Oct. 12, 1984: World Series Game 3

Tigers 5 – Padres 2

W: Milt WilcoxL: Tim LollarS: Willie Hernández | Boxscore

Tigers lead series, 2-1

Highlights

  • A week after I attended the ALCS-clinching game, I was able to attend this game — ticket price: $25 — it was a dream come true.
  • Three Padres pitchers allowed 11 walks but just seven hits.
  • Alan Trammell and Lemon both had two hits, and Tram had two walks.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Bruce Froemming, 1B – Rich Garcia, 2B – Paul Runge, 3B – Mike Reilly, LF – Doug Harvey, RF – Larry Barnett
  • Time of Game: 3:11
  • Attendance: 51,970

Birthdays

José Ortega, Casey McGehee, Derrick White and the late Harold Daugherty, Bobo Osborne and Al Unser

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 559 6/9 — Rarity: 373

See you tomorrow.

Oct. 5, 1984: ALCS Game 3

Tigers 1 – Royals 0

W: Milt WilcoxL: Charlie LeibrandtS: Willie Hernández | Boxscore

Tigers win series, 3-0.

Highlights

  • In a runaway season, perhaps it was appropriate to have a nail biter to clinch the pennant.
  • I was at this game with my brother and girlfriends at the time, sitting in the lower deck centerfield bleachers, perched as dead-center as you could get. We were there early and just could not believe we were at a Tigers playoff game.
  • The Tigers got on the board early in this one, in the bottom of the second, scoring in the most boring way possible. Bárbaro Garbey hit an infield single, Chet Lemon followed with grounder to third; George Brett threw out Garbey at second. Then, Darrell Evans hit a single to center, Chet took third. Marty Castillo hit into a force out at second, Chet scored. Tiger 1, Royals 0.
  • Speaking of Brett, he had a 1 for 4 night, and every time he came up we held our breath. Two of his outs were unpleasant: A short fly out to right in his first at bat, and a drive to deep-ish center in his third. Off the bat they seemed destined for the seats.
  • Here’s an understatement: Wilcox dazzled that night [video], allowing just two hits and two walks over eight innings. He also struck out eight. Meanwhile, poor Charlie Leibrandt was almost as good: 8 innings, 3 hits, 4 walks and 6 strikeouts in his eight innings. I did not feel bad about this at the time.
  • After Castillo caught the final out, we watched the bedlam from the section where the batting cage was stored. After a while, Gibby, Milt and Sparky were all brought out there on a golf cart and driven under the bleachers. I’d later find out that’s where the Tigers had set up an interview room for the postseason. Tiger Stadium had an “interview room”?
  • Before we left, I asked one of Detroit’s finest if he would hand me a chunk of outfield sod that was lying at his feet. He reluctantly did, folding it so it would fit in a space in the fence. That weekend, I planted it in my parents’ backyard and it took root and I like to think it’s still there.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Replacement Umpires: HP – Bill Deegan, 1B – Jon Bible, 2B – Randy Christal, 3B – Doug Cossey, LF – Dick Runchey, RF – Dick Zivic
  • Time of Game: 2:39
  • Attendance: 52,168

Birthdays

Buddy Kennedy, Victor Reyes, Marc Krauss, Randy Bockus, Rod Allen, and the late Frank Doljack and Davey Crockett.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid #552: 7/9 — Rarity: 210

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. 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. 15, 1984: Tigers 2 – Blue Jays 1

W: Milt Wilcox (17-7) – L: Dave Stieb (14-7) – S: Willie Hernández (29) | Boxscore

Record: 94-54 — 11 games up on Toronto

Magic Number: 4

Highlights

  • Milt was superb: seven innings, one run, one hit and one walk but eight strikeouts.
  • Ruppert Jones homered off Stieb in the fourth and that was it for the scoring.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Derryl Cousins, 1B – Richard Shulock, 2B – Terry Cooney, 3B – Larry Young
  • Time of Game: 2:33
  • Attendance: 44,349

Birthdays

Javier Cardona, John Pacella and the late Jean Dubuc

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 532: 9/9 — Rarity: 23

See you tomorrow.

Sept. 9, 1984: Tigers 7 – Blue Jays 2

W: Milt Wilcox (16-7) – L: Jim Clancy (11-14) | Boxscore

Record: 92-51 — 11.5 games up on Toronto

Magic Number: 9

Highlights

  • And that just about does it for the Blue Jays. Their weekend started with a heartbreaker and ended in two deflating losses. So, the Tigers left town with an 111/2-game lead with 19 to play.
  • The Blue Jays scored first, in the bottom of the first, but it was all Tigers after that. Gibby went three for five with a homer and three RBI. Tram, Lance Parrish and Johnny Grubb each had two hits, and Grubb hit his eighth homer.
  • Detroit was up 3-2 in the sixth and then pulled away with four in the seventh. Oh, and the Tigers matched their 1983 win total in this one.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Exhibition Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Rick Reed, 1B – Jerry Neudecker, 2B – Dave Phillips, 3B – Steve Palermo
  • Time of Game: 2:39
  • Attendance: 37,392

Birthdays

Edwin Jackson, Dan Miceli and the late Reggie Sanders, Jim Proctor, Bud Thomas, Waite Hoyt, Charlie Perkins and John Eubank.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 526 9/9 — Rarity: 24

See you tomorrow.

Aug. 31, 1984: A’s 7 – Tigers 6 (13)

W: Keith Atherton (7-5) – L: Dave Rozema (7-5) | Boxscore

Record: 87-48 — 9.5 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Sparky had a short leash on Milt Wilcox, with good reason, pulling him after 32/3 innings in which he gave up five runs on four hits and five walks. Aurelio López  and Willie Hernández pitched the next eight and a third, allowing just three hits and combining for eight strikeouts.
  • The Tigers let four leads slip away, including in the ninth when they took a 6-5 lead. Rozema’s wild pitch with two out in the 13th allowed Mike Davis to score from third with the winning run.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
  • Umpires: HP – Rick Reed, 1B – Jerry Neudecker, 2B – Dave Phillips, 3B – Steve Palermo
  • Time of Game: 4:19
  • Attendance: 15,836

Birthdays

John Hicks, Ramon Santiago, Shane Loux, Hideo Nomo, Morris Madden, Bill Nahorodny, former Tigers coach Boots Day, and the late Jack Burns and Norman Glaser.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 517 7/9 — Rarity: 276

See you tomorrow.

Aug. 26, 1984: Tigers 12 – Angels 6

W: Milt Wilcox (15-7) – L: Tommy John (7-12) | Boxscore

Record: 86-45 — 12 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • The Tigers dropped five runs on Tommy John in the third inning — he allowed only two hits but walked five — and then they scored another run, on reliever Curt Kaufman.
  • Over the next 32/3 innings, Kaufman gave up six runs on seven hits, three of them solo homers by Chet Lemon and Marty Castillo and Kirk Gibson. When the Angels came to bat in the bottom of the sixth, they were down 11-0. Gibby cranked another in the ninth off Angels lefty John Curtis.
  • Milt pitched six innings, giving up five hits, three unearned runs, and striking out five.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Anaheim Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Nick Bremigan, 1B – Vic Voltaggio, 2B – Larry McCoy, 3B – Joe Brinkman
  • Time of Game: 3:01
  • Attendance: 33,008

Birthdays

Spencer Torkelson, Luis Marte, David Price, Alex Sanchez and Chad Kreuter

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 512 9/9 — Rarity: 7

See you tomorrow.

Aug. 17, 1984: Tigers 6 – Mariners 2

W: Milt Wilcox (13-7) – L: Mike Moore (5-12) | Boxscore

Record: 80-43 — 10 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Milt went eight strong innings, giving up just one run on seven hits, three walks and he struck out five. Aurelio López did his thing in the ninth: one run, one hit, one walk, one strikeout.
  • Future-Tiger Mike Moore gave up all six Tigers runs in 52/3 innings.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Rick Reed, 1B – John Hirschbeck, 2B – Dave Phillips, 3B – Steve Palermo
  • Time of Game: 3:08
  • Attendance: 36,496

Birthdays

Mike Maroth, Matt Anderson, Dave Lemanczyk, and the late Rudy York, Pat McLaughlin, Hub Walker and Walt Justis

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 503 7/9 — Rarity: 213

See you tomorrow.

Aug. 12, 1984: Tigers 8 – Royals 4

W: Milt Wilcox (12-7) – L: Bret Saberhagen (6-9) | Boxscore

Record: 77-41 — 9 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Detroit sprinted to a 4-0 lead in the first, thanks to Ruppert Jones‘s two-run homer off Kansas City starter Bret Saberhagen.
  • In the bottom of the seventh, Milt allowed a single, double and a walk, and was tagged for three of the Royals’ four runs that inning, before being replaced by Aurelio López.
  • The Tigers continued their 1984 mastery* of Dan Quisenberry scoring three in the eighth to pull away for good.

*He pitched 12 innings against Detroit in the regular season and allowed 14 hits and six runs, including two homers.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Royals Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Dale Ford, 1B – Larry Barnett, 2B – Rocky Roe, 3B – Ken Kaiser
  • Time of Game: 2:47
  • Attendance: 32,753

Birthdays

Kyle Lobstein, Urbano Lugo, the late Fred Hutchinson, Marc Hall

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 498 9/9 — Rarity: 54

See you tomorrow.