Detroit
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1970

4

79

83

1973

3

85

77

1977

4

74

88

Decade

1971

2

91

71

1974

6

72

90

1978

5

86

76

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1972

1

86

70

1975

6

57

102

1979

5

85

76

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1976

5

74

87

Titles:

Top Tigers Players of the Seventies

1972 Won Eastern Division (Lost AL title to Oakland)

Pitchers:

BallPark:

Mickey Lolich (32.8) - 76

Tiger Stadium

Joe Coleman (15.78) - 55

John Hiller (27.55) - 46

Team Name:

Dave Rozema (10.92) - 20

Tigers

Milt Wilcox (7.51) - 18

Jack Billingham (4.93) - 16

Owner:

Mark Fidrych (12.15) - 15

John Fetzer

Jack Morris (6.8) - 13

Tom Timmerman (4.12) - 12

General Managers:

Dave Roberts (3) - 11

Jim Campbell

Vern Ruhle (4.94) - 10

Aurelio Lopez (5.31) - 8

Managers:

Fred Scherman (4.78) - 8

Mayo Smith (1970)

Billy Martin (1971-1973)

Catchers:

Joe Schultz (1973)

Bill Freehan (19.89) - 65

Ralph Houk (1974-1978)

Lance Parrish (5.56) - 14

Les Moss (1979)

Milt May (2.45) - 13

Dick Traczewski (1979)

Sparky Anderson (1979)

First Basemen:

Norm Cash (8.81) - 34

No Hitters:

Jason Thompson (11.77) - 31

None

Second Basemen:

Hall of Famers:

Dick McAulliffe (8.74) - 22

Jack Morris

Lou Whitaker (8.18) - 17

Allen Trammell

Al Kaline

ShortStop:

Ed Brinkman (3.36) - 23

Rookie of the Year:

Allen Trammell (2.83) - 13

Mark Fidrych (1976)

Lou Whitaker (1978)

Third Base:

Aurelio Rodriguez (9.2) - 35

MVP:

None

Outfield:

Ron LeFlore (14.24) - 67

Cy Young:

Mickey Stanley (7.5) - 38

None

Willie Horton (9.26) - 36

Jim Northrup (6.19) - 29

Notable Events:

Al Kaline (10.49) - 28

Ben Oglivie (5.39) - 22

1970 - Coming into the decade, Detroit is one of baseball's elite teams having

Steve Kemp (8.71) - 19

surpassed ninety wins the previous three seasons including a world title in 1968.

Rusty Staub (5.51) - 13

The starting lineup is solid with C-Freehan, 1B-Cash, 2B-McAulliffe, 3B-Wert

and OF-Kaline, Stanley, Horton and Northrup.

Notable Events:

On the mound, you've got aces McLain, Lolich and Wilson.

1975 - The Tigers hit rock bottom, going 57-102

1970 - Denny McLain's career takes an abrupt u-turn. He is suspended for the

first two months of the season for consorting with gamblers and the mob. When

1976 - Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, a twenty one year old righthander,

he comes back, he's not the same pitcher he was and his career is effectively

wins nineteen games and Rookie of the Year.

over. Worse yet, after baseball, Denny still goes for the quick buck and ends up

He's a hyper person who talks to the baseball on the mound and

spending most of his post baseball career in jail. McLain drops from 24-9 to 3-5

the fans take to him in a big way. He's a breath of fresh air in an

as the Tigers big three on the mound of McLain, Lolich and Wilson drop from

otherwise dismal Tiger season.

55-30 to 21-30. Youngsters Joe Niekro, 25, and Les Cain, 22, take up some of the

slack to cushion Detroit's fall backwards to only 11 games, 90-72 to 79-83

1977 - Fidrych hurts his arm and his career is finished.

Real shame for everybody, he was fun.

1971 - GM Campbell hires Billy Martin as manager. Billy turns the club around

immediately and Detroit finishes second.

1977 - Righthander Milt Wilcox, 27, is purchased from the Cubs

The nucleus of the fine club of the late Sixties is still there.

1977 - Despite another losing season, the future looks bright as Detroit

1971 - In a major trade with Washington, the Tigers send washed up Denny

brings up the following talented youngsters who form the backbone

McLain, promising twenty three year old centerfielder Elliott Maddox and veteran

of the Eighties Tigers:

third baseman Don Wert to the Senators for young righthander Joe Coleman, 24,

□ Jack Morris, 22, righthander selected in 5th round of 1976 draft.

and slick fielding infielders shortstop Ed Brinkman, 29, and Aurelio Rodriguez, 23.

He will win 254 games and has the legacy of leading three separate

Along with the hiring of Billy Martin, this deal is a big reason for Detroit's

clubs into the post season

turnaround from a disappointing 1970 season. Coleman goes 20-9 and Brinkman

(Tigers '84 and '87) Twins ('91) and Toronto ('92)

and Rodriguez make the left side of the infield a big plus in the defensive column.

□ Lance Parrish, 21, catcher first round pick in 1974 draft -

will play in eight all star games

1972 - Detroit wins the division by a half game over the Red Sox, playing one

□ Jason Thompson , 22, first baseman came up in '76,

more game than Boston. This is due to the strike that started the season - no

.4th round of 1974 draft

makeup games. This marks the second time in their history that a scheduling

.□ Lou Whitaker, 20 - 2nd base, 5th round of 1975 draft -

quirk wins Detroit a title (the first was a half game win over the Indians in 1908).

played in five all star games

Detroit loses the pennant to the A's in the ALCS.

□ Alan Trammell, 19, shortstop 2nd round of 1976 draft -

. played in six all star games

1973 - Detroit, who have no talent in their farm system at this point, go to the

.□ Steve Kemp, 22, outfielder 1st round of 1976 draft -

penetentiary looking for players. Billy Martin scouts and signs twenty five year

played in one all star game

old inmate Ron LeFlore who is in for five to fifteen for armed robbery.

LeFlore gets out on parole and makes his way to the Tigers the following

1977 - GM Jim Campbell had a unique, highly successful, approach

season (Martin is gone by then). A poor defensive centerfielder, LeFlore makes

to managing an organization. He did it twice with the Tigers.

his presence felt with his game changing speed. He's also an above average hitter.

He would amass a tremendous amount of talent in a short few years

and then keep that same group out there for a decade or more.

1973 - Surprise! Billy Martin feuds with management and is fired.

This was his second group and they would take him pretty much

Actually, the real surprise is that it took so long. Martin usually wore out his

thru the Eighties. Credit also goes to owner John Fetzer and VP

welcome way before this. Billy made it to September and the club was still

Rick Ferrell.

somewhat competitive when he left. Detroit management, Fetzer, Ferrell and

Campbell were known for their patience and it certainly showed here. If these

1978 - Fueled by the young talent, the Tigers embark on an

guys got fed up and finally made a move, you know there was a reason.

eleven year above .500 run

1973 - Lefty reliever John Hiller, 30, just two years removed from a heart attack,

1979 - Righthander Dan Petry, 20, a fourth round pick in the 1976

comes into his own as one of the game's top closers. He had come up with the

draft is a rookie.

Tigers in 1965 and was a solid member of the bullpen since then, but brought it

up a few levels in 1973 getting 38 saves on a 1.44 ERA

1979 - Kirk Gibson, twenty two year old outfielder, a first round pick

in the 1978 draft is a rookie. A college football tight end at Michigan

1974 - The Tigers get old. It was a nice run with basically the same group of guys

State, he would bring tremendous spirit to the Tigers and become

for more than a decade, helped by a little dose of Billy Martin towards the end of

the team's heart and soul thru the Eighties. Never quite talented

the run. They drop to 72-90 marking the end of a thirteen year streak of over

enough to be an all star, he nonetheless becomes a big stick in the

.500 teams (minus two that finished just below at 79-83).

middle of the Detroit lineup.

1974 - Al Kaline retires after the season. He picked up his 3000th hit during this

final season.