Month: April 2024

The Tuesday Fungo: April 16

April 16, 1984: Another Rainout in Boston

The Patriots’ Day game at Fenway was washed out, so the Tigers packed up and went home to begin a two-game set against the Royals on April 17.

Record: Still 8-0.

Bruce Taylor – #32

The Tigers selected right-hander Bruce Taylor from the Reds in the December 1975 Rule 5 draft. He spent the entire 1976 season at Evansville, which means the Tigers swung a deal with Cincinnati to keep him and not have him on the big-league roster. I guess?

Taylor made his major-league debut at 24 on Aug. 5, 1977, in relief of Steve Grilli. He got the final out of the eighth and pitched a clean ninth in a 6-0 loss to the Rangers.

He appeared in 19 games his rookie season, tossing 29.1 innings. He finished with 1-0 record, two saves and a 3.38 ERA.

In 1978, he appeared in just one game with the Tigers, pitching a single inning: on April 14 against the Blue Jays. He spent the rest of the season in Evansville.

The 1979 season was Taylor’s last with the Tigers and in the majors. He pitched in 10 games, the last on May 22 against the Yankees in which he tossed the last three innings of a 12-8 loss, and finished with a 1-2 record and a 4.82 ERA.

His final major league line: 2-2, 3.86 ERA and two saves.

Birthdays

Fernando Vina, Bruce Taylor, the late Dutch Leonard and Gene Ford

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 380 9/9 – Rarity: 17

By pure happenstance I slotted Fernando Vina into the grid before knowing it was his birthday. He’s one of four former Tigers in today’s offering.

See you tomorrow.

The Sunday Fungo: April 14

Game 9: 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

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 378 9/9 – Rarity: 29

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo: April 13

Game 8: April 13, 1984

Tigers 13 – Red Sox 9

W: Doug Bair (0-1) L: Bruce Hurst (1-2) | Boxscore

Highlights

Talk about the tale of two games. The Tigers ambushed Bruce Hurst for seven runs in an eight-run first. Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell walked, Barbaro Garbey reached on an error.

Lance Parrish struck out and then the next eight batters reached:

  • Rusty Kuntz: single (5-0), and that was it for Hurst.
  • Whitaker reached on an error by Jerry Remy, scoring Kuntz and Brookens. (8-0)
  • Trammell doubled.
  • Dave Bergman, pinch-hit for Garbey — how often does that happen in the first inning? — and walks.
  • Parrish grounds into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
  • Milt Wilcox takes the mound with an 8-0 lead … and allows the first seven hitters to reach. He gets one more out than Hurst, but after yielding five runs, gives way to Doug Bair.
  • Boston scores again in the second, to make it 8-6, and the Tigers in the fourth, on a Parrish solo shot.
  • Instead, the Red Sox tag him with three runs in the bottom of the eighth.
  • Mercifully, the ninth is scoreless, but not exactly clean, and Tigers hold on.
  • Record: 8-0

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Drew Coble, 1B – Jim Evans, 2B – Greg Kosc, 3B – Ted Hendry
  • Time of Game: 3:11
  • Attendance: 35,179

Birthdays

Doug Strange, Mark Leiter and the late Ike Brown, Jake Mooty, Roxie Lawson, Ken Jones, Rufe Clarke, Al Platte, Red Killefer, Kid Elberfeld, Herman Long

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 377 8/9 – Rarity: 159

Have a great weekend. See you tomorrow.

The Friday Fungo: April 12

Game 7: April 12, 1984

Tigers 9 – Rangers 4

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

Highlights

  • 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

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 376 8/9 – Rarity: 137

See you tomorrow.

The Thursday Fungo: April 11

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

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 375 8/9 — Rarity: 161

See you tomorrow.

The Wednesday Fungo: April 10

Game 6: April 10, 1984

Tigers 5 – Rangers 1

W: Dan Petry (2-0) L: Dave Stewart (0-2) | Boxscore

Highlights

The Rangers got off to a fast start in the first, greeting Petry with a couple of singles — one by Buddy Bell and, after a groundout, another by Larry Parrish — and jumping out to a 1-0 lead.

It didn’t last.

  • In the bottom half, Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell walked, leading to Darrell Evans‘ first Tiger Stadium at bat. Evans blasted Dave Stewart‘s 1-0 pitch deep into the upper deck in right and, I think I can speak for most of us, we could hardly contain ourselves.
  • Petry threw a four-hit complete game, walking three and striking out seven.
  • With one out in the third, Herndon doubled and the next man up, Dave Bergman, drove him in for the Tigers’ final run.
  • Record: 6-0

*Somehow, Howard Johnson did not make it on my Top-5 Tigers list Honorable Mentions. I’m correcting that now. I was not happy when he was traded to the Mets after the ’84 season.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Marty Springstead, 1B – Jim McKean, 2B – Durwood Merrill, 3B – Tim McClelland
  • Time of Game: 2:32
  • Attendance: 51,238
  • Start Time Weather: 62° F, Sunny, No Precipitation

Birthdays

Eric King and the late Frank Lary, Cliff Bolton and Rudy Kneisch 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 374 8/9 – Rarity: 170

See you tomorrow.