Lou Whitaker

A timeline...

Born: May 12, 1957

Debut: September 9, 1977

1978: Won Rookie of the Year

1983: Appeared in episode of Magnum P.I. with Alan Trammell

1983: Lou’s best season (.320, 12, 72, 94 runs, .380 OBP, .837 OPS)

1984: Tigers win World Series

1985: Cleared the Tiger Stadium roof with a homer

1985: Whitaker forgot his jersey for the ASG. He bought a replica and used a magic marker to fill in the #1 on the back. It currently resides in the Smithsonian.

1986: Homered in All Star Game

1986: Entire Tiger infield hit 20 homers

1987: Tigers win AL East (Lose ALCS to Minnesota)

1989: Hit career best 28 homers with 85 RBI

1992: 2000^th hit

1992: 200^th homer

1995: Whitaker and Trammell become longest running double play combination in history

1995: Retired

2001: Removed from HOF consideration after garnering 2.9% of the vote. 5% was needed to remain on the ballot.

2015: Eligible for review for HOF candidacy

Accomplishments:
1984 World Champion

1978 ROY

5x All Star

4x Silver Slugger

3x Gold Glove

.276 career average

Hit .300+: 2x

Led league in games played (109) in 1981

100+ Runs: 2x

1386 career runs scored

2369 career hits

206 hits (1983)

420 doubles

30+ doubles: 3x

40 doubles (1983)

244 home runs

20+ home runs: 4x

1084 RBI

20 steals (1979)

1197 walks-1099 strikeouts

.363 career OBP

.412 OBP (1993)

.518 slugging (1995)

Postseason: .204 with 1 HR and 1 RBI (2 postseasons)

Top 10 Magnum P.I. Episodes

1. Did You See the Sunrise? (1982): A brutal Soviet colonel, Ivan, travels to Hawaii to kill Magnum and T.C. The episode features one of the greatest scenes in TV history when Thomas must decide whether to allow Ivan to live or die.


2. Home From the Sea (1983): Magnum’s tradition of spending the 4th of July alone on his surf ski turns into a struggle for life. The surf ski overturns and he spends hours treading water. Meanwhile, he friends experience an overwhelming sense of dread and begin searching for him.

3. Flashback (1982): Magnum travels back to 1936 while dreaming. The dream is populated by 1936 versions of his friends. Meanwhile, the case he is working on in 1982 is resolved in his dream.

4. Death and Taxes (1986): While Thomas struggles with a tax audit, a killer calls him with cryptic riddles about his crimes. At first, Magnum does not take him seriously, but later realizes a killer is on the loose.

5. Limbo (1987): Magnum was shot in a warehouse and hovered near death. While in a coma, he visits his friends in spiritual form. Originally, this was meant to be the series finale, but the show was renewed for one more season.

6. Infinity and Jelly Donuts (1987): The episode opens with Magnum in a coma. He wakes up returning from limbo and tracks down the gunman that shot him.

7. Memories Are Forever (1981): While working a case, Magnum sees his dead wife. He thought she died in Vietnam and begins a frantic search. He discovers she is alive and a suspected traitor.

8. Black On White (1982): Higgins’ past returns when someone is killing members of his old regiment.

9. Little Girl Who (1986): Magnum’s ex-wife leaves her daughter, Lily, in Thomas’ care while she flees assassins. It turns out Lily is his daughter.

10. Resolutions (1988): In the series finale, Rick decides to get married-or does he? Higgins admits to being Robin Masters-or does he? Meanwhile, Magnum re-ups in the Navy bringing his life and the series full circle.