1968 and 1984) and have won the American League pennant 10 times. Since 2000, the team has played at
Comerica ParkComerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000...
.
The Tigers constructed Bennett Park at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Trumbull Avenue and began playing there in
1896-Champions:*Temple Cup: Baltimore Orioles defeated Cleveland Spiders, 4 games to 0*National League: Baltimore Orioles-Statistical leaders:*Batting: Jesse Burkett .410*Home Runs: Ed Delahanty & Bill Joyce 13*Wins: Kid Nichols 30*ERA: Billy Rhines 2.46...
. In
1912-Champions:*World Series: Boston Red Sox over New York Giants -Awards and honors:*Chalmers Award**Tris Speaker, Boston Red Sox, OF** Larry Doyle, New York Giants, 2B-MLB Statistical Leaders:-American League final standings:...
, the team moved into Navin Field, which was built on the same location. It was almost completely rebuilt in 1938 and renamed Briggs Stadium. It was renamed Tiger Stadium in
1961-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Cincinnati Reds ; Whitey Ford, MVP*All-Star Game , July 11 at Candlestick Park: National League, 5-4 *All-Star Game , July 31 at Fenway Park: 1-1 tie...
and the Tigers played there until moving to their current park,
Comerica ParkComerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000...
in 2000.
Franchise history
The club is a charter member of the
American LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, that eventually aspired to major league...
, one of four clubs (with the
Boston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since , the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. The "Red Sox" name originates from the iconic uniform feature....
,
Chicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
and
Cleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field . The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
) still located in its original city. Detroit is also the only member of the
Western LeagueThe Western League of Professional Baseball Clubs, simply called the Western League, was a minor league baseball league founded on November 20, 1893, and focused in the Midwest. In 1900, the league was renamed the American League, and declared major league status in 1901.-History:Before November...
, the AL's minor league predecessor, that remains in its original city under its original name. It was established as a charter member in 1894.
Early baseball in Detroit
Detroit's first major league entry was the
Detroit WolverinesFor the short-lived NFL team, see 1928 Detroit Wolverines season.The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th century baseball team that played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan...
, a member of the
National LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league...
from 1882 through 1888. The nickname, now associated with the
University of MichiganThe University of Michigan, Ann Arbor is a public research university located in the state of Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university, the flagship campus of the University of Michigan, and one of the top public universities in the world...
, came from Michigan's nickname, "The Wolverine State".
The Wolverines' best year was 1887. They won the National League pennant and an exhibition
World SeriesThe 1887 World Series was won by the Detroit Wolverines of the National League, over the St. Louis Browns of the American Association, 10 games to 5. It was played between October 10 and October 26, and played in numerous neutral cities, as well as in Detroit and St. Louis...
, defeating the
American AssociationThis article refers to the former Baseball major league that existed from 1882 to 1891. For other leagues with a similar name see: American Association....
champion
St. Louis BrownsThe St. Louis Browns 1887 season was the team's 6th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 6th season in the American Association. The Browns went 95-40 during the season and finished 1st in the American Association, winning their third pennant in a row...
, 10 games to 5. All fifteen scheduled games of the series were played, as the clubs toured ten different cities.
The leading players were
Hardy RichardsonAbram Harding "Hardy" Richardson was a second basemen and outfielder mostly, who played in the Major Leagues for a number of teams throughout the 19th century. Most of Richardson's career was with the Buffalo Bisons...
,
Jack RoweJohn Charles Rowe was a baseball player for the Buffalo Bisons of the National League , Detroit Wolverines , Pittsburgh Alleghenys , and the Buffalo Bisons of the Players League...
,
Deacon WhiteJames Laurie "Deacon" White was an American baseball player who was one of the principal stars during the first two decades of the sport's professional era...
,
Charlie GetzeinCharles H. "Pretzels" Getzien was a German starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. who played with the Detroit Wolverines , Indianapolis Hoosiers , Boston Beaneaters , Cleveland Spiders and St. Louis Browns , all of the National League...
and Hall of Famers
"Big Sam" ThompsonSamuel Luther Thompson was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. "Big Sam" was known for his offensive production and was second on the career home runs list at the time of his retirement...
and
Dan BrouthersDennis Joseph "Dan" Brouthers Dennis Joseph "Dan" Brouthers Dennis Joseph "Dan" Brouthers ( (May 8, 1858 – August 2, 1932) was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball whose career spanned the period from to , with a brief return in...
. Thompson won the 1887 NL batting championship, making him the only NL batting winner from the traditionally AL city.
Despite the championship, the team did not draw enough fans to stay solvent at the major league level, as Detroit was at the time one of the smallest cities in the National League and its rapid industry-fueled growth was still several years in the future. Hall of Fame manager Ned Hanlon played all eight seasons in center field but there was high turnover otherwise. After the 1888 season, the team disbanded and the city was relegated to
minor leagueMinor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in North America that compete at levels below that of Major League Baseball. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses, and many are members of Minor League Baseball, an umbrella organization for leagues...
status. One new club formed and joined the
International LeagueThe International League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball...
in 1889, and promptly won the league championship. Their fans' joy came to an abrupt end when the league temporarily disbanded in mid-1890 and took the team with it. An attempt was made to revive the old Northwestern League in 1891, but it also collapsed in mid-season, and Detroit professional baseball took a short hiatus.
Another Detroit club was a charter member when the Western League reorganized for the 1894 season. They originally played at Boulevard Park, sometimes called League Park, at the corner of East Lafayette and Helen near Belle Isle. In 1895, owner George Vanderbeck decided to build Bennett Park at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues, which would remain their base of operations for the next 104 seasons. The first game at the corner was an exhibition on April 13, 1896. The team, now occasionally called the "Tigers," beat a local semi-pro team, known as the Athletics, by a score of 30–3. They played their first Western League game at Bennett Park on April 28, 1896, defeating the Columbus Senators 17–2. (Richard Bak,
A Place for Summer: A Narrative History of Tiger Stadium, 1998, pp. 58–59)
When the Western renamed itself the
American LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, that eventually aspired to major league...
for
1900-Champions:*Chronicle-Telegraph Cup: Brooklyn Superbas defeated Pittsburgh Pirates, 3 games to 1*National League: Brooklyn SuperbasAmerican League : Chicago White Sox-Statistical Leaders:-National League final standings:-Events:...
, it was still a minor league, but next year it broke with the National Agreement and declared itself major, openly competing with the
National LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league...
for players, and for fans in three contested cities. For a few years there were rumors of abandoning Detroit to compete for Cincinnati or Pittsburgh but the two leagues made peace in 1903 after similar moves into St. Louis and New York.
The Tigers played their first game as a major league team at home against the
Milwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Brewers finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 48 wins and 89 losses. After the season, they left for St. Louis and became the St...
on April 25, 1901, with 10,000 fans at Bennett Park. (Richard Bak,
A Place for Summer: A Narrative History of Tiger Stadium, 1998, pp. 73–74) After entering the ninth inning behind 13–4, the team staged a dramatic comeback to win 14-13. That team finished third in the eight-team league.
Detroit's blue laws prevented baseball from being played at Bennett Park on Sundays. Owner
James D. BurnsJames D. Burns was an American businessman, sheriff, delegate, and owner of the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball....
built a ballpark on his own property named Burns Park where the Tigers played their Sunday home games for the
1901The 1901 Major League Baseball season involved the inaugural season of the American League. The eight franchises that comprised the AL that year were the Baltimore Orioles, the Boston Americans, the Chicago White Stockings, the Cleveland Blues, the Detroit Tigers, the Milwaukee Brewers, the...
and
1902 seasonsThe 1902 Major League Baseball season involved the Milwaukee Brewers moving to St. Louis and become the St. Louis Browns, and the Chicago Orphans were renamed as the Cubs.- Major League Baseball final standings :...
.
Eleven years later, an elegant stadium was constructed on the site of Bennett Park and named Navin Field for owner
Frank NavinFrancis Joseph Navin was the principal owner of the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball for 27 years, from 1909 to 1935. He also served as vice president and acting president of the American League....
. In 1938 it was improved and named Briggs Stadium and renamed "Tiger Stadium" in 1961. Tiger Stadium was used by the Tigers until the end of the 1999 season; from 2000 they have played in
Comerica ParkComerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000...
.
The Tigers
There are various legends about how the Tigers got their
nicknameA nickname is a descriptive name given in place of or in addition to the official name of a person, place or thing. It can also be the familiar or truncated form of the proper name, which may sometimes be used simply for convenience A nickname (also spelled "nick name") is a descriptive name...
. One involves the orange stripes they wore on their black stockings. Tigers manager
George StallingsGeorge Tweedy Stallings was an American manager and player in Major League Baseball. His most famous achievement – leading the Boston Braves from last place in mid-July to the National League championship and a World Series sweep of the powerful Philadelphia Athletics – resulted in a nickname he...
took credit for the name; however, the name appeared in newspapers before Stallings was manager. Another legend concerns a sportswriter equating the 1901 team's opening day victory with the ferocity of his alma mater, the
PrincetonPrinceton University a private university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League and is considered one of the Colonial Colleges....
TigersThe Princeton Tigers are the athletic teams of the Princeton University. The school sponsors 31 varsity sports. The school has won one NCAA national championships in men's fencing, six in men's lacrosse, three in women's lacrosse, and eight in men's golf....
.
Richard Bak, in his 1998 book,
A Place for Summer: A Narrative History of Tiger Stadium, pp. 46–49, explains that the name originated from the Detroit Light Guard military unit, who were known as "The Tigers". They had played significant roles in certain
Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
battles and in the 1898
Spanish-American WarThe Spanish–American War was an armed military conflict between Spain and the United States that took place between April and August 1898, over the issues of the liberation of Cuba. The war began after American demands for the resolution of the Cuban fight for independence were rejected by Spain...
. The baseball team was still informally called both "Wolverines" and "Tigers" in the news. The earliest known use of the name "Tigers" in the media was in the
Detroit Free PressThe Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is titled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
on April 16, 1895. Upon entry into the majors the ballclub sought and received formal permission from the Light Guard to use its
trademarkA trademark or trade mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or services from...
and from that day forth it is officially the
Tigers.
The Cobb era (1905–1921)
In
1905The 1905 MLB Season was the third season held by the MLB and had the second modern World Series. The New York Giants defeated the Philadelphia Athletics to win the World Series.- Final Standings :
- League Leaders :- Postseason :...
, the team acquired
Ty CobbTyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was a baseball player and is regarded by some historians and journalists as the best player of the dead-ball era, and is generally seen as one of the greatest players of all time.In 1936, Cobb received the most votes of any player on the...
, a fearless player with a mean streak, who came to be regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. The addition of Cobb to an already talented team that included
Sam CrawfordSamuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
,
Hughie JenningsHugh Ambrose Jennings was a Major League Baseball player and manager from 1891-1925. Jennings was a leader, both as a batter and as a shortstop, with the Baltimore Orioles teams that won National League championships in 1894, 1895, and 1896. During the three championship seasons, Jennings had...
, Bill Donovan and
George MullinGeorge Joseph Mullin was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played fourteen seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators of the American League and the Indianapolis Hoosiers/Newark Pepper of the Federal League.-Career Overview:Mullin holds the Detroit Tigers...
quickly yielded results, as the Tigers won their first American League pennant in 1907.
1907 American League Champions
Cobb and the Tigers lost in the
1907 Fall ClassicThe 1907 World Series featured the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers, with the Cubs winning the Series four games to none for their first championship....
against the
Chicago Cubs- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in- Other batters :Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg...
. With the exception of Game 1, which ended in a rare tie, the Tigers failed to score more than one run in any game and lost four straight.
1908 American League Champions
The
CubsThe Chicago Cubs' 1908 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Cubs winning their third consecutive National League pennant, as well as the World Series...
would deny Detroit the title again in
'08The 1908 World Series matched the defending champion Chicago Cubs against the Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 Series. In this first-ever rematch of this young event, the Cubs won in five games for their second consecutive title....
, holding Detroit to a .209 batting average for the series, which the Cubs again won in five games.
1909 American League Champions
It was hoped that a new opponent in the
1909 SeriesThe 1909 World Series featured the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers. The Pirates won the Series in seven games to capture their first championship of the modern Major League Baseball era and the second championship in the club's history....
,
PittsburghThe Pittsburgh Pirates won the National League pennant with a record of 110-42. Led by shortstop Honus Wagner and outfielder-manager Fred Clarke, the Pirates scored the most runs in the majors. Wagner led the league in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and runs batted in...
, would yield different results, but the Tigers were blown out 8–0 in the decisive seventh game at Bennett Park.
1915
In
1915The 1915 Major League Baseball season was the thirteenth season held between the American and National Leagues.- External links :*...
, the Tigers won a then-club record 100 games but narrowly lost the American League pennant to the
Boston Red SoxThe 1915 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 1st in the American League with a record of 101 wins and 50 losses. They defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in 5 games in the World Series.- Opening Day lineup :- Roster :...
who won 101 games. The 1915 Tigers were led by an outfield consisting of Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford, and
Bobby VeachRobert Hayes "Bobby" Veach was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played fourteen seasons for the Detroit Tigers , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees and Washington Senators ....
that finished #1, #2, and #3 in RBIs and total bases. Cobb also set a stolen base record with 96 steals in 1915 that stood until 1962. Baseball historian
Bill JamesGeorge William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
has ranked the 1915 Tigers outfield as the greatest in the history of major league baseball. The only team in Tigers' history with a better winning percentage than the 1915 squad was the 1934 team that lost the World Series to the
St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals 1915 season was the team's 34th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 24th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 72-81 during the season and finished 6th in the National League...
.
1916–1920
In the teens and twenties, Cobb remained the marquee player on many Tigers teams that would remain mired in the middle of the American League. Cobb himself took over managerial duties in 1921, but during six years at the helm, his Tigers never had a record better than 86–68.
1921
In
1921The 1921 Major League Baseball season was the nineteenth season held between the American and National Leagues.- External links :*...
, the Tigers amassed 1724 hits and a team batting average of .316—the highest team hit total and batting average in American League history. (
The Elias Book of Baseball Records, 2008, p. 88) That year, outfielders
Harry HeilmannHarry Edwin Heilmann , nicknamed “Slug,” was a major league baseball player who played seventeen seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1952.Heilmann was a line drive hitter who won four American League batting crowns: in 1921, 1923,...
and Ty Cobb finished #1 and #2 in the American League batting race with batting averages of .394 and .389. As early proof of the baseball adage that good pitching beats good hitting, the downfall of the 1921 Tigers was the absence of good pitching. The team ERA was 4.40, and they allowed nine or more runs 28 times. Without pitching to support the offense, the 1921 Tigers finished in sixth place in the American League, 27 games behind the
YankeesThe New York Yankees season was the 19th season for the Yankees in New York and their 21st overall. The team finished with a record of 98-55, winning their first pennant in franchise history, winning the American League by 4 1/2 games over the previous year's champion, the Cleveland Indians. New...
with a record of 71–82.
1922–1933
The Tiger teams of the 1930s were consistently among the league's best with "Black Mike"
Mickey CochraneGordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a catcher and manager in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers. New York Yankees Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle was named after Cochrane...
behind the plate, slugger
Hank GreenbergHenry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s....
at first, and consistent
Charlie GehringerCharles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played nineteen seasons for the Detroit Tigers...
, "The Mechanical Man", at second.
1934 American League Champions
They would lose again in the
1934 World SeriesThe 1934 World Series matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang" winning in seven games for their third championship in nine years....
in seven games to the
Gashouse GangThe Gashouse Gang was a nickname applied to the St. Louis Cardinals Major League Baseball team of .The Cardinals, by most accounts, earned this nickname from the team's generally very shabby appearance and rough-and-tumble tactics...
St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals 1934 season was the team's 53rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 43rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 95-58 during the season and finished 1st in the National League...
. Again, when the chips were down in the deciding game, Detroit folded, giving up seven third-inning runs and losing Game Seven 11–0 at Navin Field (Tiger Stadium). The game was marred by an ugly incident. After spiking Tiger third baseman
Marv OwenMarvin James Owen was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played nine seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers , Chicago White Sox , and Boston Red Sox ....
in the sixth inning, the Cardinals'
Joe "Ducky" MedwickJoseph Michael Medwick , nicknamed "Ducky", was an American player in Major League Baseball. A left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals during the "Gashouse Gang" era of the 1930s, he also played for the Brooklyn Dodgers , New York Giants , and Boston Braves...
had to be removed from the game for his own safety by Commissioner
Kenesaw Mountain LandisKenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922, and subsequently as the first commissioner of organized baseball, including both the American and National leagues and the governing body of minor league baseball, the National Association of...
after being pelted with fruit and garbage from angry fans in the large temporary bleacher section in left field.
1935 World Series Champions
The Tigers eventually won the World Series the following year, defeating the
Cubs- Regular season :Gabby Hartnett was the first National League catcher to win the MVP Award.- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in...
4 games to 2 to win the
1935 World SeriesThe 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in 1907, 1908, 1909, and 1934....
, which concluded with
Goose GoslinLeon Allen Goslin , better known as Goose Goslin, was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played eighteen seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
's dramatic game-ending single, scoring Cochrane to seal the victory.
1936–1940
Despite being forecast to win the American League title again in 1936 the Tigers returned to the middle of the American League standings in the late 1930s. At the close of the 1938 season, however, the Tigers presciently held out doubts about a pennant in 1939, but figured that 1940 would be their year.
1940 American League Champions
The Tigers won the American League Championship and reached the
World SeriesThe 1940 World Series matched the Cincinnati Reds against the Detroit Tigers, with the Reds winning the Series in seven games for their second championship, their first since the scandal-tainted victory in 1919...
once again. But, the Tigers lost the World Series to the
Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds' 1940 season consisted of the Cincinnati Reds winning the National League and the World Series.- Offseason :* October 14, 1939: Hank Sauer was drafted by the Reds from the New York Yankees in the 1939 minor league draft....
.
1945 World Series Champions
With the end of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the timely return of Hank Greenberg and others from the military, the Tigers took the 1945 American League pennant. With
Virgil TrucksVirgil Oliver Trucks is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1941 through 1958, Trucks played for the Detroit Tigers , St. Louis Browns , Chicago White Sox , Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees . He batted and threw right-handed...
,
Hal NewhouserHarold "Prince Hal" Newhouser was a professional Major League Baseball pitcher of the 1940s and 1950s.-Early life:...
and
Dizzy TroutPaul Howard "Dizzy" Trout was a Major League Baseball pitcher primarily for the Detroit Tigers. Born in Sandcut, Indiana, he first played professionally in 1935 with the Terre Haute Tots in the Three-I League before signing with Detroit in 1939.Trout played for the Tigers for fourteen seasons,...
on the mound and Greenberg leading the Tiger bats, Detroit responded in a Game 7 for the first time, staking Newhouser to a 5–0 lead before he threw a pitch en route to a 9–3 victory over the
Cubs- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in- Other batters :Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg...
. Because many baseball stars had not yet returned from the military, some baseball scholars have deemed the
'45 SeriesThe 1945 World Series matched the American League Detroit Tigers against the National League Chicago Cubs. The Tigers won the Series, four games to three, giving them their second championship and first since 1935....
to be among the worst-played contests in Series history. For example, prior to the Series, Chicago sportswriter
Warren BrownWarren Brown was an American sportswriter who spent the major portion of his career in Chicago, Illinois. Brown was born in Somersville, CA a mining town near San Francisco. His father Patrick was the local saloon keeper...
was asked who he liked, and he answered, "I don't think either one of them can win it!" (
The Chicago Cubs, by Warren Brown, 1946) But the Cubs had no answer to Greenberg, and the Series went Detroit's way.
1946–60
After their 1945 Series win, the Tigers sank back to the middle of the pack in the American League for most of the 1950s. Notwithstanding Detroit's fall in the standings, the decade saw the debut of outfielder
Al KalineAlbert William "Al" Kaline, also known as Mr. Tiger, is a former Major League Baseball player. Kaline was active from 1953 to 1974 and spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
. He would hit over .300 eight times in his career, and featured one of the league's best arms in right field. But the Tigers suffered on the field because they were the 15th of the then-16 MLB teams to field an African-American player – in the Tigers' case, an Afro-Caribbean player,
Ozzie Virgil, Sr.Osvaldo José Virgil is a former utility player who played in Major League Baseball between and for the New York Giants , Detroit Tigers , Kansas City Athletics , Baltimore Orioles , Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants...
, who integrated the Tigers in 1958. Only the
Boston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since , the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. The "Red Sox" name originates from the iconic uniform feature....
trailed the Tigers in
integrating their rosterThe baseball color line, sometimes called the "Gentleman's Agreement", was the policy, unwritten for nearly its entire duration, which excluded African American players and Latin players of African descent from organized baseball in the United States before 1947...
.
1961
However, Detroit began its slow ascent back to success with an outstanding
1961The 1961 Major League Baseball season was the sixty-first held between the American and National Leagues. The New York Yankees defeated the Cincinnati Reds in five games in the World Series. The season is most well-known for Yankee teammates Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle's pursuit of Babe Ruth's...
campaign, which saw them win 101 games. They still finished eight games behind the
YankeesThe New York Yankees' 1961 season was the 59th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 109-53, eight games ahead of the Detroit Tigers, and won their 26th American League pennant. New York was managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played their home games at Yankee Stadium...
, one of the few times a team had failed to reach the postseason despite winning over 100 games. First baseman
Norm CashNorman Dalton Cash was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
had the best batting average in the American League, a remarkably high .361. He never hit over .286 before or after the '61 season. The 1961 club featured two nonwhite starters,
Jake WoodJacob "Jake" Wood Jr. , was a Major League Baseball player who played seven seasons in the Major Leagues with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds . Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Wood was the Tigers' starting second baseman from 1961-1963. After 1963, Wood was a utility infielder and backup...
and
Bill BrutonWilliam Haron Bruton was a center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Milwaukee Braves and Detroit Tigers . Bruton batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, and later in the 1960s, black players such as Willie Horton, Earl Wilson, and
Gates BrownWilliam James "Gates" Brown is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
would contribute to Detroit's rise in the standings. Pitchers
Mickey LolichMichael Stephen Lolich is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 until 1979, playing the majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers....
and
Denny McLainDennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season --a feat accomplished by only 13 players in the 20th Century....
also entered the rotation during the middle of the decade.
1962–66
As this winning nucleus developed, Detroit repeatedly posted winning records throughout the 1960s. The team even managed a third-place finish during a bizarre
1966 seasonThe 1966 Major League Baseball season was held between the American and National Leagues. The Braves play their first season in Atlanta, following their relocation from Milwaukee.- Awards and honors :*Most Valuable Player...
, in which manager
Chuck DressenCharles Walter Dressen , known as both "Chuck" and "Charlie," was an American third baseman, manager and coach in professional baseball during a career that lasted almost fifty years, and was best known as the manager of the powerful Brooklyn Dodgers of 1951-53...
and acting manager
Bob SwiftFor the Canadian football player of the same name see Bob Swift .Robert Virgil Swift was an American catcher, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. Swift is pictured in one of the most famous photographs in American sporting history. He was the catcher for the Detroit Tigers on August 19,...
were both forced to resign their posts because of health problems. Both men died during the year – Dressen in August because of a kidney infection, Swift in October due to cancer. Thereafter,
Frank SkaffFrancis Michael Skaff was an infielder, coach, manager and scout in American Major League Baseball. Skaff's half-season as acting manager of the Detroit Tigers is one of the most unusual, and tragic, happenstances in baseball annals.Skaff began 1966 as a Detroit coach...
took over the managerial reins until the end of the season. Skaff was replaced by
Mayo SmithEdward Mayo Smith was an American player, manager, and scout in Major League Baseball.Smith was born in New London, Missouri, but grew up in Florida. A left-handed batter who threw right-handed, Smith was a career minor league outfielder who spent many seasons in the International League with the...
in 1967, perhaps the last step before World Series contention.
1967
Indeed, in
1967The 1967 Major League Baseball season was the 67th held between the American and National Leagues. The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Boston Red Sox four games to three in the 64th World Series, which was the first World Series appearance for the Red Sox in 21 years...
the Tigers were involved in one of the closest pennant races in history. They needed to sweep a doubleheader from the
California AngelsThe California Angels 1967 season involved the Angels finishing 5th in the American League with a record of 84 wins and 77 losses.- Offseason :* October 18, 1966: Jimmy Piersall was released by the California Angels...
on the last day of the season to force a
one-game playoffA one-game playoff or pennant playoff is a tiebreaker in certain professional sports to determine which of two teams, tied in the final standings, will qualify for a post-season tournament...
with the
Boston Red SoxThe 1967 Boston Red Sox season, commonly referred to as The Impossible Dream, consisted of the Red Sox shocking New England and the rest of the baseball world by winning the American League Championship and reaching the World Series for the first time since 1946...
. They won the first game but lost the second, giving the Red Sox the flag with no playoff. Detroit finished the season at 91–71, a single game behind Boston.
Glory in '68 (1968 World Series Champions)
The Tigers finally returned to the World Series in
1968The 1968 Major League Baseball season was the 68th held between the American and National Leagues. The Athletics played their first season in Oakland this year, following the team's relocation from Kansas City...
. The team grabbed first place away from the
Baltimore OriolesThe 1968 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 2nd in the American League with a record of 91 wins and 71 losses, 12 games behind the AL and World Series champion Detroit Tigers, in the final season of baseball, before both the American and National Leagues split into two...
on May 10 and would not relinquish the position, clinching the pennant on September 17 and finishing with a 103–59 record. In a year that was marked by dominant pitching, starter
Denny McLainDennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season --a feat accomplished by only 13 players in the 20th Century....
went 31–6 (with a 1.96 ERA), the first time a pitcher had won 30 or more games in a season since the
St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball...
'
Dizzy DeanJerome Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball, and was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953....
accomplished the feat in 1934; no pitcher has accomplished it since. McLain was unanimously voted American League Most Valuable Player and
Cy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
winner for his efforts.
In the
1968 World SeriesThe 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
, the Tigers met the defending World Series champion
St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals 1968 season was the team's 87th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 77th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 97-65 during the season and won their second consecutive NL Pennant, by nine games over the San Francisco Giants. They lost in 7 games to the Detroit...
, led by starter
Bob GibsonPack Robert "Bob" Gibson is a former right-handed baseball pitcher, having played for the St. Louis Cardinals from to...
(who had posted a record 1.12
ERAIn baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. The ERA tells the average number of runs a pitcher would surrender over the course of a full game had he been kept in for the full nine innings...
during the regular season) and speedy outfielder
Lou BrockLouis Clark "Lou" Brock is an American former player in Major League Baseball. Brock was a left fielder who played his career with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. He batted and threw left-handed. He is currently a special instructor coach for the St...
. In Game 1, Gibson completely shut down the Detroit lineup, striking out 17 batters, still a World Series record. However, due in no small part to pitcher
Mickey LolichMichael Stephen Lolich is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 until 1979, playing the majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers....
's victories in Games 2 and 5, the Tigers climbed back into the Series and forced a seventh game. Many fans believe the turning point in the Series came in Game 5, when Willie Horton threw out Lou Brock from left field (who tried to score standing up), and catcher
Bill FreehanWilliam Ashley Freehan is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire 15-year career with the Detroit Tigers...
blocked the plate. The Tigers, who had been behind, came back to win that game. In Game 7 at
Busch Memorial StadiumBusch Memorial Stadium, later known as Busch Stadium, was the home of the St. Louis Cardinals National League baseball team from May 12, 1966 to October 19, 2005....
, Lolich faced Gibson on just two days' rest, and both men pitched brilliantly, putting zeros up on the scoreboard for much of the game. In the bottom of the sixth inning , the Cardinals looked to take the lead as Lou Brock singled to lead off the inning, only to be promptly picked off first base by Lolich. One out later, Curt Flood followed with another single, and was also picked off first base by Lolich. However, in the top of the seventh, an exhausted Gibson finally cracked, giving up singles to
Norm CashNorman Dalton Cash was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
and
Willie HortonWillie Wattison Horton is a former left fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for six American League teams, primarily the Detroit Tigers. He hit 20 or more home runs seven times, and his 325 career home runs ranked sixth among AL right-handed hitters when he retired...
. Jim Northrup then struck the decisive blow, lashing a triple to center field that scored both Cash and Horton; Northrup himself was then brought home by a Bill Freehan double. Detroit added an insurance run in the ninth, and a home run by
Mike ShannonThomas Michael Shannon is a former American-born Major League Baseball player and current radio sportscaster.Shannon is a radio broadcaster for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was raised in St. Louis, Missouri and played with the Cardinals during some of the team's most successful years...
was all the Cardinals could muster against Lolich as the Tigers took the game, 4–1, and the Series, 4–3. For his three victories that propelled the Tigers to the World championship, Lolich was named the
World Series Most Valuable PlayerThe final round of the Major League Baseball postseason is known as the World Series. This series has a best-of-seven playoff format, and currently follows the Division Series and the League Championship Series , The World Series is played by the winners of the National League Championship Series...
.
1969–71
1969The 1969 Major League Baseball season is the 69th since the initial co-existence of the American and National Leagues.It was celebrated as the 100th anniversary of professional baseball, honoring the first professional touring baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings...
saw both leagues realign into two divisions, and the Tigers were placed in the
American League EastThe American League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . Four of its five teams are located in the Eastern United States and one in Eastern Canada...
. That year,
DetroitThe Detroit Tigers' 1969 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the American League East.- Offseason :...
failed to defend its '68 title, finishing second in the division to a very strong
Baltimore teamThe 1969 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 1st in the American League East with a record of 109 wins and 53 losses, 19 games ahead of the runner-up Detroit Tigers...
which had won 109 games. Smith was let go after the
1970 seasonThe 1970 Major League Baseball season was the 70th held between the American and National Leagues. Before the season, the Seattle Pilots relocated to Milwaukee and became the Brewers, thus returning Major League Baseball to Wisconsin for the first time since the relocation of the Milwaukee Braves...
, to be replaced by
Billy MartinAlfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
. The
TigersThe 1971 Detroit Tigers finished in second place with a 91-71 record, 12 games behind the Orioles. They outscored their opponents 701 to 645. They drew 1,591,073 fans to Tiger Stadium, the second highest attendance in the American League.- Offseason :...
had a another second-place finish in
1971The 1971 Major League Baseball season was the 71st held between the American and National Leagues. It was also the final season for the Senators in Washington, D.C., before the team's relocation to the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb Arlington for the following season, as the Texas Rangers, leaving the...
.
1972 AL East Champions
In
1972The 1972 Major League Baseball season was the 72nd held between the American and National Leagues. It was the first to have games cancelled by a player strike. It was also the final season for the American League before the designated hitter rule went into effect.- Labor strife and more moving...
, the Tigers captured their first AL East title in 1972. Oddities of the schedule due to an early-season strike allowed the Tigers to win the division by just ½ game, just as they had in 1908.
In the
1972 American League Championship SeriesThe American League Championship Series took place between October 7 and October 12 of . The Oakland Athletics played the Detroit Tigers for the right to go to the 1972 World Series, with the Athletics coming out on top in the five-game series, 3–2. Games 1 and 2 took place at the Oakland...
, Detroit faced the
American League WestThe American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment...
division champion
Oakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics' 1972 season involved the A's winning the American League West with a record of 93 wins and 62 losses. In the playoffs, they defeated the Detroit Tigers in a five-game ALCS, followed by a seven-game World Series, in which they defeated the Cincinnati Reds for their first...
, who had become steadily competitive ever since the 1969 realignment. In Game 1 of the ALCS in Oakland, Lolich, the hero of '68, took the hill and went nine innings.
Al KalineAlbert William "Al" Kaline, also known as Mr. Tiger, is a former Major League Baseball player. Kaline was active from 1953 to 1974 and spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
hit a solo homer to break a 1-1 tie in the 11th inning, only to be charged with an error on
Gonzalo MarquezGonzalo Enrique Márquez Moya , better known as Gonzalo Márquez [MAR-kez], was a Major League Baseball first baseman and left-handed batter who played for the Oakland Athletics and Chicago Cubs...
's game-tying single that allowed
Gene TenaceFury Gene Tenace , is a former Italian-American Major League Baseball player who was a catcher and first baseman in the 1970s. He is currently the hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays. As a player, he was a key part of the Oakland Athletics powerhouse that won 3 consecutive World Series from...
to score the winning run.
Blue Moon OdomJohnny Lee "Blue Moon" Odom was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. For most of his thirteen-year career, he played for the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics...
shut down Detroit 5–0 in Game 2. As the series shifted to Detroit, the Tigers caught their stride. Joe Coleman held the A's scoreless on seven hits in Game 3, a 3–0 Tiger victory. In Game 4, Oakland scored two runs in the top of the 10th and put the Tigers down to their last three outs. Detroit pushed two runs across the plate to tie the game before Jim Northrup came through in the clutch again. His single off
Dave HamiltonDavid Edward Hamilton was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1972 to 1980 for the Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was a member of the Athletics when they won the World Series in 1972 through 1974...
scored
Gates BrownWilliam James "Gates" Brown is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
and evened the series at 2 games apiece. A first-inning run on a
Gene TenaceFury Gene Tenace , is a former Italian-American Major League Baseball player who was a catcher and first baseman in the 1970s. He is currently the hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays. As a player, he was a key part of the Oakland Athletics powerhouse that won 3 consecutive World Series from...
passed ball gave Detroit an early lead in the deciding fifth and final game in Detroit but
Reggie JacksonReginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder who played for five different teams from to and currently serves as a special advisor to the New York Yankees...
's steal of home in the 2nd tied it up. A
Gene TenaceFury Gene Tenace , is a former Italian-American Major League Baseball player who was a catcher and first baseman in the 1970s. He is currently the hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays. As a player, he was a key part of the Oakland Athletics powerhouse that won 3 consecutive World Series from...
single to left field gave Oakland a 2–1 lead in the fourth inning, and thanks to four innings of scoreless relief from
Vida BlueVida Rochelle Blue Jr. is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. In a 17-year career, he played for the Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, and Kansas City Royals.-Baseball career:...
, they took the American League pennant and a spot in the
World SeriesThe 1972 World Series matched the American League champion Oakland Athletics against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds, with the A's winning in seven games...
.
A slow decline (1973–78)
Martin did not survive the
1973 seasonThe 1973 Major League Baseball season was the 73rd held between the American and National Leagues. It was the first season of play for the designated hitter in the American League. The Kansas City Royals moved their home games from Municipal Stadium to the new Royals Stadium, adjacent to the...
as manager and the Tigers spent much of the next decade in the middle or lower ranks of the AL East. In
1974The 1974 Major League Baseball season was held between the American and National Leagues. The Oakland Athletics won their third consecutive World Series, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to one....
,
Ralph HoukRalph George Houk , nicknamed "The Major," is a former catcher, coach, manager, and front office executive in Major League Baseball...
, who managed the dominant Yankee teams of the early 1960s, was named manager of the Tigers. "The Major" served in that capacity for five full seasons, through the end of the
1978 seasonThe 1978 Major League Baseball season saw the New York Yankees defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers to win their second consecutive World Series, and 22nd overall, in a rematch of the prior season's Fall Classic...
. The roster of players who played under Houk were mostly aging veterans from the 1960s, whose performance had slipped from their peak years. Perhaps the biggest signal of decline for the Tigers was the retirement of Kaline following the 1974 season, after he notched his 3000th career hit. Kaline finished with 3007 hits and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1980.
1976
Tiger fans were provided a glimmer of hope when rookie
Mark FidrychMark Steven "The Bird" Fidrych was a Major League Baseball player for the Detroit Tigers from 1976-1980....
made his debut in
1976The 1976 Major League Baseball season was held between the American and National Leagues.- Postseason :- Awards and honors :- Statistical Leaders :- External links :*...
. Fidrych, known as "the Bird", was a colorful character known for talking to the baseball and other eccentricities. During a game against the
YankeesThe New York Yankees' 1976 season was the 74th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 97-62, finishing 10.5 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles to win their first American League East title....
,
Graig NettlesGraig Nettles is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and left-handed batter who played for the Minnesota Twins , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres , Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos .Nettles was one of the best defensive third basemen...
responded to Fidrych's antics by talking to his bat. After making an out, he later lamented that his Japanese-made bat didn't understand him. Fidrych was the starting pitcher for the American League in the
All Star GameThe 1976 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 47th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 13, 1976 in baseball at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia,...
played that year in
PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional sports facility located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
to celebrate the American
BicentennialThe United States Bicentennial was celebrated on Sunday, July 4, 1976, the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.-Coins:...
. He finished the season with a record of 19–9 and an American League-leading
ERAIn baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. The ERA tells the average number of runs a pitcher would surrender over the course of a full game had he been kept in for the full nine innings...
of 2.34. Fidrych, the AL Rookie of the Year, was the lone bright spot that year with the Tigers finishing next to last in the AL East in 1976.
The "Bless You Boys" Era (1979–87)
From 1979 to 1995, the team was managed by
George "Sparky" AndersonGeorge Lee "Sparky" Anderson is a former Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League.Anderson has resided for many years in Thousand Oaks,...
, one of baseball's winningest managers. When Sparky came on board, he made the bold move of predicting a pennant winner within 5 years. (Retrospective article about Anderson in
Sports Illustrated, "One of a Kind", June 28, 1993.)
1984 World Series Champions
The first major news of the 1984 season actually came in late 1983, when broadcasting magnate
John FetzerJohn Earl Fetzer was a radio and television executive who was best known as the owner of the Detroit Tigers from 1961 through the early 1980s.- Biography :...
, who had owned the club since 1957, sold the team to
Domino's PizzaDomino's Pizza, Inc. is an international fast food pizza delivery corporation headquartered just outside Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Tom Monaghan. There are currently about 8,500 corporate and franchised stores in 55 countries, including all 50 US states...
founder and CEO
Tom MonaghanThomas Stephen "Tom" Monaghan is an entrepreneur and Catholic philanthropist who founded Domino's Pizza in 1960. He owned the Detroit Tigers from 1983-1992....
. (Richard Bak,
A Place for Summer, 1998, p. 332) The sale of the franchise caught everyone by surprise, as the negotiations culminating in the sale of the franchise were conducted in total secrecy. There were no rumors or even speculation that Fetzer had put the franchise up for sale.
The 1984 team started out at a record 35–5 pace (including
Jack MorrisJohn Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
throwing a
no-hitterA no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
early in the season against
ChicagoThe 1984 Chicago White Sox season was the White Sox's 84th season in the major leagues, and their 85th season overall. They finished with a record 74-88, good enough for 5th place in the American League West, 10 games behind the 1st place Kansas City Royals....
en route to the Tigers' 9-0 start) and cruised to a franchise-record 104 victories. They featured the great
double playIn baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action...
combination of
shortstopShortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Alan TrammellAlan Stuart Trammell is a retired American baseball shortstop of the Detroit Tigers from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series championship in and an American League East division championship in...
and
second basemanSecond base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Lou WhitakerLouis Rodman Whitaker, Jr. nicknamed Sweet Lou, is a former Major League Baseball player. Whitaker was a second baseman for the Detroit Tigers from to...
; the duo would play together a record 19 seasons. The team also included
Darrell EvansDarrell Wayne Evans is the manager and director of player personnel for the Victoria Seals of the Golden Baseball League. He is a former third baseman and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from to with the Atlanta Braves , San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers...
,
Dave BergmanDavid Bruce Bergman was a Major League Baseball first baseman, designated hitter, and outfielder.Born in Evanston, Illinois, Bergman is an alumnus of Maine South High School and Illinois State University...
,
Kirk GibsonKirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player, best known for his clutch home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series....
,
Lance ParrishLance Michael Parrish, aka "Big Wheel", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Phillies , California Angels , Seattle Mariners , Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , and the Toronto Blue Jays...
,
Chet LemonChester Earl Lemon is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball. He attended Cerritos Junior College in Norwalk, California, and was drafted in the first round of the 1972 draft by the Chicago White Sox.Known throughout baseball for his work ethic and hustle, Lemon made his major league...
,
Tom BrookensThomas Dale Brookens is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Detroit Tigers , New York Yankees , and Cleveland Indians ....
,
Larry HerndonLarry Darnell Herndon is an American former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals , San Francisco Giants , and Detroit Tigers...
,
Jack MorrisJohn Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
,
Dan PetryDaniel Joseph Petry is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers , California Angels , Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox ....
,
Dave RozemaDavid Scott Rozema , nicknamed "Rosey", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.-Early years and 1977 rookie season:...
,
Johnny GrubbJohn Maywood Grubb, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder, designated hitter, and occasional first baseman. Grubb established himself as among the top platoon players, regular starters, and pinch hitters....
,
Aurelio LopezAurelio Alejandro López was a Mexican relief pitcher. Over the course of an eleven year Major League career , he acquired the nickname "Señor Smoke" in Detroit due to his Mexican heritage and his overpowering fastball, which had been measured as high as 93 mph.-Early career:Born in Tecamachalco,...
("Señor Smoke") and relief ace
Willie HernandezGuillermo Hernandez Villanueva is a former relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs , Philadelphia Phillies , and the Detroit Tigers...
, who won the 1984 American League
Cy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
and
Most Valuable PlayerIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
just one year after pitching on the
Philadelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies season involved the Phillies winning the National League East Division title with a record of 90-72, six games over the Pittsburgh Pirates...
' National League championship club.
The Tigers faced the
Kansas City RoyalsThe Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing 1st in the American League West with a record of 84 wins and 78 losses.- Offseason :* October 17, 1983: Eric Rasmussen was released by the Royals....
in the
American League Championship SeriesThe American League Championship Series matched the Eastern Division champion Detroit Tigers against the Western Division champion Kansas City Royals...
, which would prove to be no contest, not surprising given the fact the Royals won 20 fewer games during the season. In Game 1, Alan Trammell,
Lance ParrishLance Michael Parrish, aka "Big Wheel", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Phillies , California Angels , Seattle Mariners , Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , and the Toronto Blue Jays...
and
Larry HerndonLarry Darnell Herndon is an American former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals , San Francisco Giants , and Detroit Tigers...
went deep to crush the Royals 8–1 at Royals Stadium (now
Kauffman StadiumEwing M. Kauffman Stadium is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the Kansas City Royals of the American League. Together with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, it is a part of the Truman Sports Complex...
). In Game 2, the Tigers scored twice in the 11th inning when
Johnny GrubbJohn Maywood Grubb, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder, designated hitter, and occasional first baseman. Grubb established himself as among the top platoon players, regular starters, and pinch hitters....
doubled off the late Royals closer
Dan QuisenberryDaniel Raymond "Quiz" Quisenberry was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Kansas City Royals...
en route to a 5–3 victory. The Tigers completed the sweep at Tiger Stadium in Game 3.
Marty CastilloMartin Horace Castillo was a Major League Baseball third baseman and catcher. He is an alumnus of Savanna High School in Anaheim, California, and of Chapman University in Orange, California....
's third-inning RBI fielder's choice would be all the help Detroit would need.
Milt WilcoxMilton Edward Wilcox was a pitcher who had a sixteen year career from 1970–1975, 1977–1986. He played for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs both of the National League and the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners all of the American League...
outdueled
Charlie LeibrandtCharles Louis "Charlie" Leibrandt, Jr. was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1979 to 1993 for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers...
and after Hernandez got
Darryl MotleyDarryl DeWayne Motley is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played six seasons for the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves between and . In his MLB career, Motley played in 413 games, hit 44 home runs, 324 hits, 159 RBIs, and batted .243...
to pop up to third, the Tigers were returning to the World Series. (Note: At that time, the team with home field advantage in the
ALCSIn Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series , played in October, is a round in the postseason that determines the winner of the American League pennant. The winner of the series advances to play the winner of the National League Championship Series in baseball's championship,...
and
NLCSIn Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series...
, played the first two games on the road. This changed in 1985 when the format was changed from best-of-five to best-of-seven.)
In the
NLCSThe ' National League Championship Series was played between the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs from October 2 to October 7. San Diego won the series three games to two to advance to the World Series...
, a San Diego rally from 2–0 down prevented a fifth Cubs-Tigers series and meant the Tigers would open the
1984 World SeriesThe 1984 World Series began on October 9 and ended on October 14, 1984. The American League champion Detroit Tigers played against the National League champion San Diego Padres, with the Tigers winning the series four games to one....
against the
San Diego Padres- Offseason :* October 21, 1983: Sandy Alomar, Jr. was signed by the Padres as an amateur free agent.* December 6, 1983: Joe Pittman and a player to be named later were traded by the Padres to the San Francisco Giants for Champ Summers...
in Trammell's hometown (had the
CubsThe Chicago Cubs' 1984 season was the 109th season for the Cubs. The team finished with a record of 96-65 in first place of the National League Eastern Division. Chicago was managed by Jim Frey and the general manager was Dallas Green...
won the NLCS, Detroit would have been awarded home-field advantage in the World Series, as
NBCNBC Sports is the sports division of NBC. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games , the NFL, the NHL, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, the USGA Championships, Wimbledon, and the French Open, among...
insisted on all midweek games starting at night, something that would have been impossible at the time at
Wrigley FieldWrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
).
In Game 1,
Larry HerndonLarry Darnell Herndon is an American former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals , San Francisco Giants , and Detroit Tigers...
hit a two-run home run that gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead. Morris pitched a complete game with 2 runs on 8 hits, and Detroit drew first blood. The Padres evened the series the next night despite pitcher
Ed WhitsonEddie Lee Whitson is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , San Francisco Giants , Cleveland Indians , San Diego Padres and New York Yankees...
being chased after pitching two-thirds of an inning and giving up three runs on five Tiger hits. Tiger starter
Dan PetryDaniel Joseph Petry is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers , California Angels , Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox ....
exited the game after four and one-third innings when
Kurt BevacquaKurt Bevacqua is a former Major League Baseball player. He was chosen in the 12th round of the 1967 draft by the Cincinnati Reds and debuted in the big leagues in 1971 with the Cleveland Indians, ultimately playing for six different teams during his career. His final appearance was in with the...
's three-run homer gave San Diego a 5–3 lead they would hold onto.
When the series shifted to the Motor City, the Tigers took charge. In Game 3, a two-out rally in the second inning led to four runs and the yanking of Padre starter
Tim LollarTimothy Lollar , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1980-1986...
after one and two-thirds innings. The Padres, plagued by poor starting pitching throughout the series, never recovered and lost 5–2.
Eric ShowEric Vaughn Show was a Major League Baseball player for the San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics...
continued the parade of bad outings in Game 4, getting bounced after two and two-thirds innings after giving up home runs to Series MVP Trammell in his first two at-bats. Trammell's homers held up with the help of another Morris complete game, and the Tigers held a commanding lead.
In Game 5, Gibson's two-run shot in the first inning would be the beginning of another early end for the Padres' starter
Mark ThurmondMark Thurmond , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1983-1990.-Teams:* San Diego Padres 1983-1986* Detroit Tigers 1986-1987* Baltimore Orioles1988-1989...
. Though the Padres would pull back even, chasing
Dan PetryDaniel Joseph Petry is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers , California Angels , Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox ....
in the fourth inning in the process, the Tigers retook the lead on a
Rusty KuntzRussell Jay "Rusty" Kuntz is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter and outfielder...
sacrifice fly, and doubled it on a solo
homerIn baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring runs for himself and each runner who was already on base, with no errors by the defensive team on the play...
by Parrish.
A "Sounds of the Game" video was made during the Series by MLB Productions and played on TV a number of times since then. When
Kirk GibsonKirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player, best known for his clutch home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series....
came to bat in the eighth inning, in a situation that might call for San Diego reliever
Goose GossageRichard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played 22 seasons from 1972 to 1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname...
to pitch around him, Anderson was seen and heard yelling to Gibson, "He don't want to walk you!" and making a swing-the-bat gesture. As Anderson had suspected, Gossage threw a fastball inside, and Gibson was ready. He "swung from the heels", and launched it into Tiger Stadium's right field upper deck, effectively clinching the series.
Tony GwynnAnthony Keith Gwynn is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball, statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year career for the San Diego Padres. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 9, 2007 and was inducted on...
flied out to
Larry HerndonLarry Darnell Herndon is an American former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals , San Francisco Giants , and Detroit Tigers...
to end the game and send Detroit into a wild victory celebration.
The team led its division wire-to-wire, from opening day and every day thereafter, culminating in the World Series championship. This had not been done since the 1927 New York Yankees.
1987 AL East Champions
After a pair of third-place finishes in 1985 and 1986, the 1987 Tigers faced lowered expectations - which seemed to be confirmed by an 11–19 start to the season. However, the team hit its stride thereafter and gradually gained ground on its AL East rivals, eventually finishing with the best record in the Majors. This charge was fueled in part by the acquisition of pitcher
Doyle AlexanderDoyle Lafayette Alexander is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and Detroit Tigers...
from the
Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field....
in exchange for minor league pitcher
John SmoltzJohn Andrew Smoltz is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in...
. Alexander started 11 games for the Tigers, posting 9-0 record and a 1.53 ERA. Smoltz, a
Lansing, MichiganLansing is the capital city of the U.S. state of Michigan, and the state's sixth largest city. It is located about 80 miles west-northwest of Detroit and is mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County...
native, went on to have a long and still productive career, mostly with the Braves, winning the
Cy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
in 1996. The Tigers won the division this year but possibly gave up some of their future. The Tigers had a great season but despite their improvement, they entered September neck-and-neck with the
Toronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays season witnessed the Blue Jays finishing second in the American League East with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses. They had been in first place by 3½ games over the Detroit Tigers with a week left to play...
. The two teams would square off in seven hard-fought games during the final two weeks of the season. All seven games were decided by one run, and in the first six of the seven games, the winning run was scored in the final inning of play. At
Exhibition StadiumCanadian National Exhibition Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood on the Exhibition Place grounds in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
, the Tigers dropped three in a row to the Blue Jays before winning a dramatic extra-inning showdown.
The Tigers entered the final week of the 1987 season 3.5 games behind. After a series against the
Baltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 6th in the American League East with a record of 67 wins and 95 losses.-Offseason:* January 30, 1987: Jack O'Connor was signed as a free agent by the Orioles....
, the Tigers returned home trailing by a game and swept the Blue Jays. Detroit clinched the division in a 1–0 victory over Toronto in front of 51,005 fans at Tiger Stadium on Sunday afternoon, October 4.
Frank TananaFrank Daryl Tanana is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was the California Angels' 1st round draft pick in 1971....
went all nine innings for the complete game shutout, and outfielder
Larry HerndonLarry Darnell Herndon is an American former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals , San Francisco Giants , and Detroit Tigers...
gave the Tigers their lone run on a second-inning home run. Detroit finished the season a Major League-best 98–64, two games ahead of Toronto.
In what would prove to be their last postseason appearance until 2006, the Tigers were upset in the
1987 American League Championship SeriesThe American League Championship Series pitted the Minnesota Twins, the AL West champions, against the Detroit Tigers, the AL East champions. Minnesota won the Series four games to one, en route to winning the 1987 World Series four games to three over the St...
by the Minnesota Twins (who in turn won the World Series that year) four games to one. The Twins won the Series in Game 5 at Tiger Stadium 9–5.
A new approach (1988–93)
Despite their 1987 division title victory, the Tigers proved unable to build on their success. In
1988In , the Major League Baseball season ended with the underdog Los Angeles Dodgers shocking the Oakland Athletics, who had won 104 games during the regular season, in the World Series. The most memorable moment of the series came in Game 1, when injured Dodger Kirk Gibson hit a dramatic pinch-hit...
, the
teamThe Detroit Tigers' 1988 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the American League East.-Offseason:...
spent much of the season in first place in the AL East, only to slump late in the season and finish second at 88–74, one game behind division-winning Boston. In
1989-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player**Robin Yount, Milwaukee Brewers **Kevin Mitchell, San Francisco Giants *Cy Young Award**Bret Saberhagen, Kansas City Royals **Mark Davis, San Diego Padres *Rookie of the Year...
, the
teamThe Detroit Tigers' 1989 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the AL East.-Offseason:* November 16, 1988: Ray Knight was released by the Tigers....
collapsed to a 59–103 record, worst in the majors. The franchise then attempted to rebuild using a power-hitting approach, with sluggers
Cecil FielderCecil Grant Fielder is a former professional baseball player of African-American and Dominican Descent who was a noted power hitter in the 1980s and 1990s. He attended college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas...
,
Rob DeerRobert George Deer is a former U.S. baseball player. He attended Canyon High School in Anaheim and Fresno City College, and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 4th round of the 1978 amateur draft....
and
Mickey TettletonMickey Lee Tettleton , is a former Major League Baseball player for the Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, and Texas Rangers. Tettleton played at catcher, designated hitter, first base, and outfield...
joining Trammell and Whitaker in the lineup (fitting for the team with the most 200+ home run seasons in baseball history). In
1990-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player**Rickey Henderson, Oakland Athletics **Barry Bonds, Pittsburgh Pirates *Cy Young Award**Bob Welch, Oakland Athletics **Doug Drabek, Pittsburgh Pirates *Rookie of the Year...
, Fielder led the American League with 51 home runs (becoming the first player to hit 50 since
George FosterGeorge Arthur Foster is a former left fielder and right-handed batter in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets and Chicago White Sox from 1969-1986....
in 1977), and finished second in the voting for AL Most Valuable Player. He hit 44 home runs in
1991-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player**Cal Ripken, Jr., Baltimore Orioles, SS **Terry Pendleton, Atlanta Braves, 3B *Cy Young Award**Roger Clemens, Boston Red Sox **Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves *Rookie of the Year...
, and would hit at least 28 in the next four seasons. Behind the hitting of Fielder and others, the Tigers improved, posting winning records in 1991 (84–78) and
1993The 1993 Major League Baseball season was the 93rd held between the American and National Leagues. It was also the final season of two division play in each league, before the Central Division was added the following season, giving both the NL and AL three divisions each.Sixteen years after the...
(85–77). However, the team lacked quality pitching (despite
Bill GullicksonWilliam Lee Gullickson is a former major league baseball pitcher who played for five different teams, in Canada, the U.S. and Japan during a fourteen year career.- MLB career :...
's 20 wins in 1991), and its core of key players began to age, setting the franchise up for decline. Their minor league system was largely barren of talent, as well, producing only a few everyday players (
Travis FrymanDavid Travis Fryman is a former third baseman and shortstop in Major League Baseball. From through , Fryman played for the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians . He batted and threw right-handed....
,
Bobby HigginsonRobert Leigh Higginson is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Detroit Tigers. He has a career batting average of .272. He attended Temple University....
) during the 1990s. In 1992, the franchise was sold to
Mike IlitchMichael "Mike" Ilitch Sr. , is an entrepreneur and owner of the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers. In addition to his sports ownerships, he is the founder and owner of Little Caesars Pizza since 1959, which has become an international fast food franchise...
, who also owns the
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings is a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL....
and is President and CEO of Little Caesars Pizza.
Declawed: The Randy Smith era
From 1994 to 2005, the Tigers did not post a winning record. This was by far the longest sub-.500 stretch in franchise history; prior to this, the team had not gone more than four consecutive seasons without a winning record. The team's best record over that time was 79–83, recorded in 1997 and 2000. In 1996, the Tigers lost a then-team record 109 games, under new general manager
Randy SmithRandy Smith is a former executive in Major League Baseball. He served as general manager of the San Diego Padres and Detroit Tigers ....
, who served the team from 1996 to 2002. In 2003, the Tigers shattered that mark, losing
an American League-record 119 gamesListed below are the Major League Baseball teams with the worst season won-lost records, as determined by winning percentage , minimum 140 games played.-1898 St...
, eclipsing the previous record of 116 losses set by the
1916 Philadelphia AthleticsThe Philadelphia Athletics' 1916 season involved the A's finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 36 wins and 117 losses. The 1916 team is often considered by baseball historians the worst team in American League history, and its .235 winning percentage is still the lowest ever for a...
(and just .008 of a point ahead of the 1916 A's .257 percentage). On August 30, 2003, the Tigers' defeat at the hands of the
Chicago White SoxThe 2003 Chicago White Sox season was the White Sox's 104th season. They finished with a record 86-76, good enough for second place in the American League Central, four games behind the champion Minnesota Twins....
caused them to join the
1962 New York MetsThe New York Mets' 1962 season was the first regular season for the Metropolitans, as the National League returned to New York for the first time since 1957...
as the only modern MLB teams to lose 100 games before September. They avoided tying the 1962 Mets' modern MLB record for losses (120) only by winning five of their last six games of the season, including three out of four against the Minnesota Twins (who had already clinched the
Central DivisionThe American League Central is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division was formed in the 1994 realignment. Its teams are all located in the Midwestern United States...
, into which the Tigers had moved in 1998, and were resting their stars).
In 2000, the team left Tiger Stadium, then tied with
Fenway ParkFenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use...
as the oldest active baseball stadium, in favor of the new
Comerica ParkComerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000...
. This capped an argument lasting more than a decade about whether or not a new stadium was needed to keep the club competitive.
Soon after it opened, Comerica Park drew criticism for its deep dimensions, which made it difficult to hit home runs; the distance to left-center field (395 ft), in particular, was seen as unfair to hitters. This led to the nickname "Comerica National Park." In 2003, the franchise largely quieted the criticism by moving in the left-center fence to 370 feet, taking the flagpole in that area out of play, a feature carried over from Tiger Stadium. In 2005, the team moved the bullpens to the vacant area beyond the left-field fence and filled the previous location with seats.
In late 2001,
Dave DombrowskiDavid Dombrowski is the current president, CEO, and general manager of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball.-Education:...
, former general manager of the
1997 World SeriesThe 1997 World Series featured the Cleveland Indians, who were playing in their second World Series in three years. Their opponents were the Florida Marlins, who had set a record by reaching the Series in only their fifth season. The Marlins were underdogs, but they capped a stunning season by...
champion
Florida MarlinsThe Florida Marlins' 1997 season started off with the team trying to improve on their record from 1996. Their manager was Jim Leyland. They played home games at Pro Player Stadium...
, was hired as team president. In 2002, the
TigersThe Detroit Tigers' 2002 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the AL Central.-Regular season:...
started the
seasonThe Major League Baseball season finished with the Anaheim Angels defeating the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.- Major League Baseball final standings :
...
0–6, prompting Dombrowski to fire the unpopular Smith, as well as manager
Phil GarnerPhilip Mason Garner is a former infielder in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants from 1973 to 1988. He was manager of the Astros from July 14 to August 27 , leading Houston to a World Series appearance...
. Dombrowski then took over as general manager and named bench coach
Luis PujolsLuis Bienvenido Pujols Toribio was a catcher and manager in Major League Baseball. He played nine seasons with the Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, and Texas Rangers. Luis Pujols and St...
to finish the season as interim manager. The team finished 55–106. After the season was over, Pujols was let go.
Most losses in American League history
Dombrowski hired popular former shortstop
Alan TrammellAlan Stuart Trammell is a retired American baseball shortstop of the Detroit Tigers from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series championship in and an American League East division championship in...
to manage the team in
2003The MLB season was the 100th season of Major League Baseball. The season ended when the Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in a six game 2003 World Series.-Playoffs:*World Series MVP: Josh Beckett...
. With fellow '84 teammates
Kirk GibsonKirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player, best known for his clutch home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series....
and
Lance ParrishLance Michael Parrish, aka "Big Wheel", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Phillies , California Angels , Seattle Mariners , Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , and the Toronto Blue Jays...
on the coaching staff, the rebuilding process began. The 2003 season was a complete morass; Dombrowski gave Trammell another chance the following season. The Tigers came within one loss of tying the
1962 New York MetsThe New York Mets' 1962 season was the first regular season for the Metropolitans, as the National League returned to New York for the first time since 1957...
for the most losses in modern major league history, and were the only American League team in recent history to seriously threaten the
1916 Philadelphia AthleticsThe Philadelphia Athletics' 1916 season involved the A's finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 36 wins and 117 losses. The 1916 team is often considered by baseball historians the worst team in American League history, and its .235 winning percentage is still the lowest ever for a...
for the lowest winning percentage in modern history. For this reason, they have been described as possibly "the worst team of all time without a good excuse."
Mike MarothMichael Warren Maroth is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who is currently a free agent. After attending the University of Central Florida, the left-handed Maroth made his Major League debut in for the Detroit Tigers.-Promising minors prospect:A 3rd round pick in the draft, Maroth spent...
went 9–21 for the 2003 Tigers and became the first pitcher to lose 20 games in more than 20 years. Tigers' pitchers Maroth,
Jeremy BondermanJeremy Allen Bonderman is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. Bonderman is six feet and two inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed. He is known for throwing a slider as well as a four-seam fastball and a change-up.-High school:Bonderman...
(6–19), and
Nate CornejoNathan John Cornejo is a former professional baseball player who was a pitcher in the major leagues from -. Cornejo played for the Detroit Tigers until when he was signed by the Chicago White Sox. Cornejo pitched four games in the minors before officially retiring on July 2, 2006...
(6–17) were #1, #2, and #3 in the major leagues in losses for 2003—the only time in major league history that one team has had the top three losers.
Designated hitter/left fielder
Dmitri YoungDmitri Dell Young is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Washington Nationals. Young is 6'2" and 300 pounds.-High school career:Dmitri Young attended Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard, California...
is the one member of the 2003 Tigers to have a truly good year, with a .297 batting average, 29 home runs, and .537 slugging percentage. According to Win Shares, the Tigers would have had about six fewer wins without him.
While the 2003 Tigers rank as the third worst team in major league history based on loss total, they fare slightly better based on winning percentage.
2004
Under Dombrowski, the Tigers demonstrated a willingness to sign marquee free agents. In
2004The 2004 MLB season was the 101st season of Major League Baseball. The season ended when the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in a four-game sweep...
, the team signed or traded for several talented but high-risk veterans, such as
Iván RodríguezIván Rodríguez Torres commonly nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Texas Rangers...
,
Ugueth UrbinaUgueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal Ugueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal Ugueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal (born (February 15, 1974 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. A two-time All-Star, Urbina led the National League in saves with 41 in the season and helped...
,
Rondell WhiteRondell Bernard White is an outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball. His career batting average currently stands at .284 and his career slugging percentage is .462....
and
Carlos GuillénCarlos Guillén is a Major League Baseball left fielder and switch-hitter who plays for the Detroit Tigers....
, and the gamble paid off. The 2004 Tigers finished 72–90, a 29-game improvement over the previous season, and the largest improvement in the American League since Baltimore's 33-game improvement from 1988 to 1989. However, the team was still sub-.500.
2005
Prior to the 2005 season, the Tigers spent a large sum for two prized free agents,
Magglio OrdóñezMagglio Jose Ordóñez is a Major League Baseball right fielder and right-handed batter who has played for the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers...
and
Troy PercivalTroy Eugene Percival is a Major League Baseball closer, who plays for the Tampa Bay Rays. He spent most of his career with the California/Anaheim Angels and was an integral part of that franchise's 2002 World Series championship team....
. On June 8, 2005, the Tigers traded pitcher
Ugueth UrbinaUgueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal Ugueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal Ugueth Urtaín Urbina Villarreal (born (February 15, 1974 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. A two-time All-Star, Urbina led the National League in saves with 41 in the season and helped...
and infielder
Ramon MartinezRamón E. Martínez is a Major League Baseball utility infielder for the New York Mets. He is the cousin of Chicago Cubs catcher Geovany Soto.-Early career:...
to the
Philadelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are the defending World Series champions. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern...
for
Plácido PolancoPlácido Enrique Polanco is a Major League Baseball player for the Detroit Tigers who has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies...
(and later signed him for 4 years). The Tigers stayed on the fringes of contention for the American League
wild cardThe term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
for the first four months of the season, but then faded badly, finishing 71–91. The collapse was perceived as being due both to injuries and to a lack of player unity; Rodriguez in particular was disgruntled, taking a leave of absence during the season to deal with a difficult
divorceDivorce or dissolution of marriage is the final termination of a marriage, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between two persons...
. Trammell, though popular with the fans, took part of the blame for the poor clubhouse atmosphere and lack of continued improvement, and he was fired at the end of the season.
A highlight of the 2005 campaign was Detroit's hosting of the
Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 76th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 12, 2005 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan,...
, its first since 1971. In the Home Run Derby, Rodriguez finished second, losing to the Phillies'
Bobby AbreuBob Kelly "Bobby" Abreu , nicknamed "El Comedulce" and also "La Luche", is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim....
.
In October 2005,
Jim LeylandJames Richard Leyland is a Major League Baseball manager for the Detroit Tigers. He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in . With the Tigers' victory in the 2006 American League Championship Series, Leyland has become the seventh manager in history to win pennants in both the...
, who managed Dombrowski's 1997 World Series-winning
MarlinsThe Florida Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
club, replaced Trammell as manager; two months later, in response to Troy Percival's '05 arm problems, closer
Todd JonesTodd Barton Jones is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was an effective middle reliever for a variety of teams, and he had an up-and-down career as a closer...
, who had spent five seasons in Detroit (1997–2001), signed a two-year deal with the Tigers. Veteran left-hander
Kenny RogersKenneth Scott Rogers is a former left-handed American Major League Baseball pitcher. He has played for six Major League Baseball teams since his rookie year in . In addition to being known for sparkling fielding and for pitching a perfect game, Rogers also currently stands at 23 consecutive...
also joined the Tigers from Texas in late 2005. These offseason additions set the stage for the resurgence of "Tiger Fever" in Detroit and its environs the following year.
The return of the Tigers (2006 American League Championship)
After years of futility, the 2006 season showed signs of hope. After an early season tirade by
Jim LeylandJames Richard Leyland is a Major League Baseball manager for the Detroit Tigers. He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in . With the Tigers' victory in the 2006 American League Championship Series, Leyland has become the seventh manager in history to win pennants in both the...
, the team exploded and quickly rose to the top of the AL Central. The team reached a high point when they were 40 games over .500, but a second half swoon started to raise questions about the team's staying power. On August 27, a 7–1 victory over the
Cleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians' 2006 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Cleveland Indians attempting to win the AL Central.-Offseason:* December 7, 2005: Paul Byrd was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians....
gave the Tigers their 82nd victory and their first winning season since 1993. On September 24, the Tigers beat the
Kansas City RoyalsThe 2006 Kansas City Royals season involved the Royals finishing 5th in the American League Central with a record of 62 wins and 100 losses.-Roster:-Batting:Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg...
11–4 to clinch their first playoff berth since
1987The 1987 Major League Baseball season ended with the American League Champion Minnesota Twins winning the World Series over the National League Champion St...
. A division title seemed inevitable. All that was required was one win in the final five games of the season, which included three games against the Royals, whom the Tigers had manhandled much of the season. Unfortunately, the Tigers lost all five games and the division title went to the Minnesota Twins. The Tigers were the AL wild card winner, the first time a team from the AL Central had won the honor. The playoffs saw the Tigers beat the heavily favored
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees 2006 season was the Yankees 104th season in New York, and their 106th overall going back to their origins in Baltimore. The season finished with the Yankees winning the AL East Division...
3 games to 1 in the
ALDSThe American League Division Series , the opening round of the 2006 American League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 3, and ended on Saturday, October 7, with the champions of the three AL divisions – along with a "wild card" team – participating in two best-of-five series. They...
and sweep the
Oakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics' 2006 season involved the A's finishing 1st in the American League West with a record of 93 wins and 69 losses.-Offseason:*November 29, 2005: Esteban Loaiza was signed as a Free Agent with the Oakland Athletics....
in the
2006 ALCSThe 2006 American League Championship Series was the second round of the 2006 American League playoffs; it began on October 10 and ended on October 14...
- thanks to a walk-off home run in Game 4 by Right Fielder Magglio Ordonez - to advance to the
World SeriesThe 2006 World Series, the 102nd edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, began on October 21 and ended on October 27, and matched the American League champion Detroit Tigers against the National League champion, St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals won the Series in five games, taking...
before losing to the
St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals 2006 season was the team's 125th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 115th season in the National League. The season started out with a bang, as the team raced out to a 31-16 record by late May...
. The Tigers had a great season despite the loss to the Cardinals in the World Series. The Tigers brought back the excitement for professional baseball in Detroit, an excitement that was lost since the 1980s. Justin Verlander won the AL Rookie of the Year and the Tigers went 7-1 in their first 8 playoff games, beating the heavily favored New York Yankees 3 games to 1 and sweeping the AL West Champion Oakland A's who had just beaten the Minnesota Twins. The Tigers entered the World Series excited and pretty well favored over the St. Louis Cardinals whose record was around 15 games worse than the Tigers. Although the Tigers lost, the fans were excited to finally be back to the World Series and were excited about Tigers teams to come. Even up to today, the Tigers sell out Comerica Park and Detroit is excited about the Tigers due to the success and hope that was brought back to Detroit about the Tigers chance at winning another World Series title.
2007
In the offseason, the Tigers traded for outfielder
Gary SheffieldGary Antonian Sheffield is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the New York Mets. He has played for eight major league ball clubs, primarily as an outfielder and designated hitter.-Biography:...
, who had been a part of the 1997 Marlins team managed by Jim Leyland, and signed third baseman
Brandon IngeCharles Brandon Inge is a Major League Baseball third baseman currently playing for the Detroit Tigers...
, starting pitcher
Jeremy BondermanJeremy Allen Bonderman is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. Bonderman is six feet and two inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed. He is known for throwing a slider as well as a four-seam fastball and a change-up.-High school:Bonderman...
and shortstop
Carlos GuillénCarlos Guillén is a Major League Baseball left fielder and switch-hitter who plays for the Detroit Tigers....
to four-year contracts. The Tigers returned 22 of 25 players from their World Series roster.
In addition to free-agent acquisitions, Dombrowski has developed a productive farm system,
Justin VerlanderJustin Brooks Verlander is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. In 2006, he was named the American League Rookie of the Year...
and
Joel ZumayaJoel Martin Zumaya is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.-Baseball career:...
being the most notable rookie contributors to the 2006 team.
Andrew MillerAndrew Mark Miller is a pitcher for the Florida Marlins. He was the first player drafted in to make the major leagues.-College:...
, who was drafted in 2006, was called up early in the 2007 campaign and pitched in the starting rotation, and minor-leaguer
Cameron MaybinCameron Keith Maybin is a Major League Baseball player in the Florida Marlins organization. He was the tenth pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, and in played center field for the Class A West Michigan Whitecaps. He was consistently ranked as the Tigers top minor league prospect before...
, an athletic five-tool outfielder, was ranked #6 in
Baseball AmericaBaseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
's 2007 Top-100 Prospects.
The Tigers suffered from injuries in the
2007 seasonThe 2007 Major League Baseball season was the 107th since the initial co-existence of the American and National Leagues. It began on April 1 with a rematch of the 2006 National League Championship Series; the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets played the first game of the season at Busch Stadium...
, especially to their pitching staff. Kenny Rogers did not start until late June because of a blood-clot removal in his throwing arm. Other pitchers who were injured included
Tim ByrdakTimothy Christopher Byrdak is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Houston Astros. His previous major league experience came from to , when Byrdak played for the Kansas City Royals, an injury-plagued stint with the Baltimore Orioles, and one year with the Detroit Tigers.After playing...
,
Edward CampusanoEdward E. Campusano is a baseball player who is currently a free agent. He spent the entire season on the 60-day disabled list. The Rule 5 draftee was returned to the Cubs organization by the Detroit Tigers at the conclusion of the season. In , Campusano played in the Chicago Cubs organization...
,
Fernando RodneyFernando Rodney is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. Rodney is currently the Tigers closer. Rodney throws a fastball in the mid to upper-90 miles per hour and a changeup in the low 80s.-Minor leagues:Rodney was signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in...
,
Jair JurrjensJair Francoise Jurrjens is a starting pitcher for the Atlanta Braves. Jurrjens is represented by Scott Boras.-Detroit Tigers organization:...
,and
Joel ZumayaJoel Martin Zumaya is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.-Baseball career:...
. Early in April, the Tigers also lost their backup catcher,
Vance WilsonVance Allen Wilson is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Kansas City Royals organization. Wilson stands at 5'11" tall, and weighs 215 pounds...
, for the season.
Wilfredo LedezmaWilfredo Jose Ledezma is a pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He bats and throws left-handed....
and
Mike MarothMichael Warren Maroth is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who is currently a free agent. After attending the University of Central Florida, the left-handed Maroth made his Major League debut in for the Detroit Tigers.-Promising minors prospect:A 3rd round pick in the draft, Maroth spent...
were traded to
AtlantaThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field....
and
St. LouisThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball...
, respectively.
On June 12,
Justin VerlanderJustin Brooks Verlander is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. In 2006, he was named the American League Rookie of the Year...
pitched a
no-hitterA no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
against the
Milwaukee BrewersThe 2007 Milwaukee Brewers season marked the 25th anniversary of the Milwaukee Brewers winning the American League Championship and the 50th anniversary of the Milwaukee Braves winning the World Series. During the offseason, the Brewers re-signed free agents Bill Hall and Chris Capuano...
. It was the first Tiger no-hitter since
Jack MorrisJohn Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
in 1984 against the
Chicago White SoxThe 1984 Chicago White Sox season was the White Sox's 84th season in the major leagues, and their 85th season overall. They finished with a record 74-88, good enough for 5th place in the American League West, 10 games behind the 1st place Kansas City Royals....
on the year the Tigers won the
1984 World SeriesThe 1984 World Series began on October 9 and ended on October 14, 1984. The American League champion Detroit Tigers played against the National League champion San Diego Padres, with the Tigers winning the series four games to one....
, and the first
no-hitterA no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
at home by a Tiger since
Virgil TrucksVirgil Oliver Trucks is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1941 through 1958, Trucks played for the Detroit Tigers , St. Louis Browns , Chicago White Sox , Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees . He batted and threw right-handed...
did it in 1952. It was also the first in Comerica Park history.
Five players represented Detroit in the 2007 MLB All-Star Game.
Carlos GuillénCarlos Guillén is a Major League Baseball left fielder and switch-hitter who plays for the Detroit Tigers....
,
Magglio OrdóñezMagglio Jose Ordóñez is a Major League Baseball right fielder and right-handed batter who has played for the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers...
,
Plácido PolancoPlácido Enrique Polanco is a Major League Baseball player for the Detroit Tigers who has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies...
,
Iván RodríguezIván Rodríguez Torres commonly nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Texas Rangers...
and
Justin VerlanderJustin Brooks Verlander is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. In 2006, he was named the American League Rookie of the Year...
joined American League manager
Jim LeylandJames Richard Leyland is a Major League Baseball manager for the Detroit Tigers. He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in . With the Tigers' victory in the 2006 American League Championship Series, Leyland has become the seventh manager in history to win pennants in both the...
in the All-Star game.
As of July 18, the Tigers had sold 2,712,393 tickets at Comerica Park for the 2007 season, setting a new single-season home attendance record for the team. The previous record had been 2,704,794 customers at Tiger Stadium in 1984. The team would draw 3,047,133 customers over the entire season, the third-highest attendance in the American League for 2007.
The Tigers had the best record in baseball in mid-July and were playing great. All of a sudden, the Tigers lost a few players to injuries and started to play poorly and began to fade from contention. Eventually, the Tigers gave up their division lead to the Cleveland Indians and were officially eliminated from playoff competition on September 26, 2007, when the New York Yankees clinched a wild card berth, making the playoffs for the 13th consecutive year.
2008
Expectations for the Tigers were high going into the
2008 seasonThe 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6-5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the...
, with the franchise having traded for prominent talent in
Edgar RenteríaEdgar Enrique Rentería is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the San Francisco Giants. He is also the first Colombian to play in the World Series.-Marlins and Cardinals:...
(from the
Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field....
) and
Miguel CabreraJosé Miguel Torres Cabrera is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Detroit Tigers. He bats and throws right-handed. He is a four-time All-Star, having been selected to the National League All-Star Team in , , , and . Cabrera has started 100 games at each of first base, third base, left...
and
Dontrelle WillisDontrelle Wayne Willis , nicknamed "D-Train" and "D-Money," is a starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers organization.-Baseball career:...
(from the
Florida MarlinsThe Florida Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
). However, the Tigers (who now boasted the second-highest team payroll in the majors at over $138 million) began the regular season by losing seven straight games.
After a slow start, the Tigers climbed back and halfway through the regular season, they were 42–40. On July 30, 2008, the Tigers traded 13 time all star
Ivan RodriguezIván Rodríguez Torres commonly nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Texas Rangers...
to the
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division...
for relief pitcher
Kyle FarnsworthKyle Lynn Farnsworth is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals.Farnsworth graduated from Milton High School in Milton, Georgia in 1994. During high school, he played baseball, basketball, and football...
. In the end the Tigers finished miserably, slumping to a lowly 74–88 after a long and harsh season. Things weren't snapping too well or together for the Boys of TigerTown and they finished that way after a loss to the AL champion
Chicago White SoxThe 2008 Chicago White Sox Season is the organization's 109th season in Chicago and 108th in the American League. The White Sox won the American League Central division title for the first time since 2005. They finished the regular season tied with the Minnesota Twins and...
on September 30, with a score of 8–2. The Tigers also lost closer Todd Jones to retirement on September 25, 2008, and as the commentators on FSN Detroit put it: "Keep your arms and legs inside the car, the Roller Coaster has come to a complete stop." Despite the disappointing season, the team set another attendance record in 2008, drawing 3,202,654 customers to Comerica Park; the total was third-highest in the American League and eighth-highest in MLB overall for that year.
2009
In the 2009 season, the Detroit Tigers came into the season with measured expectations, predicted by some media to finish last in the AL Central. This was because they lost
Edgar RenteriaEdgar Enrique Rentería is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the San Francisco Giants. He is also the first Colombian to play in the World Series.-Marlins and Cardinals:...
,
Gary SheffieldGary Antonian Sheffield is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the New York Mets. He has played for eight major league ball clubs, primarily as an outfielder and designated hitter.-Biography:...
, and a few other players. However, the Tigers started very hot, quickly gaining the lead of the AL Central and keeping it. This was fueled by the success of pitching. In the past, the Tiger bats had fueled the success but this year the combination of the pitching, defense, and offense. The Tigers acquired
Edwin JacksonEdwin Jackson is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.- Early life :...
from the 2008 AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays and called up rookie
Rick PorcelloFredrick Alfred "Rick" Porcello III is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. He was drafted #27 overall in the first round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft. Porcello has been described as an "ace" who could be a "bona fide No...
. Porcello has been an ace on the mound, fueling the Tigers with 9 wins and a 4.40 ERA. In addition, the Tigers acquired catcher
Gerald LairdGerald Lee Laird III is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers. He graduated La Quinta High School in 1998, and then went on to play college baseball for Cypress College....
and gold-glove shortstop
Adam EverettJeffery Adam Everett is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the Detroit Tigers. He played collegiate baseball at the University of South Carolina...
. Also, Tigers pitcher
Justin VerlanderJustin Brooks Verlander is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. In 2006, he was named the American League Rookie of the Year...
pitched with great success, delivering the stuff he did in 2006 on the way to winning the AL Rookie of the Year award. Verlander's 98-mph fastball returned and so did his wicked curveball and changeup. Verlander won 8 straight games before a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Edwin Jackson posted a great record and a good ERA and Rick Porcello pitched great, starting with an 8-3 record.
Armando GalarragaArmando Antonio Galarraga is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. Galarraga made his Major League Baseball debut with the Texas Rangers on September 15, 2007....
, who had a great season in 2008, delivered many passable pitching performances, but often didn't get the needed run support. The Tigers looked to have finally restored
Dontrelle WillisDontrelle Wayne Willis , nicknamed "D-Train" and "D-Money," is a starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers organization.-Baseball career:...
after he pitched a 1-hitter against the hot Texas Rangers, but after a few poor starts he was sent back to the disabled list due to a reported "anxiety disorder". Due to the loss of Willis, the Tigers called up rookie Alfredo Figaro who has pitched unevenly in his first few games. The biggest surprise of the 2009 season for the Detroit Tigers was that they had one of the better bullpens in baseball, owing to the maturation and development of the younger players. The bullpen has been fueled by set-up man
Joel ZumayaJoel Martin Zumaya is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.-Baseball career:...
, who has regained his 103-mph fastball in addition to new off-speed pitches and new closer (former relief pitcher)
Fernando RodneyFernando Rodney is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. Rodney is currently the Tigers closer. Rodney throws a fastball in the mid to upper-90 miles per hour and a changeup in the low 80s.-Minor leagues:Rodney was signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in...
, who has a 100-mph fastball and a great changeup and curveball and was 19 for 19 in save attempts through mid-July. Even though the Tigers had excellent pitching, the offense they were known for in recent years has been lacking, especially for a slump of
Magglio OrdoñezMagglio Jose Ordóñez is a Major League Baseball right fielder and right-handed batter who has played for the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers...
and the loss of
Carlos GuillenCarlos Guillén is a Major League Baseball left fielder and switch-hitter who plays for the Detroit Tigers....
. Many of the player with high averages in the 2008 season, such as Placido Polanco and Curtis Granderson, are hitting in the low to mid .200 range.
Brandon IngeCharles Brandon Inge is a Major League Baseball third baseman currently playing for the Detroit Tigers...
has admirably helped fill the deficit with career-best hitting statistics. The Tigers also used the power of
Curtis GrandersonCurtis Granderson is a center fielder in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers. Granderson grew up in Lynwood, Illinois, a south suburb of Chicago.-Baseball career:...
,
Miguel CabreraJosé Miguel Torres Cabrera is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Detroit Tigers. He bats and throws right-handed. He is a four-time All-Star, having been selected to the National League All-Star Team in , , , and . Cabrera has started 100 games at each of first base, third base, left...
, and
Marcus ThamesMarcus Markley Thames is an outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Detroit Tigers...
along with the newly successful Inge. This is helped too by great contact and on base percentage players,
Placido PolancoPlácido Enrique Polanco is a Major League Baseball player for the Detroit Tigers who has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies...
and Gerald Laird. Also, the Tigers have one of the better defenses in baseball, committing few errors.
The Tigers ended the season on October 6 with a 6-5 loss in 12 innings to the
Minnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins season was the 49th season for the franchise in Minnesota, and the 109th overall in the American League. It was their final season in the Metrodome with their new stadium, Target Field, opening in 2010. They ended the regular season as AL Central champions after defeating the...
in the
tie-breaker gameThe 2009 American League Central tiebreaker game took place on October 6, 2009 between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, after both teams finished the season with identical records of 86–76. The Twins, who won the game, advanced to the 2009 American...
to win the AL Central, leaving the Tigers with a 86–77 record. The Tigers spent 146 days in first place and became the first team in Major League history to lose a three game lead with four games left to play.
Best seasons in Detroit Tigers history
|
| Best Seasons in Detroit Tigers history |
| Rank |
Year |
Wins |
Losses |
Win % |
Finish |
| 1 |
1934 The Detroit Tigers won the American League pennant with a record of 101-53, the best winning percentage in team history, but lost the 1934 World Series to the Cardinals 4 games to 3. The season was their 34th since they entered the American League in 1901...
|
101 |
53 |
.656 |
Lost 1934 World Series The 1934 World Series matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang" winning in seven games for their third championship in nine years....
to CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals 1934 season was the team's 53rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 43rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 95-58 during the season and finished 1st in the National League...
|
| 3 |
1915The Detroit Tigers won a club-record 100 games and narrowly lost the American League pennant to the Boston Red Sox who won 101 games. Though four other Tigers teams have won 100 games , only the 1934 Tigers had a better winning percentage...
|
100 |
54 |
.649 |
2nd in AL behind Red Sox The 1915 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 1st in the American League with a record of 101 wins and 50 losses. They defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in 5 games in the World Series.- Opening Day lineup :- Roster :...
|
| 4 |
1909The 1909 Detroit Tigers won the American League pennant with a record of 96-56, but lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1909 World Series, 4 games to 3. The season was their 9th since they entered the American League in 1901. It was the third consecutive season in which they won the pennant but...
|
98 |
54 |
.645 |
Lost 1909 World SeriesThe 1909 World Series featured the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers. The Pirates won the Series in seven games to capture their first championship of the modern Major League Baseball era and the second championship in the club's history....
to PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates won the National League pennant with a record of 110-42. Led by shortstop Honus Wagner and outfielder-manager Fred Clarke, the Pirates scored the most runs in the majors. Wagner led the league in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and runs batted in...
|
| 5 |
1984 The Detroit Tigers won the 1984 World Series, defeating the San Diego Padres, 4 games to 1. The season was their 84th since they entered the American League in 1901 and their fourth World Series championship. Detroit relief pitcher Willie Hernandez won the Cy Young Award and was chosen as the...
|
104 |
58 |
.642 |
Won 1984 World Series The 1984 World Series began on October 9 and ended on October 14, 1984. The American League champion Detroit Tigers played against the National League champion San Diego Padres, with the Tigers winning the series four games to one....
over Padres- Offseason :* October 21, 1983: Sandy Alomar, Jr. was signed by the Padres as an amateur free agent.* December 6, 1983: Joe Pittman and a player to be named later were traded by the Padres to the San Francisco Giants for Champ Summers...
|
| 6 |
1968The Detroit Tigers won the 1968 World Series, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 3. The 1968 baseball season, known as the "Year of the Pitcher," was the Tigers' 68th since they entered the American League in 1901, their eighth pennant, and third World Series championship...
|
103 |
59 |
.636 |
Won 1968 World Series The 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
over CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals 1968 season was the team's 87th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 77th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 97-65 during the season and won their second consecutive NL Pennant, by nine games over the San Francisco Giants. They lost in 7 games to the Detroit...
|
| 7 |
1961 The Detroit Tigers won 101 games but finished in second place, eight games behind the Yankees. The team's 1961 record tied the 1934 Tigers team record of 101 wins, and only twice in team history have the Tigers won more games: 1968 and 1984 . The 1961 Tigers were led by Norm Cash, Rocky...
|
101 |
61 |
.623 |
2nd in AL behind YankeesThe New York Yankees' 1961 season was the 59th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 109-53, eight games ahead of the Detroit Tigers, and won their 26th American League pennant. New York was managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played their home games at Yankee Stadium...
|
| 8 |
1950 The Detroit Tigers had a record of 95-59 , the seventh best winning percentage in the Tigers' 107-year history. After a tight back-and-forth pennant race, they finished in second place, three games behind a Yankees team that swept the Phillies in the 1950 World Series.They 1950 Tigers outscored...
|
95 |
59 |
.617 |
2nd in AL behind Yankees The New York Yankees' 1950 season was the 48th season for the Yankees in New York and their 50th overall as a franchise. The team finished with a record of 98-56, winning their 17th pennant, finishing 3 games ahead of the Detroit Tigers. New York was managed by Casey Stengel. The Yankees played at...
|
| 9 |
1935 The Detroit Tigers won the 1935 World Series, defeating the Chicago Cubs 4 games to 2. The season was their 35th since they entered the American League in 1901...
|
93 |
58 |
.616 |
Won 1935 World Series The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in 1907, 1908, 1909, and 1934....
over Cubs- Regular season :Gabby Hartnett was the first National League catcher to win the MVP Award.- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in...
|
| 10 |
1907The Detroit Tigers won the American League pennant with a record of 92-58, but lost to the Chicago Cubs in the 1907 World Series, four games to none...
|
92 |
58 |
.613 |
Lost 1907 World Series The 1907 World Series featured the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers, with the Cubs winning the Series four games to none for their first championship....
to Cubs- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in- Other batters :Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg...
|
| 11 |
1987 The 1987 Detroit Tigers season saw the Tigers make a startling late-season comeback to win the American League Eastern Division. The Tigers finished with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses, two games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays...
|
98 |
64 |
.605 |
Lost 1987 ALCS The American League Championship Series pitted the Minnesota Twins, the AL West champions, against the Detroit Tigers, the AL East champions. Minnesota won the Series four games to one, en route to winning the 1987 World Series four games to three over the St...
to Twins |
| 12 |
1946 The Detroit Tigers finished the season with a 92-62, twelve games behind the Boston Red Sox. The season was their 46th since they entered the American League in 1901...
|
92 |
62 |
.597 |
2nd in AL behind Red Sox During the 1946 Boston Red Sox season, the Red Sox won their sixth American League championship, with a record of 104 wins and 50 losses. In the World Series, the Sox lost in 7 games to the St. Louis Cardinals...
|
| 13 |
1908 The Detroit Tigers' 1908 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers winning the American League championship and losing to the Chicago Cubs in the 1908 World Series.-Regular season:...
|
90 |
63 |
.588 |
Lost 1908 World Series The 1908 World Series matched the defending champion Chicago Cubs against the Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 Series. In this first-ever rematch of this young event, the Cubs won in five games for their second consecutive title....
to CubsThe Chicago Cubs' 1908 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Cubs winning their third consecutive National League pennant, as well as the World Series...
|
| 14 |
2006 The 2006 Detroit Tigers won the American League Pennant. They represented the AL in the World Series before falling to the St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 1. The season was their 106th since they entered the AL in 1901.-Regular season:...
|
95 |
67 |
.586 |
Lost 2006 World SeriesThe 2006 World Series, the 102nd edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, began on October 21 and ended on October 27, and matched the American League champion Detroit Tigers against the National League champion, St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals won the Series in five games, taking...
to CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals 2006 season was the team's 125th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 115th season in the National League. The season started out with a bang, as the team raced out to a 31-16 record by late May...
|
| 15 |
1940 The Detroit Tigers won the American League pennant with a record of 90-64, but lost the 1940 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds 4 games to 3. The season was their 40th since they entered the American League in...
|
90 |
64 |
.584 |
Lost 1940 World Series The 1940 World Series matched the Cincinnati Reds against the Detroit Tigers, with the Reds winning the Series in seven games for their second championship, their first since the scandal-tainted victory in 1919...
to RedsThe Cincinnati Reds' 1949 season consisted of the Cincinnati Reds attempting to win the National League.- Notable transactions :* June 15, 1949: Frank Baumholtz and Hank Sauer were traded by the Reds to the Chicago Cubs for Peanuts Lowrey and Harry Walker....
|
| 16 |
1911 The 1911 Detroit Tigers had a record of 82-72 and finished in second place in the American League, 13-1/2 games behind the Philadelphia Athletics. They outscored their opponents 831-776, and drew 484,988 fans to Bennett Park ....
|
89 |
65 |
.578 |
2nd in AL behind A's The Philadelphia Athletics' 1911 season involved the A's finishing 1st in the American League with a record of 101 wins and 50 losses. Starting in 1911, the team was known for its "$100,000 Infield", consisting of John "Stuffy" McInnis , Eddie Collins , Jack Barry , and Frank "Home Run" Baker and...
|
| 17 |
1937 The 1937 Detroit Tigers finished in second place in the American League with a record of 89-65. The team finished 13 games behind the 1937 Yankees. Their winning percentage of .578 ranks as the 15th best season in Detroit Tigers history.- Regular season :...
|
89 |
65 |
.578 |
2nd in AL behind Yankees The New York Yankees' 1937 season was their 35th season. The team finished with a record of 102-52, winning their 9th pennant, finishing 13 games ahead of the Detroit Tigers. New York was managed by Joe McCarthy. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium. In the World Series, they beat the New York...
|
|
Worst seasons in Detroit Tigers history
|
| Worst Seasons in Detroit Tigers history |
| Rank |
Year |
Wins |
Losses |
Win % |
| 1 |
2003 The 2003 Detroit Tigers lost more games than any other team in American League history and came within one loss of tying the 1962 New York Mets for the most losses in modern major league history, and within .03 percentage points of tying the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics for the worst winning...
|
43 |
119 |
.265 |
| 2 |
1952 The Detroit Tigers had a record of 50-104 -- the worst record in Tigers' history until the 2003 Tigers lost 119 games. Virgil Trucks became the third pitcher in major league history to throw two no-hitters in one season.- Regular season :...
|
50 |
104 |
.325 |
| 3 |
1996 The Detroit Tigers had a record of 53-109 for the third worst winning percentage in team history. With a number of capable batters , the team scored a respectable 783 runs. However, the 1996 Tigers lacked pitching and allowed their opponents to score 1,103 runs...
|
53 |
109 |
.327 |
| 4 |
2002 The Detroit Tigers' 2002 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the AL Central.-Regular season:...
|
55 |
106 |
.342 |
| 5 |
1975 The Detroit Tigers compiled a record of 57-102, the fifth worst season in Detroit Tigers history. They finished in last place in the American League East, 37-1/2 games behind the Boston Red Sox. Their team batting average of .249 and team ERA of 4.27 were the second worst in the American League...
|
57 |
102 |
.358 |
|
Rivalries and Fan Base
The Tigers' rivalries with other baseball franchises have changed throughout the years, with no one rivalry standing out. Some rivalries are with nearby teams, including the
Cleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field . The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
,
Chicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
,
Kansas City RoyalsThe Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
, and
Toronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League.The "Blue Jays" name originates from the bird of the same name...
- the latter a holdover from when the Tigers competed in the AL East. There are numerous Tigers fans in
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
, as evidenced by Detroit's proximity to
WindsorWindsor is the southernmost major city in Canada and lies in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, although administratively separated from the county government. Windsor is located south of Detroit, is separated...
and the fact that the Tigers once had a minor league team in
LondonLondon is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada along the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor with a metropolitan area population of 457,720; the city proper had a population of 352,395 in the 2006 Canadian census....
.
SarniaSarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
,
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
also has a large Detroit Tigers fanbase. Some are rivalries for first place during the regular season, with all American League teams until 1969, with American League East teams from 1969 to 1997, and with
American League CentralThe American League Central is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division was formed in the 1994 realignment. Its teams are all located in the Midwestern United States...
teams from 1998 until the present. Finally, some are rivalries with National League teams the Tigers have faced repeatedly in the World Series, the
Chicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago , the Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the...
(four times) and
St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball...
(three times). Had the Cubs beat the Padres in the 1984 NLCS, they would have faced the Tigers for a fifth time in the World Series.
Home Attendance at Comerica Park
|
| Home Attendance at Comerica Park |
| Year |
Total Attendance |
| 2001 The Detroit Tigers' 2001 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the AL Central.-Roster:-Game log:-Batting:Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg...
|
1,921,305 |
| 2002 The Detroit Tigers' 2002 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the AL Central.-Regular season:...
|
1,503,623 |
| 2003 The 2003 Detroit Tigers lost more games than any other team in American League history and came within one loss of tying the 1962 New York Mets for the most losses in modern major league history, and within .03 percentage points of tying the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics for the worst winning...
|
1,368,245 |
| 2004 The Detroit Tigers' 2004 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the AL Central.-Offseason:*January 14, 2004: Bobby Estalella was signed as a Free Agent with the Detroit Tigers....
|
1,917,004 |
| 2005 The Detroit Tigers' 2005 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the AL Central.-Offseason:*October 15, 2004: DeWayne Wise was selected off waivers by the Detroit Tigers from the Atlanta Braves....
|
2,024,485 |
| 2006 The 2006 Detroit Tigers won the American League Pennant. They represented the AL in the World Series before falling to the St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 1. The season was their 106th since they entered the AL in 1901.-Regular season:...
|
2,595,937 |
| 2007 The Detroit Tigers 2007 season ended with the Tigers finishing runner-up in the AL Central Division. They failed in winning the Wild Card, a task which they achieved in 2006, and going on to win the AL Pennant....
|
3,047,139 |
| 2008 The Detroit Tigers 2008 season was the team's 108th season in Major League Baseball's American League. After being picked by many to win the AL Central Division, the Tigers started the season a disappointing 0-7, being swept by the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox. Their first victory of...
|
3,202,645 |
| 2009 The 2009 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 109th season. Spring Training was from February 25 until April 4. The regular season began on April 6 at the Toronto Blue Jays...
|
2,567,185 |
|
Detroit Tigers fans in popular culture
- In the 1980s CBS TV series Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I. is an American television show starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from 1980 to 1988 in first-run broadcast on the American CBS television network....
, the main character Thomas Magnum{Magnum P.I. character| image = | name = Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV| height = | occupation= Former Navy SEAL
Naval Intelligence
Private Investigator...
(played by Tom SelleckThomas William "Tom" Selleck is an American actor, screenwriter and film producer, perhaps best known for his starring role on the television show Magnum, P.I., and for his recurring role as Dr...
) wore a Detroit Tigers hat on many episodes. Selleck was born in Detroit and is a Tigers fan in real life. Picture of Thomas Magnum (played by Tom Selleck) wearing a Detroit Tigers hat
- Detroit rap group D12
D12 is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. D12 has had chart-topping albums in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia...
uses an Old English D in their logo, and the group as well as their fans often wear Detroit Tigers hats at concerts, often to show their loyalty to Detroit or simply the group itself.
- In the 1987
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records.*May 9 - Actor Tom Cruise marries actress Mimi Rogers....
film RoboCopRoboCop is a 1987 science fiction film directed by Paul Verhoeven. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit, Michigan in the near future, RoboCop centers on a police officer who is murdered brutally and subsequently re-created as a super-human cyborg known as "RoboCop"...
, during the warehouse scene, Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood SmithKurtwood Larson Smith is an American television and film actor. He is best known for playing stern parental characters , and for his appearances in the genre of science fiction...
) states that the Tigers are playing that evening and he never misses a game.
- Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
is an admitted Detroit Tigers fan. In his autobiography, he recalls going to a Tigers double header as a child and says that he'll check the scores of the Tigers game when watching television.
- Detroit area native Kid Rock
Robert James Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter with five Grammy Award nominations...
is a big Tigers fan. During the Tigers' 2009 home opener on April 10, he led the crowd in a round of Take Me Out to the Ball Game"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is an early-20th century Tin Pan Alley song which became the unofficial anthem of baseball although neither of its authors had attended a game prior to writing the song. The song is traditionally sung during the seventh-inning stretch of a baseball game...
during the Seventh-inning stretchThe seventh-inning stretch is a tradition in baseball that takes place between the halves of the seventh inning of any game. Fans generally stand up and stretch out their arms, legs, necks, backs, calves, fingers, elbows, and other muscles and sometimes walk around. It is a popular time to get a...
.
- Michigan native actor Jeff Daniels
Jeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels is an American actor, musician and playwright. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan. He has performed in a number of stage productions, both on and off-Broadway...
is also a big fan and he wrote a theme song for them in 1993. (see section below for further details).
- Actor and Detroit native J.K. Simmons is a Tigers fan. He was spotted at the August 25, 2009 Tigers/Angels game in Anaheim, California wearing a Tigers hat.
Rally cry
During the 1968 season, the team was cheered on by the phrase, "Go Get 'Em Tigers." The previous year, "Sock It To 'Em, Tigers!" was also popular in the city as the Tigers' close pennant race with Boston coincided with the release of the single "Sock It To Me, Baby!" by
Mitch Ryder & The Detroit WheelsMitch Ryder is an American musician who has recorded over two dozen albums in more than four decades as a performer.-Career:...
.
During the 1984 World Championship Run, the team was cheered on to the well known cry, "
Bless You Boys," a phrase coined (in sarcasm) by Al Ackerman, a Detroit sports anchor legend.
For the 2006 season, with the team going into July with the best record in baseball, the phrase "
Restore the Roar" (a phrase first introduced in 1990 by then-
Detroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are an American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in downtown Detroit....
Head Coach
Wayne FontesWayne Fontes is a former American football coach and college and professional football player who was the head coach of the NFL's Detroit Lions from 1988 to 1996. His 67 wins and 71 losses are each the most for a head coach in team history.-Background and early career:Fontes was born in the...
) began to catch on, referring to the fact that the Tigers had not had a winning season since 1993 and seem to be returning to their former glory. Another 2006 phrase found in several Detroit commercials was "Who's your Tiger?". A popular rally cry for the
Detroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons is a team in the National Basketball Association based in the Detroit metropolitan area. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills.-From Fort Wayne to Detroit:...
has also been adapted for the Tigers, resulting in "Deee-troit Base-ball!".
A second rally cry also caught on in the Tigers' dugout in 2006. In a June game vs. the
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division...
, Tigers pitcher
Nate RobertsonNathan Daniel "Nate" Robertson, is a left-handed pitcher who currently plays with the Detroit Tigers.- Florida Marlins :...
was featured on FSN Detroit's "Sounds of the Game", in which the TV station will mic a player on the bench or a coach. To appease the fans, Nate began to stuff
Big League ChewBig League Chew is a brand of bubble gum that is shredded and packaged in an aluminum foil pouch. It was created by Portland Mavericks left-handed pitcher Rob Nelson, and pitched to the Wrigley Company by former New York Yankee All-Star Jim Bouton, a Maverick teammate of Nelson's, as a fun...
bubble gum into his mouth, hoping to spark a late-inning rally. The trend has caught on, with
Jeremy BondermanJeremy Allen Bonderman is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. Bonderman is six feet and two inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed. He is known for throwing a slider as well as a four-seam fastball and a change-up.-High school:Bonderman...
,
Zach MinerZachary Charles Miner is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. He bats and throws right-handed.- Atlanta Braves :...
and
Justin VerlanderJustin Brooks Verlander is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. In 2006, he was named the American League Rookie of the Year...
all chewing from time to time. The Tigers came back to tie the game, and the phrase "
It's Gum Time" has become a new "Rally-cap" for all of Tigertown.
Additionally, the chant of local panhandler James Van Horne, who patrols the streets around Comerica Park yelling out "Eat 'Em Up Tigers! Eat 'Em Up!", has begun to make its way into the park. The chant originated in 1968 when the Tigers won their third World Series, "Eat 'em Up" referring to the St. Louis Cardinals. People have even been seen wearing homemade shirts with the cheer written on the back as far away as Miller Park in Milwaukee.
During the 2006 playoffs the phrase "Team of Destiny" appeared on several home made signs, and became a rallying cry for the post season. The signs featured the
blackletterBlackletter, also known as Gothic script or Gothic minuscule, was a script used throughout Western Europe from approximately 1150 to 1500. It continued to be used for the German language until the 20th century. Fraktur is a notable script of this type, and sometimes the entire group of faces is...
"D" in place of the standard "D" in destiny.
In 2009, the team used the phrase "Always a Tiger" as its slogan.
Facts
Uniforms and logos
The Tigers have worn essentially the same home uniform since 1934 - solid white jersey with navy piping down the front and a Gothic script or
blackletterBlackletter, also known as Gothic script or Gothic minuscule, was a script used throughout Western Europe from approximately 1150 to 1500. It continued to be used for the German language until the 20th century. Fraktur is a notable script of this type, and sometimes the entire group of faces is...
(often called Old English) "D" on the left chest, white pants, navy hat with white Old English "D". When they play away, the D on their hats is orange, with the word "DETROIT" across the shirt. A version of the team's Old English D was first seen on Tigers uniforms in 1904, after using a simple block D in 1903. The Old English D appeared frequently after that until being established in 1934. In 1960, the Tigers changed their uniform to read "Tigers", but the change only lasted one season before the traditional uniform was reinstated.
In 1995, the Tigers introduced an
alternate jerseyA third jersey or alternate jersey is a sports team's alternate and/or throwback design for the previously established other two jerseys, the home and away outfits. Alternate jerseys are used in all four of the North American major professional sports leagues as well as college sports, semipro...
, solid navy with the team's alternate logo (a tiger stepping through the "D") on the chest. It was worn a few times and then abandoned.
The Tigers are the only team in Major League Baseball to have a color on their road uniforms that is not on their home uniforms (orange).
The Tigers use slightly different versions of the initial logo on the cap and jersey.
 |
Primary logo
2006-present
(Jersey logo 1934-1959,
1961-present)
Cap logo
1924-present. For away games, the D on their hats is orange. |
Baseball Hall of Famers
Ford C. Frick Award recipients
Retired numbers
This is how the Retired and Honored names are displayed at
Comerica ParkComerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000...
:
In left field:
Willie
HortonWillie Wattison Horton is a former left fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for six American League teams, primarily the Detroit Tigers. He hit 20 or more home runs seven times, and his 325 career home runs ranked sixth among AL right-handed hitters when he retired...
OF: 1963-77
Retired 2000 |
Ty
CobbTyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was a baseball player and is regarded by some historians and journalists as the best player of the dead-ball era, and is generally seen as one of the greatest players of all time.In 1936, Cobb received the most votes of any player on the...
OF: 1905-26
M: 1921-26
Honored 2000 |
Hank
GreenbergHenry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s....
1B: 1930-46
Retired 1983 |
Charlie
GehringerCharles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played nineteen seasons for the Detroit Tigers...
2B: 1924-42
Coach: 1942
GM: 1951-53
Retired 1983 |
Hal
NewhouserHarold "Prince Hal" Newhouser was a professional Major League Baseball pitcher of the 1940s and 1950s.-Early life:...
P: 1939-53
Retired 1997 |
Al
KalineAlbert William "Al" Kaline, also known as Mr. Tiger, is a former Major League Baseball player. Kaline was active from 1953 to 1974 and spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
OF: 1953-74
Retired 1980 |
In right field:
Honored 2000
Harry
HeilmannHarry Edwin Heilmann , nicknamed “Slug,” was a major league baseball player who played seventeen seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1952.Heilmann was a line drive hitter who won four American League batting crowns: in 1921, 1923,...
OF: 1914-29
Heinie
ManushHenry Emmett Manush , nicknamed Heinie, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played seventeen seasons for the Detroit Tigers , St. Louis Browns , Washington Senators , Boston Red Sox , Brooklyn Dodgers , and Pittsburgh Pirates...
OF: 1923-27 |
Honored 2000
Hughie
JenningsHugh Ambrose Jennings was a Major League Baseball player and manager from 1891-1925. Jennings was a leader, both as a batter and as a shortstop, with the Baltimore Orioles teams that won National League championships in 1894, 1895, and 1896. During the three championship seasons, Jennings had...
M: 1907-20
Sam
CrawfordSamuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
OF: 1903-17 |
Honored 2000
Mickey
CochraneGordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a catcher and manager in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers. New York Yankees Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle was named after Cochrane...
C: 1934-37
M: 1934-38
George
KellGeorge Clyde Kell was an American baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Athletics , Detroit Tigers , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , and Baltimore Orioles in the American League, who later was a baseball announcer for 40 years.-Playing career:A solid right-handed hitter and a...
3B: 1946-52 |
Honored 2000
Ernie
HarwellWilliam Earnest "Ernie" Harwell is a former American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called balls, strikes, and home runs on radio and television...
Broadcaster:
1960-2002
|
Honored 2000
|
Retired 1997
Jackie
RobinsonJack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first African-American Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
Retired by
all of MLB
|
- Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was a baseball player and is regarded by some historians and journalists as the best player of the dead-ball era, and is generally seen as one of the greatest players of all time.In 1936, Cobb received the most votes of any player on the...
is honored by his name on the wall at Comerica Park. Cobb played in an era where numbers were not worn on jerseys.
- Ernie Harwell
William Earnest "Ernie" Harwell is a former American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called balls, strikes, and home runs on radio and television...
spent 42 years (in two stints) calling Tigers games on the radio.
- Though their numbers are not officially retired, the names of Harry Heilmann
Harry Edwin Heilmann , nicknamed “Slug,” was a major league baseball player who played seventeen seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1952.Heilmann was a line drive hitter who won four American League batting crowns: in 1921, 1923,...
, Heinie ManushHenry Emmett Manush , nicknamed Heinie, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played seventeen seasons for the Detroit Tigers , St. Louis Browns , Washington Senators , Boston Red Sox , Brooklyn Dodgers , and Pittsburgh Pirates...
, Hughie JenningsHugh Ambrose Jennings was a Major League Baseball player and manager from 1891-1925. Jennings was a leader, both as a batter and as a shortstop, with the Baltimore Orioles teams that won National League championships in 1894, 1895, and 1896. During the three championship seasons, Jennings had...
, Sam CrawfordSamuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
, Mickey CochraneGordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a catcher and manager in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers. New York Yankees Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle was named after Cochrane...
and George KellGeorge Clyde Kell was an American baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Athletics , Detroit Tigers , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , and Baltimore Orioles in the American League, who later was a baseball announcer for 40 years.-Playing career:A solid right-handed hitter and a...
are displayed at Comerica ParkComerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000...
to honor their contributions to the Tiger organization. They also have all entered the Baseball Hall of Fame as Detroit Tigers, and their plaques in the Hall show them wearing the Tiger cap.
- Jackie Robinson's
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first African-American Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
number 42 was retired throughout Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
in 1997
Players with retired numbers (and Ty Cobb) also have statues of themselves that sit behind their names, which are painted on the left-center field wall.
National Avenue, which runs behind the third-base stands at the Tigers' previous home Tiger Stadium, was renamed
Cochrane Avenue for
Mickey CochraneGordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a catcher and manager in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers. New York Yankees Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle was named after Cochrane...
.
Cherry Street, which runs behind the left-field stands at Tiger Stadium, was renamed
Kaline Drive for Al Kaline.
Cochrane's number 3 has not been retired for him nor has it been retired for
Dick McAuliffeRichard John McAuliffe is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and second baseman who played for the Detroit Tigers from 1960-1973 and for the Boston Red Sox from 1974-1975...
or
Alan TrammellAlan Stuart Trammell is a retired American baseball shortstop of the Detroit Tigers from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series championship in and an American League East division championship in...
. The number 3 was taken out of circulation after Alan Trammell's retirement, and again after his dismissal as manager, but
Gary SheffieldGary Antonian Sheffield is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the New York Mets. He has played for eight major league ball clubs, primarily as an outfielder and designated hitter.-Biography:...
began wearing #3 with Trammell's public approval upon joining the team before the 2007 season (Sheffield had previously worn the numbers 1, 5, 10, and 11). Sheffield was released from the Tigers prior to the 2009 season, and the number was not reissued. The number 1
, last worn by Lou WhitakerLouis Rodman Whitaker, Jr. nicknamed Sweet Lou, is a former Major League Baseball player. Whitaker was a second baseman for the Detroit Tigers from to...
, has also not been retired nor has it been issued since Whitaker retired in 1995. The Number 47
, last worn by Jack MorrisJohn Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
, has also not been retired, nor has it been issued since Morris left the Tigers after the 1990 season. Number 11
, last worn by former manager Sparky AndersonGeorge Lee "Sparky" Anderson is a former Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League.Anderson has resided for many years in Thousand Oaks,...
, has not been retired nor reissued since his 1995 retirement.
Minor league affiliations
AAA:
Toledo Mud HensThe Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
, International LeagueThe International League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball...
AA:
Erie SeaWolvesThe Erie SeaWolves are a minor league baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball club....
, Eastern LeagueThe Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
Advanced A:
Lakeland Flying Tigers, Florida State LeagueThe Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced Minor League Baseball league operating in the state of Florida. Class A is the middle of five classifications of minor leagues that are affiliated with Major League Baseball teams...
A:
West Michigan WhitecapsThe West Michigan Whitecaps are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Detroit Tigers, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids...
, Midwest LeagueThe Midwest League is a Class A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort Cardinals – began operating...
Short A:
Oneonta TigersThe Oneonta Tigers are a minor league baseball team from Oneonta, New York. They are members of the New York - Penn League. The Oneonta Tigers are a Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Detroit Tigers and play their home games at Damaschke Field....
, New York-Penn League
Rookie:
GCL TigersThe Gulf Coast Tigers are the Rookie Level minor league affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The team plays in Lakeland, Florida, at Joker Marchant Stadium. The team is comprised mainly of players who are in their first year of professional baseball either as draftees or non-drafted free agents from...
,
Gulf Coast LeagueThe Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
Radio
The Tigers' current
flagship radio stations are Detroit sister stations WXYT-AM (1270 AM) and WXYT-FM (97.1 FM).
Dan DickersonDan Dickerson is an American sportscaster, best known for his current position as the lead radio play-by-play voice of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers on The Detroit Tigers Radio Network, joined by color commentator and former Tigers catcher Jim Price.Dickerson grew up in Birmingham,...
does
play-by-playSports commentary, in broadcasting, is a term that means the reporting of a sporting event with a voiceover describing the details of the game in progress. In North America, in a lot of sports, the sports commentator is assisted by a color commentator, and sometimes a sideline reporter...
and former Tigers catcher
Jim PriceJimmie William Price is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Detroit Tigers from 1967 to 1973. He is also the current color commentator for the Detroit Tigers on The Detroit Tigers Radio Network...
does color commentary. Games are carried on both stations unless a conflict with
Detroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are an American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in downtown Detroit....
or
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings is a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL....
coverage arises, in which case only WXYT-AM serves as the Tigers' flagship.
Television
The Tigers' current exclusive local television rights holder is
Fox Sports DetroitFox Sports Detroit , is a regional sports network that covers local sports teams in the state of Michigan and an owned and operated affiliate of Fox Sports Net. It is available on cable television in all of Michigan, Northeastern Indiana, Northwest Ohio, some portions of northeastern Wisconsin and...
.
Mario ImpembaMario Impemba is an American sportscaster, most known as the current television play-by-play announcer for the Detroit Tigers on Fox Sports Detroit.-Early life:...
does play-by-play and
Rod AllenRoderick Bernet "Rod" Allen is a television baseball color commentator, currently for the Detroit Tigers on Fox Sports Detroit. He also analyzes for other games on Fox Saturday Baseball when the Tigers don't play on Fox Sports Detroit...
does color commentary. Since 2008, the only locally produced game aired on broadcast television is the Tigers' home opener, which is aired on WJBK-TV, simulcasted from Fox Sports Detroit.
Former
Radio
From 1964–2000, the Tigers' flagship station was Detroit's
WJRWJR is a radio station in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It broadcasts a news/talk format. It is a class A clear channel station whose broadcasts can be heard throughout most of the Midwest, eastern United States and Canada at night, making it one of the most powerful radio stations in the...
, a maximum power clear channel station that can be heard in the entire Great Lakes region and much of the Midwest.
Television
Former Tigers telecasters include WJBK-TV, WKBD-TV,
WWJ-TVWWJ-TV, digital channel 44 is the CBS-owned and operated station in Detroit, Michigan. It is co-owned with Detroit's CW station, WKBD-TV , and the two stations share a studio in Southfield, Michigan, a Detroit suburb....
,
WDIV-TVWDIV-TV, digital channel 45 , is an NBC-affiliated television station based in Detroit, Michigan, United States...
and the defunct channels PASS Sports and
ON-TVON-TV, also known as National Subscription Television, was a subscription television service launched in 1977 by Oak Industries, Norman Lear's Chartwell Enterprises and Jerry Perenchio. Oak was a manufacturer of satellite and pay-TV decoders and equipment...
affiliate WXON-TV (as well as its current incarnation WMYD-TV).
Until the end of the 2007 season, Fox Sports Detroit shared rights with several Detroit stations, most recently WJBK-TV, which simulcasted games on a small network of broadcast stations across Michigan and Northwestern Ohio. This ended when Fox Sports Detroit signed a 10 year exclusive contract with the team in March 2008.
Personalities
Past Tigers broadcasters include
Ty TysonEdwin L. "Ty" Tyson was an American sports broadcaster and radio play-by-play announcer.-Early life:Tyson was born in Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania and he attended Penn State University. As a young man, he played ball and acted in nearby Tyrone, Pennsylvania. While acting in a play, he met another...
,
Harry HeilmannHarry Edwin Heilmann , nicknamed “Slug,” was a major league baseball player who played seventeen seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1952.Heilmann was a line drive hitter who won four American League batting crowns: in 1921, 1923,...
, Paul Williams,
Van PatrickVan Patrick was an American sportscaster, best known for his play-by-play work with the Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers....
,
Dizzy TroutPaul Howard "Dizzy" Trout was a Major League Baseball pitcher primarily for the Detroit Tigers. Born in Sandcut, Indiana, he first played professionally in 1935 with the Terre Haute Tots in the Three-I League before signing with Detroit in 1939.Trout played for the Tigers for fourteen seasons,...
,
Mel OttMelvin Thomas "Mel" Ott , nicknamed "Master Melvin", was a Major League Baseball right fielder who played his entire career for the New York Giants . Ott was born in Gretna, Louisiana. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
,
George KellGeorge Clyde Kell was an American baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Athletics , Detroit Tigers , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , and Baltimore Orioles in the American League, who later was a baseball announcer for 40 years.-Playing career:A solid right-handed hitter and a...
,
Bob ScheffingRobert Boden Scheffing was an American baseball player, coach, manager and front-office executive. Nicknamed "Grumpy," the native of Overland, Missouri is most often identified with the Chicago Cubs, for whom he played as a catcher , coached , and managed .Scheffing also spent 2½ years as...
,
Ray LaneRay Lane is a sports broadcasting figure in Detroit, Michigan. During the middle 1940s, the native Detroiter was a gifted student-athlete for the Stags of Mackenzie High School...
, Larry Osterman, Paul Carey and Don Kremer,
Al KalineAlbert William "Al" Kaline, also known as Mr. Tiger, is a former Major League Baseball player. Kaline was active from 1953 to 1974 and spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
, Joe Pelligrino,
Mike BarryMike Barry is the former assistant offensive line coach for the National Football League Detroit Lions.Barry played at Nebraska and Southern Illinois....
, Larry Adderly,
Norm CashNorman Dalton Cash was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
,
Hank AguirreHenry John "Hank" Aguirre was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played with the Cleveland Indians , Detroit Tigers , Los Angeles Dodgers , and Chicago Cubs...
,
Bill FreehanWilliam Ashley Freehan is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire 15-year career with the Detroit Tigers...
, Jim Northrup,
Rick RizzsRick Rizzs is an American sportscaster for Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners. Except for a stint with the Detroit Tigers, Rizzs has been with the Mariners since 1983. He uses the catch phrase "Good-bye, baseball!" as his signature home run call....
,
Bob RathbunBob Rathbun is a sports television announcer. He has been the announcer for the Atlanta Hawks basketball games on FSN South since 1996. He is currently partnered with Dominique Wilkins...
, Fred McLeod, Frank Beckmann,
Lary SorensenLary Alan Sorensen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Milwaukee Brewers , St...
,
Josh LewinJosh Lewin is an American sports play-by-play announcer who calls television games for the Texas Rangers baseball club while also serving as radio voice of the San Diego Chargers football team.-Early life and career:...
,
Kirk GibsonKirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player, best known for his clutch home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series....
,
Lance ParrishLance Michael Parrish, aka "Big Wheel", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Phillies , California Angels , Seattle Mariners , Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , and the Toronto Blue Jays...
, and Hall of Famer
Ernie HarwellWilliam Earnest "Ernie" Harwell is a former American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called balls, strikes, and home runs on radio and television...
, who called Tiger baseball from 1960-1991, then 1993-2002.
World Series Victories
- 1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in 1907, 1908, 1909, and 1934....
- 1945 World Series
The 1945 World Series matched the American League Detroit Tigers against the National League Chicago Cubs. The Tigers won the Series, four games to three, giving them their second championship and first since 1935....
- 1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
- 1984 World Series
The 1984 World Series began on October 9 and ended on October 14, 1984. The American League champion Detroit Tigers played against the National League champion San Diego Padres, with the Tigers winning the series four games to one....
World Series Losses
- 1907 World Series
The 1907 World Series featured the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers, with the Cubs winning the Series four games to none for their first championship....
- 1908 World Series
The 1908 World Series matched the defending champion Chicago Cubs against the Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 Series. In this first-ever rematch of this young event, the Cubs won in five games for their second consecutive title....
- 1909 World Series
The 1909 World Series featured the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers. The Pirates won the Series in seven games to capture their first championship of the modern Major League Baseball era and the second championship in the club's history....
- 1934 World Series
The 1934 World Series matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang" winning in seven games for their third championship in nine years....
- 1940 World Series
The 1940 World Series matched the Cincinnati Reds against the Detroit Tigers, with the Reds winning the Series in seven games for their second championship, their first since the scandal-tainted victory in 1919...
- 2006 World Series
The 2006 World Series, the 102nd edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, began on October 21 and ended on October 27, and matched the American League champion Detroit Tigers against the National League champion, St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals won the Series in five games, taking...
Season records
- Highest Batting Average: .420, Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was a baseball player and is regarded by some historians and journalists as the best player of the dead-ball era, and is generally seen as one of the greatest players of all time.In 1936, Cobb received the most votes of any player on the...
(1911)
- Most Runs: 147, Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was a baseball player and is regarded by some historians and journalists as the best player of the dead-ball era, and is generally seen as one of the greatest players of all time.In 1936, Cobb received the most votes of any player on the...
(1911)
- Most Hits: 248, Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was a baseball player and is regarded by some historians and journalists as the best player of the dead-ball era, and is generally seen as one of the greatest players of all time.In 1936, Cobb received the most votes of any player on the...
(1911)
- Highest Slugging %: .683, Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s....
(1938)
- Most Doubles: 63, Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s....
(1934)
- Most Triples: 26, Sam Crawford
Samuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
(1914)
- Most Home Runs: 58, Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s....
(1938)
- Most Grand Slams: 4, Rudy York
Preston Rudolph York was a Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Detroit Tigers , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Athletics . York was born in Ragland, Alabama...
(1938),Ray BooneRaymond Otis Boone was an American Major League Baseball player. He batted and threw right-handed.Boone was born in San Diego, California. An infielder, he broke into the major leagues on September 3, , with the Cleveland Indians...
(1953) and Jim Northrup (1968)
- Most RBIs: 183, Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s....
(1937)
- Most Wins: 31, Denny McLain
Dennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season --a feat accomplished by only 13 players in the 20th Century....
(1968)
- Lowest ERA: 1.64, Ed Summers
Oron Edgar Summers , nicknamed "Kickapoo Ed," due to his Kickapoo ancestry. was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played five seasons with the Detroit Tigers ....
(1908)
- Strikeouts: 308, Mickey Lolich
Michael Stephen Lolich is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 until 1979, playing the majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers....
(1971)
- Complete Games: 42, George Mullin
George Mullin may refer to:* George Mullin , baseball pitcher* George Mullin , American recipient of the Victoria Cross during World War I-See also:*George Mullins, Irish painter...
(1904)
- Saves: 42, Todd Jones (2000)
See also
- Detroit Tigers seasons
The Detroit Tigers are a charter member of the American League, beginning play in 1901. Their all-time record is 8564–8356 . In the playoffs, the Tigers have won 7 series and lost 8, and are 39–41 overall...
- Tigers all time roster
This is a list of players, both past and current, who appeared at least in one game for the Detroit Tigers, with their main position and years played.Players in Bold are members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame....
- Tigers award winners and league leaders
- Tigers statistical records and milestone achievements
- Managers and ownership of the Detroit Tigers
- Detroit Tigers Nicknames: some of the colorful Tiger nicknames from the past and present
External links