Oct. 14, 1984: World Series Champions

Game 5: Tigers 8 – Padres 4

W: Aurelio LópezL: Andy HawkinsS: Willie Hernández | Boxscore

Tigers win series, 4-1

Highlights

  • I was going to write about Game 5, but why waste your time when you can relive it down here 👇🏻. If you want the short version from Ernie, try this one.
  • Poor Dan Petry finished the postseason with a 0-1 record and an ERA of 6.00!

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Paul Runge, 1B – Mike Reilly, 2B – Doug Harvey, 3B – Larry Barnett, LF – Bruce Froemming, RF – Rich Garcia
  • Time of Game: 2:55
  • Attendance: 51,901

Postscript

Was there a downside to the Tigers winning this game? For me, yes.

Weeks before the postseason began, I was asked to be on clean-up duty at a small wedding reception for the aunt of my then-girlfriend. I didn’t even think to look at the postseason calendar — I was 16! As luck would have it, I missed the entire game.

Using a phone on the wall at the reception hall, I was left to listen to Ernie and Paul through a phone my sister placed next to the radio at home.

So, the next World Series the Tigers win, will be the first one I ever see.

Birthdays

Miguel Del Pozo, Erik Sabel and the late Vincent Maney

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 561 9/9 — Rarity: 16

See you tomorrow.

Oct. 3, 1984: ALCS Game 2

Tigers 5 – Royals 3 (11)

W: Aurelio López (1-0) – L: Dan Quisenberry (0-1) | Boxscore

Tigers lead series, 2-0.

Highlights

  • The Royals scored two off Dan Petry, who was excellent. He pitched seven innings, allowing just four hits, a walk and two runs; he struck out four.
  •  Willie Hernández took over in the eighth, surrendering two hits and a walk, which led to the Royals knotting the score at three.
  • Señor Smoke tossed three innings of scoreless relief to keep the Tigers in it. As they had back in April, Detroit got to Royals closer Quisenberry late. 
  • The Tigers head home with a chance to clinch the pennant. And I have a ticket.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Royals Stadium
  • Replacement Umpires: HP – Bill Deegan, 1B – Jon Bible, 2B – Randy Christal, 3B – Bob Jones, LF – Richard Denny, RF – Carl Nothnagel
  • Time of Game: 3:37
  • Attendance: 42,019

Birthdays

Matt Young, Eric Munson, Tim Hyers, Junior Felix, Steve Foucault, Chuck Scrivener, and the late Joe Wood and Fred House

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 550: 9/9 — Rarity: 2!

See you tomorrow.

Sept. 30, 1984: Yankees 9 – Tigers 2

W: Dennis Rasmussen (9-6) – L: Randy O’Neal (2-1) | Boxscore

Record: 104-58 — 15 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • O’Neal started and lasted only three and two-thirds, getting knocked around for nine hits, four walks and seven runs.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Yankee Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Al Clark, 1B – Mike Reilly, 2B – Don Denkinger, 3B – Rich Garcia
  • Time of Game: 2:35
  • Attendance: 30,602

Birthdays

Travis Demeritte, Danny Worth, Carlos Guillen, John DeSilva, Scott Lusader, Dan Gonzales and the late Jose Lima, Johnny Podres and Ben Taylor

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 547 9/9 — Rarity: 74

See you tomorrow.

Sept. 26, 1984: Brewers 7 – Tigers 5

W: Ray Searage (1-1) – L: Aurelio López (10-1) | Boxscore

Record: 102-56 — 141/2 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Milt Wilcox started and pitched five innings, allowing just one run. The Tigers were up 5-3 going into the bottom of the eighth when Lopez gave up four runs on three hits. It resulted in his first loss of the year.
  • Don Sutton pitched seven innings for the Brewers, gave up 10 hits and struck out nine.
  • The Tigers fly to New York for a weekend series to cap the season.

Miscellany

  • Venue: County Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Dan Morrison, 1B – Jim McKean, 2B – Marty Springstead, 3B – Durwood Merrill
  • Time of Game: 2:53
  • Attendance: 8,853

Birthdays

The late Walt Streuli, Norm McRae and Joe Sullivan

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 543 9/9 — Rarity: 21

See you tomorrow.

Sept. 25, 1984: Tigers 9 – Brewers 1

WRandy O’Neal (2-0) – LBob Gibson (1-5) | Boxscore

Record: 102-55 — 151/2 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Howard Johnson hit a first-inning grand slam and the Tigers built a 9-0 lead before the Brewers scored in the seventh.
  • Johnson also had a double and Kirk Gibson tripled as part of a two-hit, two-RBI night.

Miscellany

  • Venue: County Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Durwood Merrill, 1B – Dan Morrison, 2B – Jim McKean, 3B – Marty Springstead
  • Time of Game: 2:34
  • Attendance: 8,804

Birthdays

Kyle Ryan, Steve Wapnick, Ed Putman, Sal Butera and the late Dick Harley

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid #542: 9/9 — Rarity: 39

See you tomorrow.

Sept. 24, 1984: Tigers 7 – Brewers 3

W: Juan Berenguer (10-10) – L: Paul Hartzell (0-1) | Boxscore

Record: 101-55 — 141/2 games up on Toronto

Highlights

Miscellany

  • Venue: County Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Marty Springstead, 1B – Durwood Merrill, 2B – Dan Morrison, 3B – Jim McKean
  • Time of Game: 2:32
  • Attendance: 9,506

Birthdays

Nate Cornejo, John McDonald and the late Dixie Walker, Tom Seats, Joe Sargent and John Kane

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid #541: 9/9 — Rarity 14

See you tomorrow.

Sept. 21, 1984: Yankees 5 – Tigers 3

W: John Montefusco (4-3) – L: Milt Wilcox (17-8) – S: Dave Righetti (28) | Boxscore

Record: 98-55 — 131/2 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • The Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead, sending nine batters came to the plate in the first. Alan Trammell‘s two-run homer off The Count of Montefusco was the Tigers highlight.
  • Wilcox pitched 51/3 innings, allowing five hits, five walks and five runs.
  • Willie Randolph had three hits for New York. Righetti threw two scoreless innings for the save.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Rich Garcia, 1B – Al Clark, 2B – Mike Reilly, 3B – Don Denkinger
  • Time of Game: 3:00
  • Attendance: 42,238

Birthdays

Pedro Santana, Cecil Fielder, Frank MacCormack and the late Aurelio López, Billy Muffett, John McHale, Elden Auker, John Bogart, Frank McManus

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid #538: 9/9 — Rarity: 12

See you tomorrow.

Sept. 17, 1984: Tigers 7 – Brewers 3

W: Roger Mason (1-1) – L: Rick Waits (2-4) – S: Aurelio López (14) | Boxscore

Record: 96-54 — 12 games up on Toronto

Magic Number: 1

Highlights

  • A six-run sixth inning turned a 2-1 deficit into a 7-2 lead and put the Tigers on the brink of clinching the American League East. The Blue Jays beat the Red Sox to keep the Magic Number at one.
  • Bellaire, Mich.,-native Roger Mason started and went six with Señor Smoke pitching the final three innings.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Rick Reed, 1B – Tim McClelland, 2B – Dave Phillips, 3B – Steve Palermo
  • Time of Game: 2:40
  • Attendance: 34,091

Birthdays

Dillon Dingler, Casey Crosby, Wayne Krenchicki and the late Chuck Daniel, Bob Uhl and Earl Webb

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid #534: 9/9 — Rarity: 40

See you tomorrow.

Sept. 10, 1984: Orioles 3 – Tigers 1

W: Mike Flanagan (12-12) – L: Juan Berenguer (8-10) | Boxscore

Record: 92-52 — 11.5 games up on Toronto

Magic Number: 8

Highlights

  • Berenguer pitched well in this one but, except for a Kirk Gibson homer, got no run support. Juan pitched seven innings, gave up five hits and two runs, and he walked four.
  • Flanagan pitched his fourth complete game against the Tigers in 1984 — and allowed two earned runs total. He gave up five hits and struck out five.
  • The score was 2-1 heading to the bottom of the eighth and Eddie Murray added an insurance run with his 27th homer of the year, off Aurelio López.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Memorial Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Don Denkinger, 1B – Rich Garcia, 2B – Al Clark, 3B – Tim McClelland
  • Time of Game: 2:38
  • Attendance: 27,440

Birthdays

Dustin Peterson, Riccardo Ingram, Bruce Robbins, the late Augie Johns and Sammy Hale

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 527 9/9 — Rarity: 6

See you tomorrow.

Sept. 8, 1984: Tigers 10 – Blue Jays 4

W: Bill Scherrer (2-1) – L: Luis Leal (13-6) – S: Aurelio López (13) | Boxscore

Record: 91-51 — 101/2 games up on Toronto

Magic Number: 11

Highlights

  • Sparky had starter Jack Morris on a short leash, pulling him with one out in the fifth after giving up just two runs.
  • This was a 2-2 game in the fifth. Then, the Tigers scored two in the seventh and six in the eighth to break it open.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Exhibition Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Steve Palermo, 1B – Rick Reed, 2B – Jerry Neudecker, 3B – Dave Phillips
  • Time of Game: 3:06
  • Attendance: 41,059

Birthdays

Bobby Parnell, Chance Ruffin, Mike Rivera and the late Casey Wise and Lou Sleater

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 525: 9/9 — Rarity: 54

See you tomorrow.