Tag: Howard Johnson

The Sunday Fungo: June 2

June 2, 1984: Orioles 5 – Tigers 0

W: Storm Davis (6-1) – L: Jack Morris (10-2) | Boxscore

Record: 38-10

Highlights

  • Cue that tired expression: “They should have saved some for today.” The Orioles bounced back from the previous night’s drubbing and tagged Morris for five runs in six innings.
  • Storm Davis pitched a complete-game three-hitter.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Don Denkinger, 1B – Rich Garcia, 2B – Mike Reilly, 3B – Al Clark
  • Time of Game: 2:11
  • Attendance: 40,292

Game Highlights

Birthdays

Neifi Perez, Darnell Coles and the late Lou Skizas, Gene Michael, Jerry Lumpe and Jack Pierce

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 427 9/9: Rarity: 9

See you tomorrow.

The Sunday Fungo: May 26

May 26, 1984: Mariners 9 – Tigers 5

W: Mike Moore – L: Juan Berenguer | Boxscore

Record: 35-7

Highlights

  • 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.
  • The Tigers scored three in the ninth and out-hit the Mariners, 13 to 11.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Seattle Kingdome
  • 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.

Birthdays

Darrell Evans and the late Jack Cronin

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 420 8/9: Rarity: 154

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo: May 25

May 25, 1984: Mariners 7 – Tigers 3

W: Ed Vande Berg (4-2) – L: Milt Wilcox (6-1) – Save: Paul Mirabella (2) | Boxscore

Record: 35-6

Highlights

  • The loss snaps the Tigers’ A.L. record road winning streak at 17
  • Seattle jumped on Wilcox for six runs in four and a third, and lefty Vande Berg kept the Tigers off balance in his seven innings.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Seattle Kingdome
  • Umpires: HP – Rich Garcia, 1B – Mike Reilly, 2B – Al Clark, 3B – Don Denkinger
    Time of Game: 2:54
    Attendance: 15,722

Danny Bautista #29

Danny Bautista was a promising young outfield for the early-’90s Tigers. Here are few things to know about him:

  • He made his debut on Sept. 15, 1993 against the Blue Jays, as a pinch runner for Rich Rowland.
  • Bautista’s first major-league start — and hit — came two days later, batting leadoff against the Indians. He singled off Jason Grimsley.
  • On Oct. 1, he hit his first career homer, at Yankee Stadium off Frank Tanana. He finished the ’93 season with a .311 average in 17 games.
  • Bautista played parts of four seasons in Detroit, mostly as a part-timer, appearing in 162 games. He hit .228 with 14 homers.

Birthdays

Randall Simon, Joey Eischen and Bill Haselman 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 419 8/9: Rarity: 147

See you tomorrow.

The Wednesday Fungo: May 15

May 15, 1984: Tigers 6 – Mariners 4

W: Jack Morris (7-1) – L: Roy Thomas (3-2) – Save: Willie Hernández (5) | Boxscore

Record: 28-5

Highlights

  • At one point, the Tigers led 6-1.
  • Morris and Hernandez combined for a five hitter.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Terry Cooney, 1B – Richard Shulock, 2B – Derryl Cousins, 3B – Bill Kunkel
  • Time of Game: 3:32
  • Attendance: 21,782

Birthdays

Kody Clemens, Jim Adduci, A.J. Hinch and Jason Karnuth 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 409 9/9: Rarity: 6

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo: May 4

May 4, 1984: Tigers 9 – Indians 2

W: Dan Petry (4-1) – L: Dan Spillner (0-2) – Save: Willie Hernández (3) | Boxscore

Record: 20-4

Highlights

  • Petry: 5 innings,  6 hits, 2 runs 6 walks, 5 strikeouts
  • A four-inning save for Willie.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Cleveland Municipal Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Dan Morrison, 1B – Marty Springstead, 2B – Jim McKean, 3B – Durwood Merrill
  • Time of Game: 3:06
  • Attendance: 8,497

Rick Leach #7

Here are seven things to know about Rick Leach, who went from start Michigan quarterback to Tigers first baseman.

  • He was drafted by the Tigers in the first round (13th) of the 1979 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Michigan. He was previously drafted by the Phillies twice: in the 11th round of the 1975 draft from Flint Southwestern High, and in the 24th round of the 1978 draft from Michigan.
  • On May 6 in Oakland, Leach got his first big-league start: batting seventh and place first. He finished 0 for 1 that night, but with three walks. The following day, he got his first major-league hit, a single to left off Matt Keough that drove in Champ Summers.
  • Leach saw his playing time increase between 1981 and 1983, appearing 54, 82 and 99 games respectively. His best year was 1983: .248, three home runs and 28 RBI.
  • With Dave Bergman, Bárbaro Garbey and Darrell Evans all slated for playing time at first, the Tigers released Leach on March 24, 1984 — the same day of The Trade that brought Bergman and Willie Hernandez to Detroit. And he signed, with of all teams, the Blue Jays. (He appeared in only two games against the Tigers.)
  • Leach had his best years in Toronto. In five seasons, he batted .283, eight home runs and 95 RBI.

Birthdays

Rick Leach, Brian Maxcy and the late Howie Koplitz, John Tsitouris and Charlie Hickman 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 398 8/9: Rarity: 134

See you tomorrow.

The Thursday Fungo: April 25

1984 Game 16: Tigers 9 – Rangers 4

W: Milt Wilcox (2-0) – L: Dave Stewart (0-5) – Save: Willie Hernández (2) | Boxscore

Record: 15-1

Highlights

  • Wilcox went six innings, allowing six hits and two runs.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Arlington Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Al Clark, 1B – Don Denkinger, 2B – Dan Morrison, 3B – Mike Reilly
  • Time of Game: 2:38
  • Attendance: 25,883

Bill Krueger #30

Here are a few things to know about lefty Bill Krueger:

Bill Krueger, not displaying his tremendous high leg kick.
  • The Tigers signed Krueger on Dec. 11, 1992. He spent the ’92 season with the Twins and Expos.
  • He made his Tigers debut on April 7, 1993 against his original club, the A’s, in a 12-7 Tigers loss. His line: 3.1 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts.
  • The 1994 Tigers were not good and Krueger’s year aligned with his team’s. He had appeared in 16 games — his last a June 2 start against the Orioles in Baltimore — before the Tigers released him on June 4, with an 0-2 record and a 9.61 ERA.
  • Bill Krueger’s final line in Detroit: 6-6 with a 4.60 ERA.

Birthdays

Daniel Norris, Jacque Jones, Larry Pashnick and the late Tony Phillips, Woody Davis and Fred Haney

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 389 7/9 – Rarity: 219

My misses: Bruce Bochy in the middle square, and Tommy Henrich bottom left.

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.