The Weekend Fungo

From the Archives: Jason Thompson

On May 27, 1980, Sparky traded my favorite Tigers player — my first favorite Tiger — first baseman Jason Thompson, to the California Angels for outfielder Al Cowens. (For more on Cowens, check out this post from the archives.)

The Hollywood native joined the Tigers full time in 1976 and played 123 games that year, hitting .218, with 17 home runs and 54 RBI. Two of the homers cleared the rightfield roof at Tiger Stadium. It was in 1977, though, that he made his mark: .270, 31 homers and 105 RBI, and an All Star Game selection.

In 1980, Thompson got off to a slow start: .214/4/20 in 36 games, and Sparky invoked his My Way or the Highway clause and sent his first baseman to Orange County.

As I’ve said before, Thompson’s replacement, Richie Hebner, was a favorite of mine too. But, who were the Tigers kidding? Hebner over Jason Thompson?

You can read the full post in the Archives.

Random Game: May 8, 1988

Tigers 9 – Mariners 3

Sunday, May 8, 1988
Start Time: 1:35 p.m. Local
Attendance: 12,695
Venue: Kingdome
Game Duration: 2:50
Day Game, on turf
Boxscore

The Tigers built a 9-0 lead behind Frank Tanana’s 7-2/3 innings, and led by Luis Salazar’s 3 for 4, 3 RBI day.
Chet Lemon and Gary Pettis had two hits apiece.
Willie Hernandez pitched the final inning and a third.
Two amusing tidbits: The Mariners’ starting shortstop was former Cubs and White Sox manager Rick Renteria, and Harold Reynolds went 0 for 5. 🙂
W: Frank Tanana (6-1)L: Mike Campbell (2-4)

Birthdays

Feb. 24: Bryan Kelly and the late Bubba Phillips, Pinky Pittinger, Lynn Nelson, Wilbur Cooper, Bugs Raymond, Monte Beville

Feb. 25: Rich Rowland and Ken Szotkiewicz

Weekend Grids

Yesterday
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 328 7/9 — Rarity: 239
Today
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 329 9/9 — Rarity: 12

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. See you tomorrow.

The Friday Fungo

Tigers 23s

On this 23rd of February, let’s look back at the players who wore #23 for the Tigers during the period of 1977 through 1994:

Willie Horton – 1964-1977, number retired.
Kirk Gibson – 1979-87, 1993-95
Torey Lovullo – 1988-89
Mark Leiter – 1991-1992
Dan Petry – 1990. When Peaches returned to the Tigers after his time with the Angels, his original number 46 was being worn by Mike Schwabe. Presumably, he went with 23 because it is half of 46. In 1991, Petry was back in his original 46 for the 17 games he appeared in before being dealt to the Braves for Víctor Rosario.

If you’re wondering, the last players to wear 23 before it was retired were Gabe Kapler (1999) and Hideo Nomo (2000).

Birthdays

Rondell White, John Shelby and the late Roy Johnson.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 327 9/9 — Rarity: 44

See you tomorrow.

The Thursday Fungo

Richie Hebner, One of My Favorites

Richie Hebner didn’t swing at the baseball as much as he chopped at it. That hacker’s cut was, the Tigers thought, an ideal fit for Tiger Stadium’s right field porch. It also served him well in the offseason when he dug graves in the Boston area.

According to the Associated Press story on the trade that brought Hebner to Detroit in October 1979, the Detroit acquired him for his punch:

“We’re really pleased to get somebody like Richie,” a Tigers spokesman said. “He’ll give us some power hitting we need.”

Power? Richie Hebner?

He came from the Mets where in 1979, his only season in New York, he hit just 10 homers.

Check out this Fungo profile of one of my favorite Tigers from the Archives.

*A quintessential 1980 Tigers photo: Champ Summers in the box, Stan Papi, Richie Hebner and Duffy Dyer looking on.*

Birthdays

Dixon Machado, Steve Colyer and the late George Lee “Sparky” Anderson, Jackie Sullivan, Tony DeFate and Clarence Mitchell

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 326 8/9 — Rarity: 121

See you tomorrow.

The Wednesday Fungo

Random Game: Oct. 2, 1986

It’s hard to find a matchup more ’80s than Jack Morris versus Pete Vuckovich.

The Cat prevailed in this one, 2-1, raising his record to 21-8. Vuckovich fell to 2-4.
Alan Trammell homered with two out in the fifth, and Lou Whitaker stole home for the Tigers’ second run.
Ben Oglivie led off the bottom of the ninth with a solo shot to right, but Morris got three straight fly outs to end it.

Here’s your boxscore.

Details

Attendance: 6,268
Venue: County Stadium
Game Duration: 2:15
Night Game, on grass

Birthdays

Alan Trammell, Bill Slayback, Doug Gallagher, Jack Billingham and the late Alex Remneas

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 325 9/9 — Rarity: 47

Three ex-Tigers.

See you tomorrow.

The Tuesday Fungo: Feb. 20

The Chris Brown Experiment

Perhaps no other word best describes third baseman Chris Brown like enigmatic.

After a promising start to his career with the Giants in 1985, his .271 average and 16 homers earned him a fourth-place finish in the National League Rookie of the Year Award, and an All-Star Game appearance in ’86, Brown began frustrating his managers and his teammates with a string of questionable and bizarre injuries. In fact, he never appeared in more games than he did that rookie season (131).

The Tigers were in complete free fall when they traded Walt Terrell to the Padres for Brown and Keith Moreland, whose best years were behind him. Why Detroit thought Brown and his “Tin Man” reputation would be transformed under Sparky Anderson is mystifying.

Here’s a longer profile from the Fungo archives.

Birthdays

Buck Farmer, Justin Verlander, Kurt Knudsen, Bill Gullickson, Roy Face and the late Muddy Ruel and Suds Sutherland.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 324 9/9: Rarity: 20

See you tomorrow.

The Monday Fungo: Feb. 19

On Vinyl! “The Year of the Tiger ’68”

Last week I posted the Channel 4 review of the 1968 season, but this is the original as far as I’m concerned. My Dad bought this 33 rpm record for me in 1978 — we had to send away for it, as we said then — and I just about wore it out. I’m so thankful this stuff lives on in the depths of the Internet.

Start your week with the sounds of a young(er) Ernie Harwell.

Random Game: Aug. 10, 1981

Milt Wilcox versus Jim Clancy in the Tigers’ first game after the players strike. Tigers win 4-3 on a walkoff, bases-loaded single to left by Alan Trammell to score Kirk Gibson.

Monday, August 10, 1981

W: Kevin Saucier (1-0)
L: Joey McLaughlin (0-5)
Attendance: 15,187
Venue: Tiger Stadium
Game Duration: 2:41
Boxscore

Birthdays

Jackie Moore and the late Chris Zachary and Russ Sullivan.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 323 7/9: Rarity: 207

FYI: Kirk Gibson did not appear in center for the Royals, but I was able to slot three former Tigers in today’s edition.

See you tomorrow.

The Sunday Fungo: Feb. 18

Happy Birthday, Jerry Morales

On Dec. 4, 1978, outfielder Jerry Morales was acquired, along with Aurelio Lopez, from the Cardinals for Bob Sykes and minor leaguer John Murphy. Not sure if Jim Campbell saw Señor Smoke as the key to the trade but he certainly made the deal worthwhile.

Morales, wearing #27, played in 129 games in 1979, most of them in right field. His hefty combo of a .211 average and .260 OBP helped make his stay in Detroit a short one.

On Oct. 31, 1979, he was traded with Phil Mankowski to the New York Mets for offseason grave digger Richie Hebner.

Random Game: May 19, 1980

Milt Wilcox versus Ron Guidry in a terrific pitching duel.

Milt matched Louisiana Lightnin’ — 6 hits, 3 walks, and a complete-game performance — and only surrendered Graig Nettles’ sac fly for the Yankees’, and the game’s, lone run.

Monday, May 19, 1980
Start Time: 8:00 p.m. Local
Attendance: 27,715
Venue: Tiger Stadium
Game Duration: 2:29

Boxscore

More Birthdays

Isaac Paredes, Nick Maton and the late Leo Marentette, Frank “Pig” House and Herm Wehmeier.

Marentette, who died in 2014, was a Lambertville, Mich., native. He appeared in two games for 1965 Tigers: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K.

Today’s Grid

Yikes.

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 322 5/9: Rarity: 466

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo: Feb. 17

An Afternoon at the Ballyard

I spent the day at Camelback Ranch, the spring training home of the Dodgers and White Sox, watching my alma mater, Western Michigan, come from ahead to beat Michigan, 11-9 in 10 innings.

Imagine my surprise when I noticed that former Tiger Daniel Schlereth is the Broncos’ pitching coach.

Here’s the final out.

https://videopress.com/v/lEq5HmBx?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

Western Michigan vs. University of Michigan — Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Ariz. February 17, 2024

Birthdays

Danny Patterson and the late Roger Craig, Jack Crimian, Orlin Collier, Eddie Phillips, Eddie Onslow and Wally Pipp.

Today’s Grid

Avert your eyes.

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 321 6/9: Rarity: 343

I hope you’re having a great weekend.

The Friday Fungo: Feb. 16

On TV: 1968: The Year of the Tiger

This never gets old.

Birthdays

Dwayne Henry, Glenn Abbott, Bob Didier and the late Red Cox and John Sullivan.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 320 9/9: Rarity: 31

Three Tigers and a local product in today’s grid.

Have a great weekend.

The Thursday Fungo: Feb. 15

Some Tigers players, and plenty of other teams’ guys are not liking their new uniforms, on several levels. The minuscule lettering on the backs are ridiculous.