Tag: Lou Whitaker

The Sunday Fungo: May 12

May 12, 1984: Angels 4 – Tigers 2

W: Tommy John (3-3) – L: Juan Berenguer (2-2) | Boxscore

Record: 26-5

Highlights

  • The Tigers had a 2-0 lead into the fifth when Reggie Jackson blasted a two-run homer off Berenguer. (See the proof below.)
  • Tommy John pitched a complete game, and Sparky got ejected in this one for arguing a call at second base and tossing his hat in the air to boot.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Jim Evans, 1B – Greg Kosc, 2B – Ted Hendry, 3B – Drew Coble
  • Time of Game: 2:32
  • Attendance: 38,516

Ron Jackson #15

The 1981 Tigers were in the hunt for a playoff spot as the second-half A.L. East champ, so they picked up right-handed hitting first baseman Ron Jackson for the stretch drive.

Here are a few things to know about his brief time in Detroit:

  • He came to Detroit from the Twins on Aug. 23, 1981 for a player to be named later. The Tigers sent Tim Corcoran on Sept. 4 to complete the trade.
  • He became a regular during his brief stint in Detroit, appearing in 31 games and batting .284 with a homer and 12 RBI and a .758 OPS.
  • As I remember it, Jackson was a spark plug for the Tigers and it seemed like he would return in 1982. Instead, the Tigers let him go as a free agent (surprise, surprise).
  • He signed with the Angels, his original club, in April 1982 and spent two seasons in Anaheim and his final year, 1984, with the Orioles.

Birthdays

Lou Whitaker, Tom Timmermann and the late Dixie Parsons, Hank Borowy, Archie McKain and Joe Dugan

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 406 9/9 : Rarity 30

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo: May 11

May 11, 1984: Tigers 8 – Angels 2

W: Milt Wilcox (4-0) – L: Mike Witt (4-2) – S: Willie Hernández (4) | Boxscore

Record: 26-4

Highlights

  • Six solid, scoreless innings from Wilcox and a less-than-pristine three-inning save from Willie: 5 hits allowed, 2 runs.
  • A lot of traffic on the base paths during this one: 25 combined hits (14 for Detroit) and seven combined walks (6 for the Tigers.)

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Drew Coble, 1B – Jim Evans, 2B – Greg Kosc, 3B – Ted Hendry
  • Time of Game: 2:55
  • Attendance: 44,187

Birthdays

Francisco Cordero, Bill Bean, Mark Huismann, Walt Terrell, the late Rip Sewell and Charlie Gehringer 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 405 9/9 – Rarity: 17

See you tomorrow.

The Thursday Fungo: May 9

May 9, 1984: Tigers 3 – Royals 1

W: Dan Petry (5-1) – L: Danny Jackson (0-4) – Save: Aurelio López (4) | Boxscore

Record: 25-4

Highlights

  • Petry pitched six and two-thirds, allowing seven hits and just one run. Aurelio López pitched the rest of the way, giving up just a walk and striking out four.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Royals Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Larry McCoy, 1B – Nick Bremigan, 2B – Vic Voltaggio, 3B – Joe Brinkman
  • Time of Game: 2:48
  • Attendance: 15,709

Birthdays

Ian Krol, Daniel Schlereth, Prince Fielder, Ron Jackson, and the late Tom Yewcic and Lew Drill

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 403 9/9 – Rarity: 11

See you tomorrow.

The Monday Fungo: May 6

May 6, 1984: Tigers 6 – Indians 5 (12)

W: Aurelio López (3-0) – L: Ernie Camacho (0-2) | Boxscore

Record: 22-4

Highlights

  • For the second straight day, the Tigers edge the Indians 6-5, but this one was a 12-inning affair.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Cleveland Municipal Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Jim McKean, 1B – Durwood Merrill, 2B – Dan Morrison, 3B – Marty Springstead
  • Time of Game: 4:20
  • Attendance: 16,125

Dave Gumpert #43

The Tigers signed 6′ 1″ righty Dave Gumpert on Nov. 4, 1980 as an amateur free agent out of Aquinas College in Grand Rapids.

He quickly moved up the ladder in 1981, starting in Single-A Lakeland, Double-A Birmingham and the Triple-A Evansville. In 1982, he appeared in 42 games for Birmingham and two for Evansville before getting the call to Detroit.

Gumpert made his debut on July 25, 1982 against the Rangers, securing the final two outs to close out the Tigers’ 7-2 win.

He pitched in five games for the ’82 Tigers, including one brief start on Aug. 8: getting just one out and giving up three runs on four hits, including a homer to Ernie Whitt.

His final line for 1982: Five appearances, two innings pitched, 13 batters faced, one start, one save, and a 27.00 ERA.

In 1983, he began the season in Evansville and was promoted in time to again face the Blue Jays, on May 30. Gumpert relieved starter Dan Petry with one out in the ninth and the Tigers trailing 4-0. He escaped the inning and the Tigers scored four in the bottom half to push it to extras. Gumpert was charged with two runs in the 10th and the Tigers lost, 6-4.

Gumpert appeared in 26 games for the ’83 Tigers, finishing with a record of 0-2, an ERA of 2.94 and a pair of saves.

He spent all of 1984 in Evansville, posting a 7-4 record with a 4.96 ERA. The Tigers released him at the end of Spring Training in 1985 and he signed with the Cubs a week later. His final numbers with Detroit: 0-2, 3.69 ERA, two saves.

Gumpert spent the ’85 and ’86 seasons in Chicago, before being traded to the Royals for his final big-league season in 1987.

Birthdays

Phil Clark and Tom Bolton 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 400 9/9: Rarity: 71

See you tomorrow.

The Sunday Fungo: April 28

April 28, 1984: Tigers 6 – Indians 2

W: Jack Morris (5-0) – L: Rick Behenna (0-1) | Boxscore

Record: 17-2

Two of these guys pitched for the Tigers.

Highlights

  • Another complete game for Morris. This time a three-hitter.
  • The Tigers hung six runs on Indians starter Behenna in three-and-a-third innings. Fourth-inning homers by Chet Lemon and Lou Whitaker ultimately chased him.
  • Detroit had 10 hits, Lemon and Whitaker with two each.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Larry Barnett, 1B – Dale Ford, 2B – Ken Kaiser, 3B – Rocky Roe
  • Time of Game: 2:25
  • Attendance: 28,253

John Cerutti #55

The late John Cerutti would have turned 64 today. The long-time Blue Jays lefty pitched his final major-league season in Detroit.

  • After spending his first six seasons in Toronto, he signed with the Tigers as a free agent on Jan. 14, 1991.
  • Cerutti appeared in 38 games for the Tigers, including eight starts. His final line: 3-6, 4.57 ERA and two saves. As a Blue Jay from 1985-90, he appeared in 15 games against the Tigers: 2-1, 4.63 ERA
  • He passed away in 2004 at 44.

Birthdays

Sean Douglass, Jim Poole and the late John Cerutti, Tom Sturdivant and Charlie Metro 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 392 9/9 – Rarity: 35

Another Willie Horton appearance.

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo: April 27

April 27, 1984: Indians 8 – Tigers 4 (19)

W: Luis Aponte (1-0) – L: Glenn Abbott (1-1) | Boxscore

Record: 16-2

Highlights

  • Both teams scored in the 10th — which Sutcliffe started and quickly departed after allowing a leadoff double to Lou Whitaker, who went 3 for 7 on the night. (Poor Cleveland DH Andre Thornton went 0 for 9.)
  • After eight scoreless extra innings, the Indians broke through in the 19th, dropping four runs on Abbott — who was in his fifth inning of relief.
  • The Tigers made four errors in the game.
  • Had the game remained tied after the 19th, under American League rules, it would have been suspended.
  • This was also the night of the epic Pistons/Knicks Game 5 playoff game held at Joe Louis Arena due to the Silverdome’s collapsed roof. Isiah scored 16 points in 94 seconds in the fourth quarter to force OT … but the Pistons lost 127-123.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Rocky Roe, 1B – Larry Barnett, 2B – Dale Ford, 3B – Ken Kaiser
  • Time of Game: 5:44
  • Attendance: 34,112

Birthdays

Frank Catalanotto, Bob MacDonald and the late George Archie and George Winter 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 391 9/9 – Rarity: 4

My best Grid ever.

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.