Lou Boudreau: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1970

Born: July 17, 1917

1935: Graduated High School

1938: Graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1938: Signed by Cleveland Indians before graduation making him ineligible for sports

Debut: September 9, 1938 (Indians)

1941: Became player-manager of Indians before 1942 season

1941: Ruled ineligible for military due to arthritic ankles

1944: Won batting title (.327)

1946: Set record: 4 consecutive doubles in a game

1948: AL MVP

1948: Indians win World Series

1950: Released by Indians (728-649, .529, 1948 World Champ)

1950: Signed by Red Sox

1952: Became player-manager of Red Sox (229-232, .497)

1955: Became manager of Kansas City Athletics (151-260, .367)

1957: Fired by A’s

1958-59: Broadcast for Cubs

1960: Managed Cubs (54-83, .394)

1961-87: Broadcaster for Cubs

1966-8: Broadcaster for Chicago Bulls

1970: Elected to Hall of Fame (77% of vote)

His daughter married Denny McLain

2001: Died

Accomplishments:

1948 World Champion

1948 MVP

8x All Star

1944 Batting Champ

Created the shift (for Ted Williams)

.295

68 HR

789 RBI

861 Runs

1779 Hits

796 walks-309 strikeouts

.380 OBP

.795 OPS

116 Runs (1948)

3x double leader

30+ doubles: 7x

40+ doubles: 4x

10 triples: 2x

100+ RBI: 2x

Hit .300: 3x

.400 OBP: 2x

.987 OPS (1948)

Postseason: .273, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .788 OPS (1948 World Series)

As a manager: 1162-1224 (1948 World Championship)

Top 10 Detroit Tigers Moments of All Time

1901: Tigers score 9 in the 9th to win first AL Game: Tigers trailed 13-4 in the 9th and won the game 14-13.

1935: Goslin’s single: The Tigers lost four World Series since joining the American League in 1901. In 1935, they broke through for their first title. Goose Goslin walk-off single in the winning run in the 9th inning of Game 6.

1945:Greenberg’s slam: Greenberg returned from World War II and hit a Grand Slam in the 9th inning of the final game of the season to propel Detroit to the World Series. Tigers beat the Cubs in 7.

1968: McLain wins 30: Denny McLain became the first pitcher since Dizzy Dean in 1934 to win 30 games. In ‘68 Tigers fashion, the team scored in the 9th to win the game. No one has won 30 since. Steve Carlton won 27 in 1972 and Bob Welch won 27 in 1990.

1968: Horton to Freehan: The Tigers trailed the Cardinals 3 games to 1 in the 1968 World Series. In Game 5, Willie Horton threw out Lou Brock at home to stymie a Cardinal rally. The Tigers rallied and won the game keeping the series alive.

1968: Lolich wins 3: Mickey Lolich won Game 2 of the 1968 World Series and even hit a home run. He benefited from timely hitting and Horton’s throw to win Game 5. In Game 7, he shut down the Cardinals giving up only a meaningless solo home run. Lolich won the World Series MVP award with three complete game wins in the Tigers World Series victory.

1984: 35-5: This is unfathomable. The Tigers started the 1984 season with 35 wins in their first 40 games. 25 wins would have been good. As a result of their start, they lead the AL East from wire-to-wire and made their first postseason appearance since 1972.

1984: Goosebusters: The Tigers led the 1984 World Series 3 games to 1. In Game 5, San Diego kept the game close and hoped to survive to force Game 6. They brought in Rich “Goose” Gossage to keep the game close. Lance Parrish launched a home run off him. In the 8th inning, Kirk Gibson launched a three-run shot off Goose clinching the championship. Prior to the upper deck shot, Gossage refused to walk Gibson.

1987: The Comeback: The Tigers trailed the Toronto Blue Jays by 3 ½ games with 8 games to play. Kirk Gibson hit a dramatic game tying home run the following game and the Tigers rallied for a 13th inning win cutting the lead to 2 ½ games. Detroit went 5-2 in their final seven games. Toronto went 0-7. Detroit swept Toronto in the final three games of the regular season. In Game 162, Frank Tanana shutout Toronto 1-0. Larry Herndon hit a home run for the game’s only run.

2006: Maggs!: Detroit stunk for a decade. In 2003, they lost 119 games. In 2006, they returned to the postseason for the first time in 19 years. After beating the Yanks in the ALDS, they lead Oakland 3-0 in the ALCS. Detroit trailed early in Game Four. Magglio Ordonez hit a homer earlier in the game. In the 9th, he launched a three-run walk off home run to send Detroit to their first World Series since 1984.

The Greatest Detroit Tiger Pitchers Part I: The Right Handers

1. Jack Morris (1977-90): Winningest pitcher of the 80s, 20 game winner 2x, League leading 14 wins (1981), 200+ Ks 3x, led league 232 K’s (1983), 24 SHO, led league 6 SHO (1986), All-Star, 2-0 1984 WS, 3-1 postseason, 1981 pitcher of the year, MLB Network pitcher of the 80s, 198 Tiger wins, 1984 No-Hitter, 1984 World Champion

2. Tommy Bridges (1930-46): All-Star, 194 Tiger wins, 20 wins (3x), 1936 wins leader (23), 1932 SHO leader (4), 33 SHO, Strikeout leader (2x), 1935 and 1945 World Champion, 4-1 WS Record, One of the most popular athletes of his era.

3. Denny McLain (1963-70): 1968 World Champion, 1968-69 Cy Young, 1968 MVP, 5x 16+ wins, 3x twenty game winner, 31 wins (1968), 1969 Wins leader (24), 1968 CG leader (28), 1969 SHO leader (9), 300+ Innings (2x), 190+ Ks (3x), 280 Ks (1968), All-Star, 117 Tiger wins, 26 SHO

4. Hooks Dauss (1912-26): 3x 20 game winner, 223 career wins (All Time Leader), 3.30 career ERA, 22 SHO

5. George Mullin (1902-13): 5x 20 game winner, 29 game winner (1909), No-Hitter (1912), 209 Tiger wins, 2.76 Tiger ERA, 34 SHO, 3-3 W-L in WS, 1.86 WS ERA

6. Dizzy Trout (1939-52): All-Star, 1945 World Champion, 20 wins (2x), 27 wins (1944), 1944 ERA leader (2.12), 33 CG (1944), 1944 SHO leader (7), 1943 SHO leader (5), 0.66 ERA (1945 WS), 1943 Wins leader (20), 161 Tiger wins, 34 SHO, 3.20 Tiger ERA

7. Frank Lary (1954-63): The Yankee Killer, All-Star, Gold Glove, 20 game winner (2x), Led league w/ 21 wins (1956), 3x CG leader, 3x IP leader, 123 Tiger wins

8. Jim Bunning (1955-63): Hall of Fame, All-Star, No-Hitter (1958), Led league 20 wins (1957), IP Leader (1957), 2x Strikeout leader, 190+ K’s: 4x, 200+ K’s: 2x, 7x double digit wins, 17+ wins (4x), 118 Tiger wins

9. Virgil Trucks (1941-52, 1956): 2 No-Hitters (1952), 7x double digit wins, 19 wins (1949), 1949 SHO Leader (6), 1949 K leader (153), 1945 World Champion, All-Star, 114 Tiger wins

10. Bill Donovan (1903-12, 1918): 7x double digit wins, 25 wins (1907), Led league 34 CG (1907), 187 K’s (1903), 140 Tiger wins