The Roaming Photographer: 2025-06-01

Friday, June 6, 2025

Alan Trammell

Photo Credit

famers/trammell-alan

Article researched and compiled

by Carrie Birdsong

Born: February 21st, 1958
Birthplace: Garden Grove, California
Position: Shortstop / Manager
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB Debut: September 9th, 1977, for the Detroit

Tigers

Last MLB Appearance: September 29th, 1996, for

the Detroit Tigers
MLB Statistics:

1. Batting Average: .285
2. Hits 2,365
3. Home Runs 185
4. Runs Batted In 1,003
5. Managerial Record 187 – 302
6. Winning % .382
Teams:
1. As player: Detroit Tigers 1977 – 1996
2. As manager: Detroit Tigers 2003 – 2005
3. Arizona Diamondbacks 2014
As Coach:

1. Detroit Tigers 1999
2. San Diego Padres 2000 – 2002
3. Chicago Cubs 2007 – 2010
4. Arizona Diamondbacks 2011 – 2014
5. Detroit Tigers 2015
Career Highlights and Awards:

1. 6x All–Star 1980, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990

2. World Series Champion: 1984
3. World Series MVP 1984
4. 4x Gold Glove Award 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984
5. 3x Silver Slugger Award 1987, 1988, 1990
6. Detroit Tigers No. 3 Retired
7. Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame,

inducted in 2018, with 81.3% of the votes.

Elected by the Modern Baseball Era Committee.

Medals: Men’s Baseball, representing the U.S. in the

World Baseball Classic with the 2017 Los

Angeles team and winning the Gold medal.

Alan Trammell (TRAM – el(1)) is a former professional baseball shortstop, manager, and coach. He is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He played for the Detroit Tigers for the entirety of his 20–year playing career in Major League Baseball. Trammell has served as a special assistant to the General Manager of the Detroit Tigers since the 2014 season.

Trammell won the 1984 World Series championship over his hometown San Diego Padres(2)(3), earning Series MVP honors. His team also won an American League East division championship in 1987. Although his arm was not overpowering, he had a quick release and made accurate throws, ultimately winning four Gold Glove awards. Trammell’s defense perfectly complemented his double–play partner, Lou Whitaker. The two formed the longest continuous double–play combination in major league history, playing 19 seasons together. At the plate, Trammell was one of the best–hitting shortstops of his era and won three Silver Slugger awards.

Trammell later served as the Tigers’ manager from 2003 through 2005. He also served as the interim manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks during the final three games of the 2014 season. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.

Playing Years

Early Years

Trammell attended Kearny High School in San Diego, California, and played American Legion Baseball. He was named the 1989 American Legion Graduate of the Year. (4)

The Detroit Tigers selected him in the second round of the 1976 MLB draft(5). While playing for the Tigers’ farm team in Montgomery of the Southern League, Trammell played his first game with teammate Lou Whitaker before the two infielders were promoted, making their major league debut at Fenway Park together, during the second game of a double – header on September 9th, 1977, the first of nineteen seasons together. Both players became regulars at their positions the following season. Trammell batted .300 in 1980 as he made the All–Star team for the first time. In 1983, he batted .319 with 14 home runs, 66 runs batted in, and 30 stolen bases(6). Having hit .258 in both 1981 and 1982, Trammell won the 1983 MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award in the American League.

Trammell and Whitaker made a cameo appearance on the television show Magnum, P.I., starring Tom Selleck, during the 1983 season(7)(8). Selleck’s character was a Tigers fan, as is Selleck himself. (9)

1984

The Tigers enjoyed a championship – winning season in 1984, when they started the season 35 – 5 and led the AL wire – to – wire en route to winning the World Series(10). Despite a season–long battle with tendinitis in his shoulder that caused him to miss 23 regular games, Trammell finished fifth in the AL batting race with a .314 mark and ranked eighth in on–base percentage (.382). In the AL Championship Series against the Kansas City Royals, he hit .364 with one home run and three RBIs. Finally, in the World Series, he hit .450 (9 for 20) against the San Diego Padres, including a pair of two–run home runs that accounted for all of the Tigers’ scoring in a Game 4 victory. Detroit won the series 4 – 1, and Trammell was named World Series MVP.(11)(12)

1985 – 1988

In 1985, after two consecutive years of batting no lower than .314, Trammell was hampered by injuries and posted only a .258 batting average. He underwent postseason surgery on his left knee and right shoulder. The following season, a fully healthy Trammell hit 21 homers and stole 25 bases, becoming only the second player in Detroit Tigers history to hit 20+ home runs and steal 20+ bases in the same season. (Kirk Gibson was the other, while Curtis Granderson and Robbie Grossman later joined the club.) Trammell also set a career–high with 75 RBIs.

In 1987, asked by manager Sparky Anderson to replace the departed Lance Parrish as a cleanup hitter, Trammell responded with his best major league season, hitting a career–high 28 home runs and a .343 batting average (ranking third in the AL). In addition, Trammell appeared among the league leaders in most other AL offensive categories: third in hits (205), tenth in RBIs (105), tied for fifth in runs (109), fourth in total bases (329), fifth in on – base percentage (.402), eighth in slugging percentage (.551), sixth in on – base plus slugging (.953), fifth in OPS+ (155), and tied for fifth in game – winning RBIs (16). In September, he batted .416 with six homers and 17 RBIs and put together an 18 – game hitting streak in which he hit .457. on the penultimate day of the regular season, he hit a walk – off single against the Toronto Blue Jays to help his team take the AL East division lead, which they clinched the next day. He became the first Tiger to collect 200 hits and 100 RBIs in the same season since Al Kaline did it in 1955. Trammell also became the first shortstop to hit at least .340 with 20+ home runs and 100+ RBIs in a season in big league history. Despite his efforts, Trammell finished second to Toronto’s George Bell in the MVP voting (332 – 311)(13). After the season finale, Whitaker gave him second base, on which he had written: To Alan Trammell, 1987 Most Valuable Player, from your friend Lou Whitaker.(14)

Trammell followed up with a .311 season in 1988, though a stint on the disabled list limited him to 128 games that year.

Later Years, Injuries, and Retirement

Following the 1990 season, in which he hit .304 with 89 RBIs in 146 games, Trammell suffered a long string of injuries that reduced his production over his final years. In 1991, knee and ankle injuries limited Trammell to 101 games. During the following season, he played in 29 games before breaking his right ankle and missing the remainder of the 1992 season. He hit .329 in a resurgent 1993 season but was ineligible to be ranked among the AL batting leaders because he only had 447 plate appearances. In his final five seasons, Trammell averaged 76 games played after averaging 140 games played in the first 13 seasons of his career. From 1993 to 1996, Trammell saw less time at shortstop in favor of Travis Fryma, and eventually Chris Gomez and Andujar Cedeno(15). He instead saw playing time at several positions, including shortstop, third base, second base, left field, center field, and designated hitter(16). Trammell retired following the 1996 season.

In his 20–year career, Trammell batted over .300 seven times, ending with a career average of .285 and 185 home runs with 1,003 RBIs, 1,231 runs, 2,365 hits, 412 doubles, 55 triples, 236 stolen bases, and 850 walks in 2,293 games(6). He compiled a .977 fielding percentage as shortstop, his primary position.

Hall of Fame Consideration and Induction

In 2001, Trammell was rated as the ninth–best shortstop of all time in “The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract”, placing him higher than fourteen Hall of Fame shortstops. In subsequent years, Trammell’s candidacy for the Hall of Fame picked up increasing support from the sabermetric community. In his first 12 years of eligibility, he received the following percentage of votes: 15.7% (2002), 14.1% (2003), 13.8% (2004), 16.9% (2005), 17.7% (2006), 13.4% (2007), 18.2% (2008), 17.4% (2009), 22.4% (2010), 24.3% (2011), 36.8% (2012), 33.6% (2013), and 20.8% (2014)(6). His boost in later years was likely due to voters being more receptive to advanced metrics, such as wins above replacement. (17)

Trammell was on his 15th and final Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot in 2016, failing to earn enough for induction. Trammell was one of the last candidates to be allowed on the ballot for 15 years after the BBWAA reduced eligibility to ten years, and would next be considered for the Veterans Committee Expansion starting from 2017. On December 10th, 2017, he was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Modern Baseball Committee alongside teammate Jack Morris. They were inducted in July 2018.(18)(19)

In 1998, Trammell was elected into the National Polish–American Sports Hall of Fame. (20)

Jersey Number Retirement

Photo Credit
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/

mlb/tigers/2018/08/26/he-played-right-way-

detroit-tigers-retire-alan-trammells-no-

3/1104361002/)

Alan Trammell’s jersey #3 was retired by the Tigers in a ceremony on August 26th, 2018(21). His name and number were added to the brick wall in left – center field at Comerica Park, alongside Charlie Gehringer (#2), Hank Greenberg (#5), Al Kaline (#6), Sparky Anderson (#11), Hal Newhouser (#16), Ty Cobb (no number), and Jack Morris (#47). Jackie Robinson’s #42 was retired throughout baseball in 1997. Double–play mate Lou Whitaker had his #1 retired in 2022, and it now fittingly stands to the right of Trammell’s on the outfield wall.

Managerial and Coaching Career

After his retirement, Trammell coached for Detroit (1999, hitting coach) and the San Diego Padres (2000 – 2002, first base coach) before becoming a manager. (22)

Detroit Tigers

Trammell was named the manager of a struggling Tigers team on October 9th, 2002(23). The team lost 119 games in his first season in 2003, an American League record at that time, before posting a 72 – 90 record in 2004. In the 2005 season, however, the team’s record regressed slightly, finishing 71 – 91. During Trammell’s three years as manager, the Tigers compiled a record of 186 – 300. (22)(24)

During the 2003 season, Detroit nearly matched the modern MLB record of 120 losses, set by the expansion New York Mets (40 – 120) in 1962. The Tigers won five of their last six games to avoid the distinction. The Mets’ major league record and Tigers’ American League record for losses were later surpassed by the 2024 Chicago White Sox. (25)

On October 3rd. In 2005, the Tigers released Trammell after three seasons in which the organization failed to post a winning record(22). Trammell was replaced by Jim Leyland on October 4th, 2005. Leyland led Detroit to a 24–game improvement in the regular season, an AL pennant, and a World Series appearance in 2006. While there was some media criticism regarding Trammell’s managerial strategies and “nice” demeanor,(26) others contend that he was a rookie manager put in charge of a team that was severely lacking in talent, and believe his managerial stint played an integral role in re-instilling professionalism and pride throughout the Tigers organization. Leyland himself attributed a degree of the success that the Tigers saw in the 2006 postseason to Trammell’s efforts in the three years prior. (27)

In October 2006, Trammell returned to Comerica Park for the first time since his firing to participate, along with Sparky Anderson, in pregame festivities before Game 2 of the World Series(28). Trammell was showered with a lengthy standing ovation from Detroit baseball fans upon taking the field.

Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks

After being replaced by Leyland, Trammell turned down an offer to stay with the Tigers as a special assistant, instead opting to sit out 2006. In October 2006, he agreed to join the Chicago Cubs as a bench coach for the 2007 season (28), a possible precursor to an eventual return to managing a major league club.

During the four–game suspension of Lou Piniella in 2007, Trammell was acting manager of the Chicago Cubs.

Trammell was passed over for the Cubs’ managerial position when Lou Piniella retired midway through the 2010 season. (29)

Trammell was named bench coach of the Arizona Diamondbacks in October 2010, joining his former teammate, Kirk Gibson. Gibson had previously been Trammell’s bench and hitting coach with the Tigers(30). He and Gibson were fired on September 26th, 2014, though Trammell stayed on for the final three games of the season to serve as the interim manager(31). He had a record of one win and two losses with Arizona. (24)

Return to the Detroit Tigers

On November 3rd, 2014, it was announced that Trammell would return to Detroit as a special assistant to Tigers’ general manager Dave Dombrowski(32)(33). During the 2015 season, Trammell served as interim first–base coach when Omar Vizquel temporarily left the team on bereavement leave. He wore #4 during this time, as Ian Kinsler was wearing Trammell’s familiar #3(34). Trammell continued to serve as a special assistant to Tigers’ general manager Al Avila until Avila was dismissed in August 2022, and Avila was replaced by general manager Jeff Greenberg in September 2023, with Trammell maintaining his special assistant role.(35)(36)(37)

Managerial Record

As of December 18th, 2014

Career Highlights
1. 1984 World Series MVP
2. 1984 World Series Champion
3. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame(38)
4. 6 – time All–Star (1980, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988,

1990)
5. 4 – time Gold Glove (1980, 1981, 1983, 1984)
6. 3 – time Top 10 MVP finisher (1984, 1987,

1988)
7. 3 – time Silver Slugger (1987, 1988, 1990)
8. 3 – time Tiger of the Year by the BBWAA –

Detroit Chapter (1980, 1987, 1988)

9. Comeback Player of the Year (1983)
10. Collected both the 200th hit of the season and

the 1.500th career in the same at bat

(October 1st, 1987)

11. Had a 21–game hit streak during the 1987

season
12. Had a 20–game hit streak during the 1984

season
13. Along with teammate Lou Whitaker, holds the

AL record for playing together (1,918 games).

They also set the major league record by turning

more double plays than any other shortstop–

second baseman combination in professional

baseball history.

14. The Trammell–Whitaker duo twice won Gold

Gloves together, joining a list of eight shortstop–

Second baseman duos that have won the honor

In the same season, while playing together

(1983, 1984)

15. Inducted into the National Polish–American

Sports Hall of Fame in 1998(20)

16. Inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions

in 1998(39)

For more about Alan Trammell, check out these links:

1. https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/trammell-

alan
2. https://www.polishsportshof.com/portfolio_page/

alan-trammell/

3. https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/alan-trammell/
4. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/

trammal01.shtml

References:

1. Detroit Tigers 1980 Press-TV-Radio Guide

(pronunci-ations on page 38). Archived 

April 14, 2021, at the Wayback Machine 

Retrieved April 14, 2021

2. Kenney, Kirk (July 22, 2018). "Alan Trammell's

Hall of Fame roots trace to the canyons of Serra

Mesa and playgrounds of Kearny High". San

Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved January 19, 

2025.

3. Togerson • •, Derek (December 10, 2017). 

"FINALLY … Alan Trammell is Going to

Coopers town". NBC 7 San Diego. Retrieved 

January 19, 2025.

4. "Graduate of the Year". American Legion.

5. "Tigers great Alan Trammell puts San Diego

investment property up for sale". Los Angeles

Times. October 16, 2015.

6. Jump up to:a b c "Alan Trammell". Baseball-

Reference. Archived from the original on

December 22, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2011.

7. "Magnum, P.I.: A Sense of Debt episode on TV.

com". Archived from the original on January 19,

2010. Retrieved February 2, 2008.

8. Video on YouTube

9. "Selleck Strikes Out For Tigers". Chicago

Tribune. April 4, 1991. Archived from the

original on December 8, 2014. Retrieved 

December 17, 2023.

10. "Bless You Boys: A Celebration of the '84

Tigers". Detroit Tigers. Archived from the

original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved 

December 17, 2023.

11. Kappler, Brian (October 15, 1984). "Bad

knee didn't halt Trammell". The Montreal

Gazette. Retrieved January 13, 2011.

12. Atkins, Harry (October 16, 1984). "Trammell

picks up car". Gettysburg Times. Associated

Press. Retrieved January 13, 2011.

13. Donaghy, Jim (November 18, 1987). "Bell

edges Trammell". The Hour. Associated

Press. Retrieved January 13, 2011.

14. Holmes, Dan (September 5, 2014). 

"Whitaker's nice gesture remains one of

Trammell's prized possessions". Detroit

Athletic. Archived from the original on

September 19, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 

2023.

15. Akre, Brian S. (January 25, 1996). "Detroit

signs Trammell to play utility role". Lake-

land Ledger. Associated Press. p. C4 – via

Google News Archive Search.

16. "Alan Trammell Fielding Stats". Baseball

Reference.

17. Eye On Baseball . Retrieved December 27,

2013

18. McCosky, Chris. "Trammell still unsettled

by finally getting Hall call". The Detroit

News. Retrieved April 8, 2025.

19. Castrovince, Anthony (July 30, 2018). 

"Morris, Trammell grateful to enter HOF

together". MLB.com. Retrieved April 8, 

2025.

20. Jump up to:a b "Alan Trammell". polishs

portshof.com. Archived from the original on

January 10, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2015.

21. "Alan Trammell sees Tigers No.3 jersey

retired, lobbies for DP partner Lou Whitaker". 

ESPN.com. August 27, 2018. Retrieved 

September 19, 2018.

22. Jump up to:a b c "Tigers fire Trammell after

71–91 season". ESPN. October 4, 2005.

Retrieved January 13, 

2011.

23. Lage, Larry (October 9, 2002). "Trammell

takes Tigers' managerial reins". USA Today.

Associated Press. Archived from the original 

on November 3, 2012. Retrieved 

December 17, 2023.

24. Jump up to:a b c d "Alan Trammell". Baseball

Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 

December 5, 2014.

25. Doolittle, Bradford (September 28, 2024). 

"121 losses?! The numbers behind the White

Sox's season of shame". ESPN.com. Retrieved 

April 8, 2025.

26. Crasnick, Jerry (October 20, 2006). "Trammell:

'I'll always be a Tiger'". ESPN. Retrieved 

January 13, 2011.

27. "A Tiger Who Won, and Then Couldn't,

Manages to Smile". The New York Times.

Associated Press. October 22, 2006.

Retrieved January 13, 2011.

28. Jump up to:a b Muskat, Carrie (October 24,

2006). "Trammell raring to go with Cubs".

Major League Baseball. Archived from the

original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved 

December 17, 2023.

29. "Mike Quade prepared for hot seat". ESPN.

Associated Press. August 23, 2010.

Retrieved January 13, 2011.

30. "Gibson reunites with Trammell in Arizona". 

USA Today. Associated Press. October 26,

2010. Archived from the original on

November 3, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 

2023.

31. "Diamondbacks fire Kirk Gibson". ESPN.

com. September 27, 2014. Retrieved 

September 28, 2014.

32. "Alan Trammell returning to Tigers as

assistant to GM". The Detroit News.

November 3, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 

2014.

33. "Trammell returns to Tigers as special

assistant". Major League Baseball.

November 3, 2014. Archived from the

original on November 3, 2014. Retrieved 

November 3, 2014.

34. "Trammell fills in as Tigers' first-base

coach". MLB.com. July 25, 2015.

Retrieved August 18, 2018.

35. "Trammell still unsettled by finally getting

Hall call". The Detroit News. December 11,

2017.

36. Petzold, Evan (August 10, 2022). "Detroit

Tigers fire general manager Al Avila after 7

seasons". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 

August 11, 2022.

37. Beck, Jason (September 29, 2023). "Miggy

to join Tigers' front office as special

assistant". MLB.com. Retrieved October 14, 

2023.

38. Jaffe, Jay (December 11, 2017). "Evaluating

the Inevitable Hall of Fame Election of Jack

Morris, the Pleasant Surprise of Alan

Trammell and More". SI.com. Retrieved 

April 7, 2025.

39. "San Diego Hall of Champions Sports

Museum » Alan Trammell". Archived from

the original on October 1, 2009. Retrieved 

June 18, 2009.

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Al Kaline

Photo Credit

https://www.mlb.com/news/
al-kaline-dies-at-85

Article researched and compiled
by Carrie Birdsong

Born: December 19th, 1934
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland
Died: April 6th, 2020, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Position: Right Fielder
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB Debut: June 25th, 1953, for the Detroit Tigers
Last MLB Appearance: October 2nd, 1974, for the

Detroit Tigers
MLB Statistics:
1. Batting Average: .297
2. Hits 3,007
3. Home Runs 399
4. Runs Batted In 1,583

Teams: Detroit Tigers 1953 – 1974

Career Highlights and Awards:
1. 18x All–Star (1955 – 19612, 19622 –
1967, 1971, 1974)
2. World Series Champion: (1968)
3. 10x Gold Glove Award: (1957 – 1959,
1961 – 1967)
4. Roberto Clemente Award: (1973)
5. AL Batting Champion: (1955)
6. Detroit Tigers No. 6 retired
7. Member of the Cooperstown (1980)
8. Vote 88.3% (first ballot)

Albert Kaline, nicknamed “Mr. Tiger”, was a right fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers(1). For most of his career, Kaline played in the outfield, mainly as a right fielder, where he won ten Gold Glove Awards and was known for his strong throwing arm(2). He was selected for 18 All–Star Games, including selections each year between 1955 and 1967. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980 in his first year of eligibility.(1)(3)

Near the end of his career, Kaline also played first baseman and, in his last season, was the Tigers’ designated hitter. He retired soon after the 3,000-hit milestone late in the 1974 season. Immediately after retiring from playing, he became the Tigers’ TV color commentator, a position he held from 1975 until 2002. Kaline worked for the Tigers as a front office assistant from 2003 until he died in 2020. (4)

Early Life

Kaline was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Naomi (Morgan) and Nicholas Kaline(5). His family was poor. Several of his relatives played semi-professional baseball, but no one in the family had graduated from high school. When he was eight years old, Kaline developed osteomyelitis and had two inches of bone removed from his left foot(6). The surgery left him with scarring and permanent deformity, but he was an outstanding pitcher in youth baseball(7). Kaline had learned to throw a fastball, changeup, and curveball by the age of nine. (8)

Kaline attended Baltimore’s Southern High School, where he starred in basketball and also played football until he sustained a cheek injury. When he tried out for the baseball team, there was no room on the pitching staff so Kaline moved to the outfield(8). He earned all–state honors in baseball all four years(7). Kaline said that he was a poor student but that he was well–liked by his teachers. He said that his teachers passed him, believing he would become a baseball player. (9)

Professional Career

Early Years

At the time of Kaline’s signing, the bonus rule implemented by Major League Baseball was still in effect. The rule stipulated that when a major league team signed a player to a contract with a signing bonus over $4,000 ($56,000 today), the team was required to keep that player on their 25–man active roster for two full seasons. If the team failed to comply with the rule, they would lose the rights to that player’s contract, and the player would then be exposed to the waiver wire. (10)

As Kaline had received a bonus of $15,000 ($210,000 today), he bypassed the minor leagues and joined the Tigers directly from high school(11)(12). Ed Katalinas, the Detroit scout who had tracked him through high school, said: “To me, he was the prospect that a scout creates in his mind and then prays that someone will come along to fit the pattern.”(13)

He made his major league debut on June 25th, 1953, in Philadelphia as a late–inning replacement for outfielder Jim Delsing. Kaline wore number 25 during his rookie campaign, but asked teammate Pat Mullin for his No. 6 when he retired after the 1953 season ended. Kaline wore the number for the rest of his major league playing career. (14)

In 1955, at age 20, Kaline ended the season with a .340 batting average, becoming the youngest player ever to win the American League (AL) batting title. No 20 – year – old major league player had won a batting title since Ty Cobb in 1907. During the 1955 season, Kaline became the 13th man in major league history to hit two home runs in the same inning, became the youngest to hit three home runs in one game, and finished the year with 200 hits, 27 home runs and 102 runs batted in (RBI’s)(1)(15). His 200 hits led the major leagues, and he also led the American League with 321 total bases. Kaline finished second to Yogi Berra in the American League’s 1955 Most Valuable Player Award voting(16). He was selected for the Major League Baseball All–Star Game, the first in a string of consecutive All–Star selections that lasted through 1967. (1)

Kaline followed in 1956 with a .314 batting average, 27 home runs and a career–high 128 RBIs, finishing third in the AL MVP voting(1). He led the league in outfield assists with 18 in 1956(17) and again in 1958 with 23(18). In 1957, he won the first of what would be ten Gold Glove Awards over the next eleven seasons. Kaline was out for several games in 1958 after he was hit by a pitch. He missed several games in 1959 after he was hit by a thrown ball and sustained a fracture in his cheekbone. Kaline had been knocked out by the blow, and initial speculation was that he could miss six weeks of the season(19). Kaline ended up only missing 18 games and finished the 1959 season with a .327 batting average and 27 home runs. He also led the AL in slugging percentage (.530) and OPS (.940). By the time of his 26th birthday, Kaline had accumulated 1,200 hits, the third highest total by a 25 – year – old player in MLB history, behind only Ty Cobb (1,433) and Mel Ott (1,249). (20)

Middle Career

Following the departure of Harvey Kuenn, Kaline played the entire 1960 season in center field, the only time in his career he would do so. In 1961, the Tigers acquired Bill Bruton from the Milwaukee Brewers to play center field, allowing Kaline to move back to right field.

In 1961, Kaline led the majors with 41 doubles and hit .324 to finish second in the AL batting race (behind teammate Norm Cash). The Tigers won 101 games, to date the third–highest win total in team history, but still finished eight games behind a New York Yankees team that was led by the home run heroics of Roger Maris (61) and Mickey Mantle (54). Kaline began the 1962 season hitting .345 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs in 35 games. On May 26th of that season, he sustained a broken collarbone while making a game–ending catch on a ball hit by New York’s Elston Howard. He missed 57 games due to injury, and Detroit was unable to seriously compete for a pennant due to his absence. When healthy, Kaline was great in 1962, hitting a career–high 29 home runs and driving in 94 runs in only 100 games.(21)

By late March 1963, Kaline said that he felt good and he was hitting .373 in 53 spring training at–bats (21). In the 1963 regular season, Kaline hit .312 with 27 home runs and 101 RBIs, finishing second to Elston Howard in the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award voting(1)(22). Kaline experienced pain in his left foot, the one that had been affected by osteomyelitis as a child, throughout the 1964 season. His batting average dropped to .293 that season. Kaline tried to ignore the pain, but he saw physicians who thought he was suffering from gout and administered injections. (23)

Still in pain, the following season, Kaline saw an orthopedic surgeon who prescribed corrective shoes. “I feel so much better than I did before, that it’s ridiculous”, Kaline said by June 1965(23). Sportswriter Milton Gross described Kaline’s deformed foot, saying, “The pinky and middle finger don’t touch the ground. The fourth toe is stretched. The second and third are shortened. The first and third toes overlap the second, and the fourth is beginning to overlap the big toe, which has to begun to bend to the left. It is hard to believe, but for all of his career with the Tigers while he has been called the perfect player, Kaline has bordered on being a cripple.”(23)

In 1966, Kaline tied his career high with 29 home runs. In the summer of 1967, the normally calm Kaline broke a bone in his hand when he struck a baseball bat against a bat rack(24). Kaline missed a month of play. When he returned, the Tigers were in a four–team pennant race, but the team finished the season one game behind the first-place Boston Red Sox. (25)

Kaline missed two months of the 1968 season with a broken arm, but he returned to the lineup when Tiger manager Mayo Smith benched shortstop Ray Oyler and sent center fielder Mickey Stanley to play shortstop to make room for Kaline in the outfield(26). ESPN later called Smith’s move one of the ten greatest coaching decisions of the century(27). In the 1968 World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals won three of the first four games of the series and were leading Game 5 by a score of 3 – 2 in the seventh inning, when Kaline hit a bases-loaded single to drive in two runs(28). The Tigers won that game and then won Game 6 in a blowout. Kaline had two hits, two runs scored, and three RBIs in the Tigers’ 10–run third inning of Game 6. Detroit went on to win Game 7 for their first world championship since 1945. In his only World Series appearance, Kaline hit .379 with two home runs and eight RBIs in seven games(29). For their victory, Kaline and his teammates each received bonus checks of $10,000 (at a time when Kaline’s salary was “about $70,000). (30)

The 1969 Tigers could not repeat the magic of their World Series triumph, as they won 90 games but still finished 19 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the newly formed American League East division. Kaline hit .272 with 21 home runs in 131 games. It was the last season of his career when he reached 20 homers.

Final Seasons

In 1970, Kaline sustained a freak, near–fatal injury in an outfield collision. In a game at Milwaukee’s County Stadium on May 30th, against the Milwaukee Brewers, Kaline collided with center fielder Jim Northrup as they both pursued a fly ball. Kaline fell to the warning track and immediately began to choke; on impact, his jaw had gotten locked, and his tongue obstructed his breathing. Alertly, left fielder Willie Horton rushed over and pried open Kaline’s mouth, clearing his airway and likely saving his life. Kaline was carried out on a stretcher and spent the night in the hospital as a precaution. Later on, he said that he could not remember the incident. (31)

After hitting .274 in 1971, Kaline became the first Tiger to sign a $100,000 ($776,417 in today’s dollars) contract. He had turned down a pay raise from $95,000 to $100,000 the previous year, saying he did not feel like he deserved it after hitting .278 with 16 home runs in 1970(32)(33). Detroit contended all season for the 1972 pennant, trailing the Red Sox by a half–game before a series against them to end the regular season(34). Kaline batted eight times in two games, registering five hits and three runs scored(35). Detroit won those first two games and clinched the AL East pennant(36)(37). Kaline batted .313 in 106 games in 1972, topping .300 for the first time since 1967. The Tigers lost the 1972 American League Championship Series to the Oakland Athletics that year after Reggie Jackson stole home in the decisive fifth game of the series(38). In March 1973, Kaline won the Roberto Clemente Award in recognition of the honor he brought to baseball on and off the field. (39)

On September 24th, 1974, Kaline became the 12th player in MLB history to reach the 3,000-hit milestone when he hit a double off the Orioles' Dave McNally(40)(41)(42). After reaching the milestone, Kaline announced that he would retire at season’s end(25). “I’m glad it’s over. I really am. I don’t think I’ll miss it. I may miss spring training”, Kaline said after his last game on October 3rd, 1974(43). In his final major league season, he was used exclusively as a designated hitter, batting .262 with 13 home runs.

Kaline finished his career with 3,007 hits (then 11th on the all – time list, currently 32nd), 498 doubles, 75 triples, 399 home runs (still a Tigers record as of 2024 and currently 58th on the all – time list), 1,622 runs scored, 1,277 bases on balls, and 1,582 RBIs (currently 44th on the all – time list)(1). He batted over .300 nine times in his career to finish with a lifetime batting average of .297 and hit 25 or more home runs seven times in his career(1). Kaline also holds Tiger career records for games played (2,834), walks (1,277), and sacrifice hits (104)(44). He had more walks than strikeouts (1,020). Kaline was a good pinch hitter in his career, batting .311 (37 for 119) in that capacity with two home runs and 23 RBIs(45). His highest season strikeout total came in his final season, with 75. Before that, Kaline never struck out more than 66 times in a season. Among position players, Kaline ranks 29th all–time (15th among outfielders) in Wins Against Replacement (WAR) with a career mark of 92.8. (46)

Defensively, Kaline finished his career with an overall .987 fielding percentage(1). In his first full season (1954), he recorded 16 outfield assists, including three in one game (July 7th against the Chicago White Sox)(47). He recorded 84 outfield assists between 1954 and 1958, posting a career – high 23 in 1958. After that season, baserunners rarely tested his arm, and his assist numbers dropped.

Honors

Kaline was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980, becoming the tenth player in history to be inducted in his first year of eligibility(3)(48). He was named on 340 of the 385 ballots (88.3%) cast by sportswriters. Kaline and Duke Snider were the only candidates elected by the sportswriters in 1980. Kaline later said, “I really never thought I would choose an individual thing that happened just to me over a team thing like the World Series. But I would have to say this is the biggest thing that has ever happened to me.”(49)

Kaline was honored by the Tigers as the first of their players to have his uniform number 6 retired(50). Versatile and well–rounded, he won ten Gold Glove Awards (1957 – 1959 and 1961 – 1967) for excellence in the field and appeared in the All–Star game 15 times (1955 – 1967, 1971, 1974)(1)(51)

In 1999, Kaline was ranked number 76 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players (52) and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All–Century Team(53). In 2020, The Athletic ranked Kaline at number 51 on its “Baseball 100” list, compiled by sportswriter Joe Posnanski.(54)

In 2022, as part of their SN Rushmore project, The Sporting News named Kaline on their “Detroit Mount Rushmore of Sports”, along with Detroit Red Wings hockey player Gordie Howe, Detroit Lions football player Barry Sanders, and Detroit Pistons basketball player Isiah Thomas.(55)

Cherry Street, which ran behind the left–field stands at Tigers Stadium, was renamed Kaline Drive in his honor in 1970(26). On September 27th, 1999, when Detroit played its last game at Tiger Stadium against the Kansas City Royals, Kaline was invited to appear in uniform and present the last lineup card to the umpires. He did so along with George Brett, former Kansas City Royals great and fellow Hall of Famer.(56)

Kaline was regarded as a well–rounded player by his contemporaries. Baltimore Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson said of him, “There have been a lot of great defensive players. The fella who could do everything is Al Kaline. He was just the epitome of what a great outfielder is all about – great speed, catches the ball, and throws the ball well.”(3) Manager Billy Martin once said, “I have always referred to Al Kaline as ‘Mister Perfection’. He does it all – hitting, fielding, running, throwing – and he does it with that extra touch of brilliancy that marks him as a super ballplayer … Al fits in anywhere, at any position in the lineup and any spot in the batting order.”(57)

The 1993 Major League Baseball All–Star Game was dedicated to Kaline on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of his hometown’s only other Midsummer Classic. Kaline, along with Leon Day, and former Baltimore Orioles star Brooks Robinson, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to end the pregame ceremonies. Kaline’s ceremonial first pitch was caught by future Detroit Tiger Ivan Rodriguez, who was starting his All–Star debut.

Post–Playing Career

After his playing career, Kaline lived in the Detroit area, also maintaining a house in Florida, and he remained active within the Tigers organization, serving first as a color commentator on the team’s television broadcasts (1975 – 2002) mostly with play - by - play announcer and former Tiger and fellow Hall of Famer George Kell, and then later a consultant to the team(26). Starting in 2003, Kaline served as a special assistant to Tigers President/CEO/General Manager Dave Dombrowski (26), and his duties included coaching/mentoring outfielders during spring training(58). Former Tigers teammate Willie Horton also holds this position, and the two threw out the first pitch of the 2006 World Series at Comerica Park(26). Kaline continued in his assistant role until he died in 2020. His 67 years with one team were one of the longest tenures in MLB history. (59)

Because of his lengthy career and longtime association with the Tigers organization, Kaline’s nickname was “Mr. Tiger.”(60) Kaline’s grandson, Colin Kaline, was selected by the Tigers in the 25th round of the 2007 MLB draft. He did not sign, choosing to play baseball at Florida Southern College(61). The team drafted him again in the 2011 MLB draft, this time in the 26th round. He played in the low minor leagues with the Detroit organization in 2011 – 2012. (62)

Personal Life

Kaline married his high school sweetheart, Madge Louise Hamilton, in 1954. He had two sons, Mark Albert Kaline (b. August 21st, 1957) and Michael Keith Kaline (b. 1962)(13). Michael played college baseball at Miami University and was the father of Colin Kaline, who had a short Minor League career and was a college coach.(63)(64)

Kaline died in his home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on April 6th, 2020; the cause of death was not reported. (65)

For more about Al Kaline, click on these links:
1. https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/
al-kaline/
2. https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-
famers/kaline-al
3. https://www.baseball-reference.
com/players/k/kalinal01.shtml

References:

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2. "Al Kaline". The Baseball Page.com. 
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3. Jump up to:a b c "Al Kaline biography".
National Baseball Hall of Fame and
Museum. Archived from the original on
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4. "Al Kaline – Special Assistant to the
President". Detroit Tigers. Archived from 
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5. Jackson, Kenneth T. (2002). The
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27. "Greatest coaching decisions". ESPN. 
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  "Postseason Paychecks Are All About
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