In 124 seasons, only 15 players have worn number 13* for the Tigers. For me, it will always be Lance Parrish‘s number, which he wore for 10 seasons, 1977 through 1986.
Here’s something: Before The Big Wheel put on number 13 in 1977, the number sat unworn for 13 years after Bill Faul hung it up after two seasons, 1963 and ’64.
With the exception of Alex Avila, who first wore it in 2010, no player of consequence has worn it since Lance … with apologies to Rico Brogna (1992) and Mark Leiter (1993).
*Gio Urshela was the most recent player to wear it, in 2024.
According to Baseball Reference, 54 players have worn the number 12 in Tigers franchise history. Casey Mize currently wears it. Let’s look at a few Tigers that wore number 12 during the Fungo’s focus, 1977 through 1994:
‘Twas the final day of the 1984 All-Star Break and the Tigers prepared to start the second half with a four-game series against the Twins at the Metrodome.
So, let’s look at a game from this date in another season: 1977.
Record: 38-46 — 6th place, 10.5 games behind Boston
Highlights
The Blue Jays tagged Tigers starter Dave Roberts with five runs in the top of the first. Detroit answered with a run of their own in the first, and another four in the second to make it 5-5 heading to the third.
Rusty Staub led the Tigers’s 10-hit attack, with a two-for-three night — including a second-inning three-run homer — and four RBI.
Sept. 22: He entered the game against Boston with bases load and two out in the bottom of the ninth, and got Dwight Evans to hit into a 1-3 ground out. Noles earned the save.
Sept. 25: Facing the Blue Jays, he pitched 11/3 innings, allowing a hit, a walk and a run. The Tigers lost 3-2.
Sept. 27: Noles’ final Tigers appearance came in a huge, season-saving Tigers win. Doyle Alexander pitched the first 102/3 innings, and four relievers covered the final 21/3. Noles was the fourth; he entered with two out in the bottom of the 13th and they tying run on first. He got Barfield to hit it to shortstop for a force out at second. Tigers won 3-2 and that was it for Noles in Detroit.
On Oct. 23, 1987, he was returned to the Cubs. That’s a 32-day Tigers career. But given the mayhem of those final 10 days of the 1987 season, those were pretty good days to be with Detroit.
Another complete game for Morris; he allowed seven hits, struck out four and walked just one.
Ruppert Jones earned the Rooftop nickname after launching his first Tigers homer, a three-run shot, off Clancy in the sixth inning.
Despite the 35-5 start and the Tigers earning their 40th win of the year, the Blue Jays were not far behind with 36 wins. Forty years later it’s still too close for comfort.
Miscellany
Venue: Tiger Stadium
Umpires: HP – Bill Kunkel, 1B – Terry Cooney, 2B – Richard Shulock, 3B – Derryl Cousins
Time of Game: 2:38
Attendance: 40,879
Ray Bare #21
Here are five things to know about the late right-hander Ray Bare:
The Tigers selected him off waivers from the Cardinals on April 4, 1975.
Bare debuted on April 10, 1975, pitching the ninth inning in at in an Orioles 10-0 rout. He allowed two runs on two hits and a pair of walks.
He appeared in 59 games for the Tigers over 1975 and ’76, 42 of those were starts. His 8-13 record in 1975 falls in line with that bad Tigers team.
His final major-league game was on May 3, 1977, a 13-0 Rangers blowout. Bare came into the game with two outs in the second inning, and the Tigers down 6-0. He allowed four hits and three runs and was lifted without recording an out.
Bare’s final record with the Tigers: 15-23 and a 4.94 ERA.
Kirk Gibson hit a first-inning homer to put the Tigers up 1-0 … and then the Mariners took control, scoring four off Berenguer in the home half.
Berenguer retired only one batter: Seattle’s leadoff hitter, Jack Perconte. The following hitters walked, singled, singled, singled, then a wild pitch, and two more singles. Mariners 4, Tigers 1.
Umpires: HP – Mike Reilly, 1B – Al Clark, 2B – Don Denkinger, 3B – Rich Garcia
Time of Game: 2:51
Attendance: 41,342
Bob Sykes #27
The Tigers drafted lefty Bob Sykes in the 19th round of the 1974 MLB June Amateur Draft from Miami Dade College.
After three seasons in the minors, he made his debut on April 9, 1977, at age 22, pitching four-and-two-thirds in a Royals 16-2 rout — but he managed to blank K.C., allowing just two hits and a walk.
Sykes appeared in 32 games that season, 20 of them starts, and finished with a record of 5-7 and a 4.41 ERA.
In 1978, appeared in 22 games, starting 10 and throwing a pair of shutouts. His record was 6-6 with a 3.94 ERA; he also earned two saves.
That offseason, Dec. 4, 1978, he was traded to the Cardinals, with minor leaguer John Murphy, in a deal that worked out well for the Tigers, who received Aurelio López and Jerry Morales in return.
Sykes’ final numbers in Detroit: 11-13, 4.22 ERA and two saves. He pitched three seasons in St. Louis before being traded to the Yankees for a young outfielder named Willie McGee.
The Tigers opened the scoring thanks to a Kirk Gibson first-inning single followed by a stolen base, and then an RBI single by Lance Parrish.
Berenguer gave up a solo homer to Rod Carew in the home half of the first and then settled down to allow just two more hits in six innings, striking out nine.
He appeared in 15 games for the Tigers that year, 12 as a pinch hitter. On Aug. 26, he pinch hit for Tom Veryzer in the eighth-inning, a solo homer off the Angels’ Frank Tanana.
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