Tiger Tales

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Wade Johnston was the starting left fielder for the Detroit Stars from 1928-1931.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia.com) In recent posts, I have integrated Detroit Stars players into the all-time Detroit major league position lists.  The difficulties involved in ranking Negro League players are discussed in the Detroit Stars all-star team post.  The complete list of position ranks
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First baseman Edgar Wesley’s 213 OPS+ in 1925 was the best in Detroit history.  (Photo credit: Seamheads.com) In recent posts, I have integrated Detroit Stars players into the all-time Detroit major league position lists:    shortstops center fielders This week, I am looking at first basemen.  Before Negro League data was so conveniently available at Seamheads.com, I
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  Detroit Stars outfielder “Turkey” Stearnes was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2001 (Photo Credit: Detroit Free Press) Near the end of 2020, Major League Baseball announced that it would now officially recognize seven professional Negro Leagues that operated between 1920-1948 as major leagues.  Historians have long considered baseball played in these leagues as
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 I always begin any Hall of Fame discussion with a reminder that long-time Tigers second basemen Lou Whitaker has the highest career Wins Above Replacement among 20th Century position players not in the Hall and not connected to steroids or gambling.  Whitaker will likely get another shot in the future, but was not on any of
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In 1990, first baseman Cecil Fielder became the first MLB player in 13 years to hit 50 home runs in a season. (Photo credit: Julian H. Gonzalez, Detroit Free Press) This week, I present the Detroit Tigers All Star team for the 1990-1999 decade.  All Star teams for previous decades are found below: 1901-1909 1910-1919
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The quartet of Lance Parrish, Lou Whitaker, Alan Trammell and Chet Lemon was the heart of the 1980s Tigers. (Photo credit: Mary Schroeder, Detroit Free Press)  This week, I present the Detroit Tigers All Star team for the 1980-1989 decade.  All Star teams for previous decades are found below: 1901-1909 1910-1919 1920-1929 1930-1939 1940-1949 1950-1959
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Mark “The Bird” Fidrych grooming the mound during his remarkable rookie season in 1976. (Photo credit: New York Times) This week, I present the Detroit Tigers All Star team for the 1970-1979 decade.  All Star teams for previous decades are found below: 1901-1909 1910-1919 1920-1929 1930-1939 1940-1949 1950-1959 1960-1969 Detroit Stars: 1919-1930 In each decade,
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Pitcher Mickey Lolich jumps into the arms of catcher Bill Freehan in celebration of the 1968 World Series win in game seven.   (Photo credit: MLive.com) This week, I present the Detroit Tigers All Star team for the 1960-1969 decade.  All Star teams for previous decades are found below: 1901-1909 1910-1919 1920-1929 1930-1939 1940-1949 1950-1959 Detroit
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The Detroit Stars were a charter member of the Negro National League in 1920 (Photo Credit: MLBemuseum.com)   On December 16, Major League Baseball announced that it will now officially recognize seven profession Negro Leagues that operated between 1920-1948 as major leagues.  Historians have long considered baseball played in these leagues as comparable in quality to
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The Detroit Stars were a charter member of the Negro National League in 1920 (Photo Credit: MLBemuseum.com)   On December 16, Major League Baseball announced that it will now officially recognize seven professional Negro Leagues that operated between 1920-1948 as major leagues.  Historians have long considered baseball played in these leagues as comparable in quality to
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20-year-old Tigers outfielder Al Kaline batted .340 in 1955 to become the youngest player ever to win a batting title.  (Photo credit: BaseballHall.org) This week, I present the Detroit Tigers All Star team for the 1950-1959 decade.  All Star teams for previous decades are found below: 1901-1909 1910-1919 1920-1929 1930-1939 1940-1949 In each decade, I
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  Tigers pitchers Hal Newhouser (right) and Dizzy Trout finished one two in the 1944 AL MVP voting. (Photo credit: Detroit Tigers Twitter) This week, I present the Detroit Tigers All Star team for the 1940-1949 decade.  All Star teams for previous decades are found below: 1901-1909 1910-1919 1920-1929 1930-1939 In each decade, I select nine
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Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg and Rudy York were three of the stars on the Tigers of the 1930s. (Photo credit: Detroit Public Library Digital Collections) This week, I present the Detroit Tigers All Star team for the 1930-1939 decade.  All Star teams for previous decades are found below: 1901-1909 1910-1919 1920-1929 In each decade, I
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Hall of Fame outfielder Harry Heilmann appears to be throwing a ball off a stadium roof.  Who was the lucky fan? (Photo credit: BaseballHall.org) This week, I present the Detroit Tigers All Star team for the 1920-1929 decade.  All Star teams for previous decades are found below: 1901-1909 1910-1919 In each decade, I select nine
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Ty Cobb, Bobby Veach and Sam Crawford comprised one of the best outfields in baseball history. (Photo credit: Detroit Public Library Digital Collections) This is my second installment in my series of Detroit Tigers All Star Teams by decade.  The first post is found below: 1901-1909 In each decade, I select nine position players, one for
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Hall of Fame outfielder Sam Crawford led the Tigers in WAR in the franchise’s first decade. (Photo credit: BaseballHall.org) I am back.  I have returned to Tiger Tales after a months long hiatus.  My first writing project for the winter is going to be a compilation of Detroit Tigers All Star Teams by decade.   In
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Where does right hander Aurelio Lopez rank among Tigers relievers? Photo source: VintageDetroit.com Last year, I wrote a series of posts listing the all-time top ten Tigers at each position ad earlier this year, I listed the top forty starting pitchers.  These lists can be found at the links below: Catchers first basemen Second Basemen
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Tigers Hall of Famer Hal Newhouser had the highest Baseball-Reference WAR of any Tigers pitcher (Photo credit:Baseballhall.org) Last year, I wrote a series of posts listing the all-time top ten Tigers at each position.  They can be found at the links below: Catchers first basemen Second Basemen Shortstops Third Basemen Left Fielders Center Fielders Right
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Most of the recent Tigers internet Hall of Fame talk has centered around long-time Tigers second baseman Lou Whitaker.  He was recently on the Modern Era Committee ballot but was not voted into the Hall of Fame despite having the highest career Wins Above Replacement among 20th Century players not in the Hall and not
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