Tag: Darrell Evans

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.

The Saturday Fungo: April 6

Game 3 – April 6, 1984

Tigers 3 – White Sox 2

W: Milt Wilcox (1-0) – L: Richard Dotson (0-1) – Save: Willie Hernandez (1) | Boxscore

Highlights

  • The Tigers score three in the first to spoil the White Sox’s (is that grammatically correct?) home opener.
  • Record: 3-0

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Jim McKean, 1B – Durwood Merrill, 2B – Tim McClelland, 3B – Marty Springstead.
  • Time of Game: 2:51
  • Attendance: 42,692

Birthdays

Ken Williams, Western Michigan U’s Phil Regan and the late Mickey Cochrane

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 370 8/9 – Rarity: 140

A swing and a miss on Chet Lemon in the bottom middle square.

See you tomorrow.

The Wednesday Fungo – April 3

Reliving 1984, 1 Game at a Time

Game 1 – April 3, 1984: Tigers 8 – Twins 1

WDIV Channel 4 – Tigers Pregame

Birthdays

Victor Alcantara, Doug Baker, Gary Pettis and the late Dick Conger 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 367 9/9 – Rarity: 39

See you tomorrow

🐇 The Sunday Fungo

The Tigers on Easter Sunday

Happy Easter! Here’s a rundown of the Tigers’ performance on Easter Sunday in games from 1977 through ’94. They appeared in nine games, winning three:

April 10, 1977: Royals 5 – Tigers 0 | W: Colborn – L: Ruhle – Save: Gura
April 15, 1979: Tigers 11 – Rangers 6 | W: Burnside – L: Lyle
April 19, 1981: Blue Jays 9 – Tigers 1 | W: Bomback – L: Morris
April 11, 1982: Tigers 2 – Royals 1 | W: Rozema – L: Blue – Save: Saucier
April 22, 1984: Tigers 9 – White Sox 1 | W: Berenguer – L: Brennan
April 19, 1987: White Sox 7 – Tigers 1 | W: Bannister – L: Petry
April 15, 1990: Orioles 6 – Tigers 0 | W: Milacki – L: Robinson
April 19, 1992: Orioles 3 – Tigers 2 | W: Milacki – L: Terrell – Save: Olson
April 11, 1993: Angels 7 – Tigers 6 | W: Crim – L: Krueger – Save: Grahe

Birthdays

Tracy Jones, Bill Denehy and the late Marv Grissom and Johnny Couch.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 364 9/9 – Rarity: 3

I don’t think I can do better than this. It checks all boxes except for the all-Tigers box.

See you tomorrow.

The Sunday Fungo

March 10, 1983: George Kell to Cooperstown

On this date in 1983, George Kell was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee. Former Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers manager Walter Alston was elected too.

In his 15-year career, Kell:

  • Batted over .300 nine times
  • Was a 10-time All-Star
  • Led American League third basemen in fielding percentage seven times

In Detroit, he:

  • Wore three uniform numbers: 21, 15 and 7
  • Hit .325 with 25 homers, 414 RBI and a .824 OPS
  • Was named an all star in six of his seven seasons

Random Game: Aug. 10, 1986

Red Sox 9 – Tigers 6

W: Joe Sambito (2-0) – L: Bill Campbell (2-4) – Save: Calvin Schiraldi (3) | Boxscore

My friend Doug and I attended this game, sitting in the centerfield bleachers for budgetary reasons, and choosing the lower deck for meteorological.

‘Twas a soggy day for the finale of a three-game set that, at the outset, provided foolish hope the Tigers could gain ground on the Red Sox, which entered the series four-and-a-half games up on second-place Detroit.

Instead, the Tigers were swept and this one ended with an eighth-inning bullpen collapse.

  • Neither Roger Clemens nor Walt Terrell were sharp: Clemens allowed seven hits, five walks and three earned runs in six innings. Terrell: six hits, three walks and four earned in seven innings.
  • The Red Sox led 4-0 until the Tigers scored two in the sixth, on a two-run homer by Alan Trammell, and Darrell Evans grand slam in the seventh to go up 6-4.
  • Bill Campbell (three) and Willie Hernandez (two) coughed up five runs in the top of the eight and Boston held on to win.
  • Rich Gedman hit a grand slam off Willie; two of the runs were charged to Campbell.
  • Darnell Coles went 3 for 5 with a double.
  • Boston left town with a seven-and-a-half game lead over the Tigers.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Richard Shulock, 1B – Dan Morrison, 2B – Mark Johnson, 3B – Rocky Roe
  • Time of Game: 3:11
  • Attendance: 39,866

Birthdays

Bill Heath and the late Art Herring and Jim Curry

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 343 9/9 — Rarity: 22

See you tomorrow.

The Friday Fungo

Skeeter Barnes – #9

This post should have been written yesterday, on William Henry “Skeeter” Barnes‘ birthday — he deserved better!

So, here are 10 things to know about a fun player from some mediocre Tigers seasons:

  1. Drafted by the Reds in the 16th round of the 1978 MLB June Amateur out of University of Cincinnati.
  2. He debuted on Sept. 6, 1983, against the Giants, in a game featuring Darrell Evans at shortstop, Dave Bergman at first, and Champ Summers pinch hitting.
  3. From 1983 to ‘84, he appeared in 47 games for the Reds. On April 26, 1985 the Reds sent him to the Expos for Max Venable. He appeared in 19 games for the ‘85 Expos.
  4. Barnes saw no major-league action in 1986, and on July 24 he was traded, with former Tiger Dan Schatzeder, to the Phillies for Tom Foley and Lary Sorensen.
  5. In 1987, he signed with the Cardinals but only appeared in four games. After spending 1988 in Triple A, he appeared in five games for the Reds.
  6. Then, on Jan. 21, 1991, he signed with the Tigers. After starting the year in Toledo, Barnes made his Detroit debut with gusto on June 14, in a 5-1 win in Seattle. He hit a solo homer in his first Tigers at bat, off Brian Holman, with two out in the first inning.
  7. Sparky used him just about everywhere: 1B, 2B, 3B, Shortstop, all outfield spots.
  8. From ’91 to ’94, he appeared in 278 games for the Tigers batting .281 with 11 homers, 73 RBI and a .739 OPS.
  9. Barnes’ final career hit came on June 16, 1994 — a single to right off the Brewers’ Bob Scanlan.
  10. His final major league appearance came on June 20, 1994, as a defensive replacement for Cecil Fielder at first base.

Birthdays

Mark Salas, Lance McCullers, Justin Thompson, Juan Encarnacion, Chris Lambert, Bob Stoddard, Joe Staton, Jim Small and the late Pete Fox, Ray Francis and Ollie O’Mara.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 341 7/9 — Rarity: 275

Have a great weekend. See you tomorrow.