April 18, 1984: Tiger 4 – Royals 3 (10)

April 18, 1984: Tiger 4 – Royals 3, 10 innings

W: Willie Hernandez (1-0) L: Joe Beckwith (0-1) | Boxscore

Highlights

The Tigers took a 3-0 lead into the top of the eighth. With two out, Jorge Orta hit a three-run homer of Jack Morris to tie it.

Morris and Royals starter Bud Black both scattered nine hits, allowed three runs and struck out three. Morris did it in nine innings, Black in seven.

Willie Hernandez set K.C. down in order in the top of the 10th.

Alan Trammell led off the 10th with a single, then Dave Bergman bunted him to second. Lance Parrish grounded out, moving Tram to third.

Larry Herndon reached on an error by second baseman Frank White and Tram came home with the winning run.

Parrish homered, part of a three for five night. Chet Lemon hit two doubles.

Record: 9-0

Miscellany

Umpires: HP – Nick Bremigan, 1B – Vic Voltaggio, 2B – Joe Brinkman, 3B – Larry McCoy
Time of Game: 3:02
Attendance: 12,310

6 Things to Know about Rico Brogna – #13

A left-handed hitting first baseman, Rico Brogna was, like Travis Fryman and Steve Searcy and Rich Rowland, a highly anticipated Tigers prospect in the early 1990s.

Here are a few things to know about him:

He was the Tigers’ first-round pick in the 1988 draft.

Brogna made his Tigers debut against the Blue Jays, doubling in his first at bat, off Dave Stieb.

He finished the night one for four. On Aug. 11, he hit his first major-league homer, off Melido Perez, at Tiger Stadium.

He appeared in just nine games before being sent back to Toledo, where he’d spend the rest of the ’92 season and all of 1993.

On March 31, 1994, the Tigers dealt him to the Mets for catcher Alan Zinter.

Brogna went on to have a nice career with the Mets and even more so with the Phillies.

Birthday

Jake Rogers, Miguel Cabrera, Rico Brogna, Doug Flynn and the late Brian Dubois and Wahoo Sam Crawford

See you tomorrow.

April 14, 1984: Off Day in Boston

April 14, 1984 — Off Day in Boston

~~Rained out.~~ It was a scheduled off day in Boston, odd for a Saturday, but it was there in case of a Fenway Park rainout on the Red Sox’s Opening Day.

But, the next two games were washed out and added to a brutal August return to Boston.

The Tigers won’t play again until April 18. The final two games in Boston were washed out, and the first game of the next series, against the Royals in Detroit, was postponed.

On WJR: Tigers vs. Rangers, April 22, 1978

Enjoy this classic broadcast of a young Jack Morris and a less-young Doyle Alexander. If you’re into spoilers, here’s the boxscore.

Birthdays

Brad Ausmus, Kyle Farnsworth, Gregg Zaun, Steve Avery and the late … wait for it … Ben Tincup

See you tomorrow.

April 12, 1984: Tigers 9 – Rangers 4

Tigers 9 – Rangers 4

W: Jack Morris (3-0) – L: Frank Tanana (0-1) | Boxscore

Highlights

The Tigers knock around Frank Tanana for 10 hits and seven runs, including homers by Alan Trammell and Chet Lemon, over six innings.

Lou Whitaker also went deep, a solo shot off Odell Jones in the seventh.

Tram, Lance Parrish, Barbaro Garbey and Rod Allen each with two hits.

Morris goes seven, scattering seven hits and two runs. Aurelio Lopez (two innings) and Willie Hernandez (one) bring it home.

Record: 7-0

Miscellany

Umpires: HP – Jim McKean, 1B – Durwood Merrill, 2B – Tim McClelland, 3B – Marty Springstead
Time of Game: 2:48
Attendance: 19,154

Birthdays

Brennan Boesch and the late Woodie Fryman, Charley Lau, Bill Wight, Jack Wilson, Eric McNair and Lew Post

See you tomorrow.

April 11, 1984: Off Day in Detroit

Note: I had mistakenly posted today a game recap for April 12 — forgetting that the Tigers had an off day on April 11 for the usual Opening Day rainout makeup date. Check back tomorrow for that recap.

5 Things to Know About Sid Monge #42

The Tigers purchased his contract from the Padres on June 10, 1984.

He debuted with the Tigers on June 11 against the Blue Jays. He faced one batter, Willie Upshaw, who singled to center.

Monge’s longest outing with the Tigers came on Aug. 7 against the Red Sox, in the first game of a doubleheader. Boston chased Jack Morris after an inning and a third, surrendering nine runs. Sid came in for four and two thirds, allowing six hits and three earned runs.

His final appearance with the Tigers came on the last day of the season: a one-inning stint against the Yankees: one inning, two hits, two earned runs.

Sid wasn’t on the Tigers postseason roster. His final line: 19 appearances, 1-0 and a 4.25 ERA.

Birthdays

Pete Kozma, Charlie Furbush, Sean Bergman, John Martin, Sid Monge and Mike Kilkenny and the late Barney McCosky

See you tomorrow.

The Sunday Fungo: April 7

Game 4: April 7, 1984

Tigers 4 – White Sox 0

W: Jack Morris (2-0) – L: Floyd Bannister (0-2) | Boxscore

So much to say about this game.

A hot start, a Game of the Week appearance and a win would have been enough to satisfy me at an age, but at 16, well, adding a no-hitter by my favorite Tiger … come on.

As no-hitters go, it wasn’t clean — Morris walked six — but who cared? He struck out eight, facing 32 batters.

A huge play came in the bottom of the fourth, with nobody out. After walking Rudy Law, Carlton Fisk and Harold Baines, Morris fielded Greg Luzinski to hit a check-swing, ground ball double play: Morris to Lance Parrish to Bárbaro Garbey.

Then, with Fisk on third and Baines on second, Morris struck out Ron Kittle to end the inning.

Chet Lemon hit a two-run homer in the second, and the Tigers scored a pair in the fifth to make it 4-0.

In the bottom of the eighth, Dave Bergman made this play on leadoff hitter Jerry Hairston — karma for his breaking up Milt Wilcox‘s perfect game 358 days earlier.

Record: 4-0

Miscellany

Umpires: HP – Durwood Merrill, 1B – Tim McClelland, 2B – Marty Springstead, 3B – Jim McKean
Time of Game: 2:44
Attendance: 24,616
Start Time Weather: 50° F, Wind 8mph in from Centerfield, Sunny, No Precipitation

5 Things to Know About Jack Lazorko – #36

No Tigers baseball card for Lazorko, it seems.

Jack Lazorko signed as a free agent with the Tigers on Feb, 7, 1986.

He spent most of the season in Triple-A Nashville, where he made 29 starts, finishing with an 8-6 record and 3.20 ERA — and one save.

The right-hander appeared in three games over the course of six days with the ’86 Tigers, his first on Aug. 9 against the Red Sox in Detroit: 1.2 IP, 3 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks and a strikeout.

Up next was two innings of work on Aug. 14 against the White Sox.

His final outing was a solid one, against Red Sox at Fenway on Aug. 15: 3 IP, one hit, one walk and two strikeouts.

Birthdays

Ben Petrick and the late Ed Lafitte

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 371 8/9 – Rarity: 171

Three former Tigers today, and my blank square was a guess for George Kell. He didn’t hit .300 for the Orioles, but got close. In his final big-league season, at age 34, he hit .297 for Baltimore.

See you tomorrow.

The Wednesday Fungo – April 3

Reliving 1984, 1 Game at a Time

Game 1 – April 3, 1984: Tigers 8 – Twins 1

W: Jack Morris (1-0) – L: Albert Williams (0-1) | Boxscore
Morris: 7 IP, 5 hits, 8 strikeouts.
Darrell Evans hit a two-three-run homer in the seventh off Keith Comstock.
Howard Johnson, Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell with two hits apiece.
Willie Hernandez makes his Tigers debut with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Record: 1-0

WDIV Channel 4 – Tigers Pregame

Birthdays

Victor Alcantara, Doug Baker, Gary Pettis and the late Dick Conger

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 367 9/9 – Rarity: 39

See you tomorrow

The Monday Fungo

Mickey Tettleton – #20

Who didn’t like Mickey Tettleton? He was built like a tank, stood ramrod straight at the plate and could crush the ball from either side. And, he was solid defensively.

Tettleton came to Detroit from the Orioles in a steal of a trade for the once-promising righty, the late Jeff Robinson.

Why would the Orioles, who weren’t exactly brimming with offensive talent, want to part ways with Tettleton?

According to this story, they “did not want to pay him more than $1 million to be backup to Bob Melvin.” Bob Melvin! And shortly thereafter his ticket to Detroit was punched.

“He has good defensive skills and is adept at working with pitchers,” acting Tigers General Manager Joe McDonald said. “In addition, he brings even more punch to our lineup.”

And how.

Tettleton joined a Tigers roster full of mashers: Cecil Fielder, Rob Deer and Pete Incaviglia.

He averaged 32 homers in his first three years with the Tigers … and 136 strikeouts. But, he also averaged 110 walks over those three seasons including a league-leading 122 in 1992.

Sparky penciled him in primarily at catcher in 1991 and ’92, with a few dozen starts at designated hitter. In 1993 and ’94, Tettleton began to see more time at first base and the outfield.

Tettleton and Tiger Stadium were a perfect fit: More than half his homers as a Tiger came at home.

After the strike-shortened 1994 season, he was granted free agency by the Tigers. He signed with the Rangers just before the 1995 season began and played parts of three seasons in Arlington before retiring in July 1997, with 245 career home runs.

Birthdays

Will Rhymes and the late Rusty Staub, Ron Perranoski, Frank Castillo, Moe Franklin, Jake Wade

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 365 7/9 — Rarity: 213

I was overdue for a stinker. I still managed to work Jack Morris into it.

See you tomorrow.

🐇 The Sunday Fungo

The Tigers on Easter Sunday

Happy Easter! Here’s a rundown of the Tigers’ performance on Easter Sunday in games from 1977 through ’94. They appeared in nine games, winning three:

April 10, 1977: Royals 5 – Tigers 0 | W: Colborn – L: Ruhle – Save: Gura
April 15, 1979: Tigers 11 – Rangers 6 | W: Burnside – L: Lyle
April 19, 1981: Blue Jays 9 – Tigers 1 | W: Bomback – L: Morris
April 11, 1982: Tigers 2 – Royals 1 | W: Rozema – L: Blue – Save: Saucier
April 22, 1984: Tigers 9 – White Sox 1 | W: Berenguer – L: Brennan
April 19, 1987: White Sox 7 – Tigers 1 | W: Bannister – L: Petry
April 15, 1990: Orioles 6 – Tigers 0 | W: Milacki – L: Robinson
April 19, 1992: Orioles 3 – Tigers 2 | W: Milacki – L: Terrell – Save: Olson
April 11, 1993: Angels 7 – Tigers 6 | W: Crim – L: Krueger – Save: Grahe

Birthdays

Tracy Jones, Bill Denehy and the late Marv Grissom and Johnny Couch.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 364 9/9 – Rarity: 3

I don’t think I can do better than this. It checks all boxes except for the all-Tigers box.

See you tomorrow.

The Thursday Fungo

Tigers’ Opening Day Record, 1977-1994

The wheelhouse of The Daily Fungo is the Ralph Houk, Les Moss and Sparky Anderson years. So, through that narrow lens in the Tigers’ much broader history, let’s look at how the teams from 1977 through 1994 opened their respective seasons.

* Indicates I was at the game.

Year	Opening Day	Score	Pitchers
1977	April 7 Home Boxscore	Royals 7 Tigers 4	W: Paul Splittorff L: Dave Roberts Save: Mark Littell
1978	April 7 Home Boxscore	Tigers 6 Blue Jays 2	W: Mark Fidrych L: Dave Lemanczyk
1979	April 7* Home Boxscore	Rangers 8 Tigers 2	W: Ferguson Jenkins L: Dave Rozema
1980	April 10 Away Boxscore	Tigers 5 Royals 1	W: Jack Morris L: Dennis Leonard
1981	April 9* Home Boxscore	Tigers 6 Blue Jays 2	W: Jack Morris L: Joey McLaughlin
1982	April 9* Away Boxscore	Royals 4 Tigers 2	W: Larry Gura L: Jack Morris
1983	April 5 Away Boxscore	Tigers 11 Twins 3	W: Jack Morris L: Brad Havens
1984	April 3 Away Boxscore	Tigers 8 Twins 1	W: Jack Morris L: Albert Williams
1985	April 8 Home Boxscore	Tigers 5 Indians 4	W: Jack Morris L: Ernie Camacho Save: Willie Hernandez
1986	April 7* Home Boxscore	Tigers 6 Red Sox 5	W: Jack Morris L: Sammy Stewart Save: Willie Hernandez
1987	April 6* Home Boxscore	Yankees 2 Tigers 1 10 innings	W: Dave Righetti L: Jack Morris
1988	April 4 Away Boxscore	Tigers 5 Red Sox 3 10 innings	W: Jack Morris L: Lee Smith Save: Mike Henneman
1989	April 4 Away	Rangers 4 Tigers 0	W: Charlie Hough L: Jack Morris
1990	April 9 Away Boxscore	Red Sox 5 Tigers 2	W: Roger Clemens L: Jack Morris Save: Lee Smith
1991	April 8 Home Boxscore	Tigers 6 Yankees 4	W: Paul Gibson L: Greg Cadaret Save: Mike Henneman
1992	April 6 Home Boxscore	Blue Jays 4 Tigers 2	W: Jack Morris L: Bill Gullickson
1993	April 5 Away Boxscore	A’s 9 Tigers 4	W: Bob Welch L: Mike Moore Save: Dennis Eckersley
1994	April 4 Away Boxscore	Red Sox 9 Tigers 8	W: Scott Bankhead L: Storm Davis Save: Jeff Russell

The result? An even 9 and 9, with Jack Morris notching a 6-4 record — not counting his win against the Tigers on Opening Day 1992 as a member of the Blue Jays.

Birthdays

Craig Paquette and the late Jimmy Barrett

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 361 9/9 – Rarity: 69

See you tomorrow.

The Monday Fungo

Today’s Game: July 20, 1985

Tigers 6 – Rangers 5, 15 Innings

W: Bill Scherrer (1-1) – L: Greg Harris (2-3) | Boxscore

When Brookens started the game at third, chances are he didn’t expect to finish it as part of the Tigers’ battery.

A routine Saturday evening game at Tiger Stadium, with Jack Morris pitching a typical eight and two thirds, and Willie Hernandez entering in relief of a 3-3 tie in the ninth got interesting in the top of the 11th when, given limited bench flexibility, to say the least, Sparky was forced to move Tom Brookens from third base to catcher … where he stayed for five innings.

Here’s how it happened:

In the bottom of the eighth, and the Tigers down 2-1, Alejandro Sánchez pinch hit for Bob Melvin with one out and pinch runner Dave Bergman on first — and homers! A two-run shot to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead.

Then, in the top of the ninth, Marty Castillo replaced Sánchez in the lineup at catcher.

Morris allowed the tying run in the top of the ninth and the Tigers failed to score in the bottom half.

Bottom of the 10th: Johnny Grubb pinch hits for Castillo.

Bottom of the 11th: Aurelio López replaces Hernández pitching, and Brookens moves from third to catcher, and Doug Flynn replaces Grubb playing third batting ninth.

So, Brookens caught three innings for Señor Smoke and two for lefty Bill Scherrer — talk about two different type of pitchers — and was flawless. No passed balls and no errors.

The teams traded runs in 10th and 13th, and the Tigers scored in the bottom of the 15th to win it.

Alan Trammell singled and went to second on an error by Rangers left fielder (and future Tiger) Gary Ward. The next hitter, Barbaro Garbey, singled Tram home.

A great win, but the story of the game was Brookens. His 1 for 6 night is a mere footnote in what was undoubtedly one of the most memorable games of his career.

Miscellany

Umpires: HP – Ken Kaiser, 1B – Rocky Roe, 2B – Larry McCoy, 3B – Larry Barnett.

Time of Game: 4:14

Attendance: 38,602

Birthdays

Travis Fryman, Scott Sanders and the late Alan Koch.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 358 7/9 — Rarity: 251

See you tomorrow.