Detroit
Home
Click
on Logo

Yr

P

W

L

Yr

P

W

L

Yr

P

W

L

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

Click

1972

1

86

70

1975

6

57

102

1979

5

85

76

on Logo

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

Sparky Anderson

Lou Whitaker (8.18) - 17

Jack Morris

Allen Trammell

ShortStop:

Al Kaline

Ed Brinkman (3.36) - 23

Allen Trammell (2.83) - 13

Rookie of the Year:

Mark Fidrych (1976)

Third Base:

Lou Whitaker (1978)

Aurelio Rodriguez (9.2) - 35

MVP:

Outfield:

None

Ron LeFlore (14.24) - 67

Mickey Stanley (7.5) - 38

Cy Young:

Willie Horton (9.26) - 36

None

Jim Northrup (6.19) - 29

Al Kaline (10.49) - 28

Notable Events:

Ben Oglivie (5.39) - 22

Steve Kemp (8.71) - 19

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

Rusty Staub (5.51) - 13

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

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

Notable Events:

and OF-Kaline, Stanley, Horton and Northrup.

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

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

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

wins nineteen games and Rookie of the Year.

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

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

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

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

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

otherwise dismal Tiger season.

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

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

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

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

Real shame for everybody, he was fun.

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

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

immediately and Detroit finishes second.

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

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

brings up the following talented youngsters who form the backbone

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

of the Eighties Tigers:

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

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

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

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

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

clubs into the post season

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

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

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

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

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

will play in eight all star games

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

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

.4th round of 1974 draft

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

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

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

played in five all star games

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

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

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

. played in six all star games

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

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

played in one all star game

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rick Ferrell.

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

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

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

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

eleven year above .500 run

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

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

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

draft is a rookie.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

middle of the Detroit lineup.

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

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

final season.