Tag: Howard Johnson

The Sunday Fungo: July 14

July 14, 1984: Tigers 6 – Twins 5 (12)

W: Willie Hernández (6-0) – L: Mike Walters (0-3) | Boxscore

Record: 59-28 — 7 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • The Tigers scored two in the 12th to take a 6-4 lead. Hernández pitched three innings and allowed a two-out home run to Tim Teufel in the 12th, before getting Ron Washington (!) for the final out.
  • Milt Wilcox started and pitched 52/3 allowing four runs on eight hits; Doug Bair pitched a flawless 31/3.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Metrodome
  • Umpires: HP – Vic Voltaggio, 1B – Joe Brinkman, 2B – Larry McCoy, 3B – Nick Bremigan
  • Time of Game: 3:40
  • Attendance: 46,017

Birthdays

Enrique Gonzalez and the late John Peters

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 469 8/9: Rarity: 128

See you tomorrow.

The Monday Fungo: July 8

July 8, 1984: Rangers 9 – Tigers 7

W: Frank Tanana (9-8) – L: Doug Bair (4-2) – S: Dave Schmidt (5) | Boxscore

Record: 57-27 — 7 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Texas led this one 7-0 in the third, ringing the bell of Doug Bair in a spot start. He lasted 22/3 innings, serving up six runs on eight hits.
  • Tanana started for the Rangers and he gave up six runs, two earned, and struck out five in his six innings of work.
  • The Tigers trailed 8-2 to start the sixth inning and scored four runs — three on Howard Johnson‘s homer — to draw within 8-6. Another run in the eighth made it 8-7, but the Rangers tacked on an insurance run in the eighth to seal it.
  • Chet Lemon matched Johnson’s two-hit, three-RBI performance.
  • The Tigers head into the All-Star Break 30 games over .500.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Arlington Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Joe Brinkman, 1B – Larry McCoy, 2B – Nick Bremigan, 3B – Mark Johnson
  • Time of Game: 2:37
  • Attendance: 16,010

Lerrin LaGrow – RHP #30

The Tigers drafted Phoenix-native Lerrin LaGrow in the sixth round of the 1969 MLB June Amateur Draft from Arizona State University.

He made his major-league debut the following season, on June 28, 1970.

He came in the eighth inning, in relief of starter Joe Niekro. He faced one batter, Paul Schaal, and gave up a single.

Here’s a snapshot of LaGrow’s Tigers career:

  • 1970: 0-1, 7.03 ERA in 12 innings pitched
  • 1972: 0-1, 1.32 in 27 IP
  • 1973: 1-5, 4.33 in 54 IP
  • 1974: 8-19, 4.66 in 216 IP
  • 1975: 7-14, 4.38 in 164 IP

The Cardinals purchased his contract from the Tigers on April 2, 1976, which means he didn’t even get to enjoy the Mark Fidrych Era.

But, by leaving Detroit when he did, his number 30 became available for Jason Thompson.

Birthdays

Mike Gerber, Ernie Young, Lerrin LaGrow and the late Salty Parker, Roy Crumpler and Clyde Barfoot

See you tomorrow.

The Wednesday Fungo: July 3

July 3, 1984: White Sox 9 – Tigers 5

W: Tom Seaver (7-6) – L: Jack Morris (12-5) – S: Ron Reed (4) | Boxscore

Record: 55-24 — 8 games up Toronto

Highlights

  • The Tigers lost their third-consecutive game for the first time since the Memorial Day sweep at the hands of the Mariners.
  • Morris fooled no one and Seaver was not much better — but good enough to win. The Cat lasted 41/3, giving up eight runs on nine hits. Tom Terrific allowed five earned runs on five hits — three of them homers — walked three and struck out seven.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Comiskey Park
  • Umpires: HP – Drew Coble, 1B – Jim Evans, 2B – Greg Kosc, 3B – Ted Hendry
  • Time of Game: 2:42
  • Attendance: 43,094

Birthdays

Logan Kensing, Frank Tanana, Phil Meeler and the late Luke Hamlin and Jack Dalton

See you tomorrow.

The Sunday Fungo: June 23

June 23, 1984: Tigers 5 – Brewers 1

W: Milt Wilcox (8-5) – L: Chuck Porter (5-3) | Boxscore

Record: 51-18 — Up 7.5 on Toronto

Highlights

  • Milt tossed a beaut: Eight innings, four hits, one run.
  • The Tigers raced out to a 5-0 lead by the third inning, fueled by homers from Kirk Gibson, a solo shot in the first, and Howard Johnson a three-run job in the second.
  • Lance Parrish had a pair a doubles and Gibby went three for four.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Jim McKean, 1B – Durwood Merrill, 2B – Dan Morrison, 3B – Marty Springstead
  • Time of Game: 2:33
  • Attendance: 44,680

Bill Nahorodny – C #18

He didn’t play very long for his hometown Tigers, but catcher Bill Nahorodny can, at the very least, say he appeared in a game, for the home team, at Tiger Stadium. Here are a few things to know about him:

The Hamtramck native was drafted by the Phillies in the sixth round of the 1972 MLB June Amateur Draft from St. Clair County Community College in Port Huron.

After several seasons with the White Sox and Braves and one each with the Phillies and Indians, he signed with the Tigers on March 1, 1983.

At Evansville, he ran roughshod over International League pitching in 1983 — 127 games, a .335 average, 21 home runs, 94 RBI and a .945 OPS — and it earned him a September call up.

Nahordony’s Tigers debut came on Sept. 24 at Tiger Stadium. In the bottom of the eighth he pinch for Marty Castillo and, facing John Tudor, grounded out to shortstop Ed Jurak.

Four days later, facing the Orioles, he pinch hit for Mike Laga and drew a walk off Tippy Martinez.

And that would be it for Nahorodny’s Tigers career. The Tigers released him on Oct. 21, 1983. He spent the ’84 season with the Mariners

Birthdays

The late Tom Haller, Bubba Floyd, Aaron Robinson and Al Clauss

See you tomorrow.

The Thursday Fungo: June 20

June 20, 1984: Tigers 9 – Yankees 6 (13)

W: Doug Bair (4-0) – L: José Rijo (1-7) | Boxscore

Record: 49-17 — 7.5 up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Chet went 4 for 5.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Dave Phillips, 1B – Jerry Neudecker, 2B – John Hirschbeck, 3B – Steve Palermo
  • Time of Game: 3:51
  • Attendance: 43,972

Jim Morrison – IF #9 and #17

The Tigers picked up Jim Morrison from the Pirates on Aug. 7, 1987 for a player to be named later* and Darnell Coles.

*Five days later, they sent Morris Madden to Pittsburgh to complete the trade.

Morrison was expected to be another veteran presence for a Tigers team that was, after a dreadful start, in the thick of the American League East race.

On Aug. 7 against the Yankees**, he made his Tigers debut (a game I attended) at third based and batting sixth. He led off the bottom of the sixth with a homer off New York starter Rick Rhoden.

**The Tigers won 8-0 and sat in third place, just a game behind second-place New York and a game and half behind Toronto.

When the Tigers got him, he was hitting .264 with the Pirates with nine home runs and a .726 OPS. Although Morrison became Sparky’s everyday third baseman for the rest of the year, that performance didn’t carry over to Detroit. He hit just .205 — which was still 20+ points higher than what Coles was hitting at the time of the trade.

After 24 games in 1988, the Tigers released him on June 6. In his final game with Detroit, on June 3, he pinch hit for Pat Sheridan and singled off future-Tiger Jeff Kaiser, driving in a run.

His final line with the Tigers: .209, 4 HR, 25 RBI and a .534 OPS.

Birthdays

Bobby Seay, Paul Bako, the late Charlie Grover, Jim Delahanty and Win Mercer

See you tomorrow.

The Monday Fungo: June 10

June 10, 1984: Game 1 Tigers 10 – Orioles 4

W: Doug Bair (3-0) – L: Mike Boddicker (7-5) – Save: Willie Hernández (9) | Boxscore

Record: 42-14

Highlights

  • The Tigers got to Boddicker early, five runs on seven hits in 41/3 innings. Glenn Abbott faired slightly less bad: three runs, seven hits in 22/3.
  • Bair threw 31/3 scoreless, one-hit innings.
  • The game featured 24 hits — 13 by Detroit — and the Orioles made four errors.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Memorial Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Jim Evans, 1B – Greg Kosc, 2B – Ted Hendry, 3B – Drew Coble
  • Time of Game: 2:48

Game 2 Tigers 8 – Orioles 0

W: Dan Petry (9-3) – L: Dennis Martínez (1-3) | Boxscore

Record: 43-14 — 7 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • Petry was stellar: a complete-game three-hitter.
  • All told: Gibby had six hits and six RBI in the two games‚ while Tram and Johnson each had five hits. Lou scored five runs in the first game. 

Miscellany

  • Venue: Memorial Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Greg Kosc, 1B – Ted Hendry, 2B – Drew Coble, 3B – Jim Evans
  • Time of Game: 2:44
  • Attendance: 51,764

Then, After the Doubleheader …

George Kell informed us that “the Tigers just announced they have acquired the rights to left-handed pitcher … (and it seemed like an eternity before revealing it was …) Sid Monge.”

Birthdays

Al Alburquerque, Elias Sosa and Hank Foiles

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 435 9/9: Rarity: 28

See you tomorrow.

The Thursday Fungo: June 6

June 6, 1984: Blue Jays 6 – Tigers 3

W: Luis Leal (6-0) – L: Dan Petry (8-3) | Boxscore

Record: 39-13

Highlights

  • Peaches got pummeled: Four innings, 10 hits, five earned runs. Aurelio López pitched four innings of relief.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Derryl Cousins, 1B – Bill Kunkel, 2B – Terry Cooney, 3B – Richard Shulock
  • Time of Game: 2:36
  • Attendance: 38,167

Ed Glynn #48

Here are a few things to know about lefty Ed Glynn.

  • The Tigers signed him as an amateur free agent on Sept. 25, 1971.
  • In parts of four seasons with Detroit, he appeared in 26 games — 10 being the high-water mark, in 1978 — and had a final record of 3-6 and a 4.93 ERA.
  • Along the way, he made eight starts and on Sept. 12, 1976, he pitched a complete game against the Yankees but took the loss in the 3-1 New York win.

Birthdays

Will Vest, Tyler Collins, Collin Balester, Eddie Bonine and the late Dave Bergman, Chet Morgan and Izzy Goldstein

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 431 9/9: Rarity: 80

See you tomorrow.