Tag: Milt Wilcox

The Saturday Fungo: June 29

June 29, 1984: Doubleheader in Detroit

Game 1: Twins 5 – Tigers 3

W: Albert Williams (3-3) – L: Jack Morris (12-4) – S: Ron Davis (15) | Boxscore

Record: 53-21

Highlights

  • Morris began — or maybe he was already mired in? — his mid-season slump. He allowed 10 hits, three walks and five earned runs over 52/3 innings.
  • Doug Bair pitched the final 31/3 giving up just two hits in a scoreless outing.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Nick Bremigan, 1B – Mark Johnson, 2B – Joe Brinkman, 3B – Larry McCoy
  • Time of Game: 2:50
  • Attendance: Not Given

Game 2: Tigers 7 – Twins 5

W: Willie Hernández (4-0) – L: Pete Filson (4-2) | Boxscore

Record: 54-21 — 10 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • The Tigers chased Twins starter Mike Smithson after 11/3 with five hits — three of them homers — and four earned runs.
  • That 4-0 Tigers lead turned into a 5-4 deficit thanks to the Twins’ tagging Milt Wilcox for five runs on five hits in five innings.
  • Detroit tied it in the seventh and the Gibby hit his second two-run homer of the game to walk it off.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Mark Johnson, 1B – Joe Brinkman, 2B – Larry McCoy, 3B – Nick Bremigan
  • Time of Game: 3:00
  • Attendance: 44,619

Birthdays

Eddie Miller, Bruce Kimm, the late Bob Shaw, Dizzy Trout and Bobby Veach

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 Tuesday Fungo: June 18

June 18, 1984: Yankees 2 – Tigers 1

W: Phil Niekro (10-3) – L: Milt Wilcox (7-5) – S: José Rijo (2) | Boxscore

Record: 47-17 — 51/2 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • A genuine pitchers’ duel in this one as the ageless Phil Niekro shut down the Tigers on three hits and six strikeouts in 82/3 innings.
  • Milt was almost as good; he went seven allowed seven hits and struck out seven.
  • Gibby had two of Detroit’s hits, including a solo homer in the first.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – John Hirschbeck, 1B – Steve Palermo, 2B – Dave Phillips, 3B – Jerry Neudecker
  • Time of Game: 2:54
  • Attendance: 40,315

Julio Gonzalez – IF #10

Shortstop Julio Gonzalez appeared in 12 games for the 1983 Tigers, who signed him as a free agent on March 15 that year.

After hitting .299 at Evansville, he debuted with the Tigers, at age 30, on May 13 against the Yankees. He came in as a defensive replacement at third. His first start came a week later against the Rangers. Gonzalez was hitless in three at bats with three strikeouts.

On June 19 the veteran played in his final major-league game. He started and batted ninth against the Indians. He went one for two.

All told, he had three hits in 21 at bats and two RBI, and finished with a .143 average.

Defensively, he played six games at short, five at second and one at third. He had 27 chances at short and made three errors, and made one in 13 chances at second.

Birthdays

Matt Moore

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo: June 8

June 8, 1984: Tigers 3 – Orioles 2

W: Milt Wilcox (7-3) – L: Storm Davis (6-2) – Save: Willie Hernández (8) | Boxscore

Record: 41-13; 51/2 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • A solid start for Milt: six-and-a-third innings, four hits and two runs.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Memorial Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Ted Hendry, 1B – Drew Coble, 2B – Jim Evans, 3B – Greg Kosc
  • Time of Game: 3:18
  • Attendance: 50,361

Birthdays

Matt Perisho, Dave Mlicki, Kevin Ritz and Joe Grzenda

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 433 9/9: Rarity: 35

See you tomorrow.

The Monday Fungo: June 3

June 3, 1984: Orioles 2 – Tigers 1

W: Mike Flanagan (4-4) – L: Milt Wilcox (6-3) | Boxscore

Record: 38-11

Highlights

  • Wilcox gave up just two runs (one earned) but did not have command: four hits and six walks in five and two-thirds.
  • Flanagan, on the other hand, was terrific, scattering seven hits in a complete-game win, striking out six and walking only one.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Rich Garcia, 1B – Mike Reilly, 2B – Al Clark, 3B – Don Denkinger
  • Time of Game: 2:42
  • Attendance: 34,228

Video Clips: Darrell Evans and Chet Lemon

Darrell and Chet talk about the Tigers’ torrid start to the 1984 season.

Birthdays

Ed Glynn and the late John Bassler and Bill McTigue

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 428 8/9: Rarity: 152

See you tomorrow.

The Wednesday Fungo: May 29

May 29, 1984: A’s 8 – Tigers 5

W: Bill Krueger (3-1) – L: Milt Wilcox (6-2) – Save: Bill Caudill (10) | Boxscore

Record: 36-9

Highlights

  • The A’s knocked Wilcox around early: seven runs on seven hits and three walks, in three-and-a-third innings.
  • Oakland built up an 8-1 lead in the fourth.
  • Chet Lemon‘s seventh-inning two-run homer, one of his two hits, was the Tigers highlight. All told, they had six hits.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
  • Umpires: HP – Steve Palermo, 1B – Rick Reed, 2B – Dave Phillips, 3B – Jerry Neudecker
  • Time of Game: 2:42
  • Attendance: 22,499

Duffy Dyer #15

The Tigers picked up Don Robert “Duffy” Dyer in a March 15, 1980 trade with the Expos for Jerry Manuel. The 34-year-old was, throughout his career a backup catcher and on some decent teams — including the 1969 Miracle Mets.

By the time Dyer came to Detroit, his career was drawing to a close. But before we get to that, let’s look at his brief time as a Tiger:

  • He made his Tigers debut on April 12, 1980 against the Royals. Dyer started at catcher, batting eighth, and went 0 for 4.
  • In all he appeared in 48 games in 1980, mostly as a catcher and a few games at DH.
  • In 1981, Dyer appeared in two games, but had no at bats. His last big league hit came on Oct. 4, 1980, a single off the Yankees’ Rudy May.
  • His final appearance came a year and three days after his debut — both against the Royals. On April 15, he was a defensive replacement for Lance Parrish in the bottom of the ninth. The Tigers won, 4-0. On May 18, 1981, he was released.

His final line: .185 average, four home runs and 11 RBI.

Check out this full bio on Dyer on the SABR Bio Project website.

Birthdays

Trevor Miller, Eric Davis, Billy Beane, Fred Holdsworth, John Baumgartner, Denny McLain and the late Ferris Fain and Jack Lively 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 423 8/9: Rarity: 167

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.