Tigers were great in '68 -- when the city needed them most

Sunday, August 24, 2008
Jerry Green
Tigers were great in '68 -- when the city needed them most

They were baseball fans, people, from the neighborhoods and the towns outstate. They had come alone or in pairs and now they hurdled the fences. They scampered around the infield toward the outfield, pursued by flabby, ill-conditioned ushers in Kelly green uniforms.

Moments before, Dick McAuliffe had grounded into a double play.

And it was over -- the four-team pennant race, finished for the Tigers on the final day of the season. They lost the pennant again. For the 22nd consecutive season since Captain Hank Greenberg had come back from World War II in 1945. But this year had been closer than the others.

The multitudes now turned into an uncontrolled mob in a city already violated by rioting that same summer. This was different. There were blacks and whites in this throng, united by something common -- failure of a baseball season. It was frustration, the human response to being tantalized by victory, and then again, defeat.

This mob attacked the cement dugouts and tore the leather mats from the wooden benches. They smashed the water coolers. They picked up the rusting metal box seats and hurled them over the fences onto the ballfield. An usher was dropped to the seat of his green trousers right on the pitcher's mound.

The police came. The season was over -- and it would be six months until another season started. A season of new hopes for a pennant.

These words have been written before, 40 years ago -- taken from a prologue to my diary that embraced the 1968 season. It was the climactic season of Detroit's most exciting baseball era since Ty Cobb's three pennants now a century ago. As exciting for sure as the two pennants and first World Series championship of Mickey Cochrane's Tigers of the mid-1930s.

The pennant run of 1968 -- a season now relived by those of us with sufficient memory -- started in the despair of defeat in October the previous year.

And in Detroit it was baseball minimized by American tragedy and riot and magnified by an upstart pitcher delivering a pitching achievement that had not occurred for 34 years and never has since been repeated.

It was a year that the Tigers won the pennant and captivated the restless nation by rallying to victory in the World Series. A year of two assassinations and a season in which a ball team, perhaps, rescued a city from turmoil.

Baseball as therapy!

* * * * *

The Opening Day ritual, always played in a festive atmosphere, was delayed.

The printed schedules of 1968 called of April 9 to be Opening Day. But Dr. Martin Luther King was dead, assassinated, a martyr -- and baseball could wait.

America was changing -- forever.

The season opened April 10 with a blast of boos from the 41,000 shivering at Tiger Stadium -- boos for Mayo Smith, the manager. The Tigers lost to the Red Sox -- largely because a rally was destroyed in the eighth when they had two runners at third base. At the same time. Al Kaline and Willie Horton behind him, emerging from a pickle.

Boooo!

The next day, Smith anointed Dennis Dale McLain as his starting pitcher. McLain, the prodigal right-hander.

"I'd like another right-handed pinch-hitter," said Mayo, hawk-faced, a baseball vagabond, who kept few secrets. "We have plenty of left-handers."

He did not deny that one of those left-handed hitters, Gates Brown, was available via trade. Brown was No. 3 among Smith's left-handed pinch-hitters.

McLain pitched well, but finished with a no-decision.

Smith had used his top two left-handed pinch-hitters -- Eddie Mathews and Tommy Matchick -- without success as the Tigers entered the bottom of the ninth in a 3-3 ballgame. Time for another pinch-hitter and Mayo sent the unwanted Gates Brown up to bat for Jon Warden, the relief pitcher.

Brown cracked a pitch by John Wyatt deep into the upper right-field seats. The Tigers were winners, 4-3, over the Red Sox. It was a last-licks victory.

And the pattern was established for the 1968 season.

* * * * *

The Tigers started the season 6-1. Three of the first five victories came in their final at-bats.

And Mayo was managing by his wits. Somehow he managed to fit his four outfielders -- Kaline, Horton, Jim Northrup and Mickey Stanley -- into the ballgames.

McLain, with a glorious month of May, had become a dominant pitcher and a self-styled team spokesman.

"Detroit has the biggest front-running fans in the world," he said, a quote that drew an immediate morsel for the wire services. "If they think we're stupid for playing this game, how stupid are they for watching us."

But Detroit had a ballclub involved in a pennant race -- and fans hummed and ignored McLain's condemnation. "When I said that, I meant only one percent of the fans."

Then Kaline suffered a fractured forearm. The Tigers would play on without their best all-around ballplayer in the four-team pennant race.

By June, the Tigers had a 3 1/2 -game lead over the pack, the Twins, Indians and Orioles knotted behind them. McLain was 8-1.

Then, early in June, America suffered its second national tragedy.

Senator Bobby Kennedy, favored to win the presidency the upcoming November, was assassinated in Los Angeles. The nation mourned again. Baseball was overshadowed again.

Still, the Tigers rolled onward. Before June ended, they had a 5 1/2 -game lead. They dominated in July. One day McLain won the first game of a doubleheader against Oakland, on Horton's homer in the bottom of the ninth. It was Denny's 16th victory, and the Tigers' 16th last-licks victory.

During the second game, McLain appeared in the pressbox in the third deck of Tiger Stadium. He entered he organ loft and sat down.

A snappy rendition of "Satin Doll" burst out over the amplifiers between innings. The 36,000 fans never realized they were being entertained by the pitcher with the most victories in baseball.

It was like that in 1968 -- McLain rollicking, a recovered Kaline on the bench too often, Northrup hitting grand slams when they mattered most, beanball incidents and fights with other clubs. And Gates Brown, once unwanted and now beloved, delivering pinch hits in the clutch.

* * * * *

On July 27, McLain started against the Orioles, the Tigers' closest pursuer. The Tigers were in a mini-slump. It was noted that only once over the previous 48 seasons had a pitcher earned his 20th victory before the end of July. Lefty Grove had done it for the Athletics in 1931, the season he was a 31-game winner.

McLain defeated the Orioles, 9-0, and became a 20-game winner in July.

His picture appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, which characterized him as Mighty Mouth.

"They made me look flamboyant," McLain groused. "Mr. Party Boy of 1968.

"They hurt my image."

But across America -- except in Detroit, stuck with a newspaper strike -- there was speculation about the possibility of McLain becoming the first 30-game winner since Dizzy Dean in 1934.

Early in August, Mayo Smith banished slumping Mickey Lolich to the bullpen.

"He's not been good in his last three outings," Smith explained.

The Tigers were leading the Orioles by seven games as they moved through August.

On Aug. 11, they played a Sunday doubleheader against the Red Sox, the team that had beat them the previous October for the pennant.

The first game went into the 14th inning. Lolich, in relief, had escaped from two jams. Smith sent Brown to bat for Lolich in the bottom of the 14th.

Gates swatted the ball into the right-field seats -- his fourth winner of 1968. Lolich was the winner in relief for the third time in five days.

In the second game, Kaline's single tied the score at 5 in the bottom of the ninth. Brown batted next. He dribbled a single through the infield and into right and Stanley scored from third for a 6-5 victory. Brown had accounted for last-licks victories Nos. 21 and 22 on the game day.

"If this sounds boastful, I don't mean it to," Brown told the Detroit writers, back at work after the lengthy newspaper strike. "I just think I hit better when we need it."

* * * * *

The Tigers' cavalcade continued into September.

On Sept. 14, McLain went out seeking his 30th victory. The News hired Dizzy Dean as a special columnist. The paper appointed one of its sports journalists to serve as Dizzy's ghostwriter.

"I'm getting more publicity now with Denny winning 30 than I did when I won 30," Dean told me, the ghost.

"See how you'll look in 34 years," said Johnny Sain, the pitching coach and McLain's tutor.

"I won't be alive in 34 years because of this man," McLain said, as the ghost eavesdropped, "because of this man."

McLain tapped his fingers on Mayo Smith.

Denny won No. 30 -- on national TV. Of course, they won it with a rally in the bottom of the ninth.

With the Tigers down, 4-3, Mayo used Kaline to pinch-hit for McLain. Kaline walked. Stanley singled Al to third. Northrup hit a grounder to first and Danny Cater threw home as Kaline tried to score. But the throw was off target and sailed away as Kaline barged into catcher Dave Duncan. Kaline crawled on his hands and knees to touch home plate. The score was 4-4.

Stanley now was on third.

Dizzy Dean crouched by the Tigers' dugout and whispered to his ghost.

"Ain't this thrillin'?"

Horton was the batter. The A's geared for a play at the plate on Stanley. Instead, Horton drilled the ball over a drawn-in Jim Gosger in left field. Stanley romped home with the winning run.

And Dennis Dale McLain had become a 30-game winner -- the only 30-game winner in Major League Baseball in the past 74 years.

"Sure, I'm excited, but I'm going to be more excited in a few days," McLain said.

On Sept. 17, the Tigers played the Yankees, winners of 10 straight, at Tiger Stadium.

At home, Kaline, the benchwarmer, never in a World Series in 16 Hall of Fame seasons in the big leagues, spoke to his wife, Louise.

"I feel I'm going to do something to win the pennant tonight," Kaline said, as he told me somewhat later than night. "I don't know what, but I have that feeling."

* * * * *

Earl Wilson was Smith's choice to start against the Yankees. In the clubhouse, Joe Sparma started a card game with McLain. Mayo had not used his bullpen in 10 games. Sparma had not pitched in 15 games. He had not won a game in nearly two months.

But that night, Wilson's shoulder bothered him. Mayo sought out Pat Dobson.

"As long as you want me in the bullpen, I'd just as soon stay there and be ready if you need me in relief," Dobson told his manager.

Smith, never a disciplinarian, backed away and selected Sparma.

"Just go in and throw as hard as you can as long as you can," Smith told Sparma.

In the eighth inning, Sparma led the Yankees 1-0 and had allowed just one hit since the first. The scoreboard showed that the Red Sox were ahead of the second-place Orioles 2-0 in the eighth inning. That game, it seemed, according to the scoreboard, was in the eighth inning forever.

Jim Campbell, the club president, had ordered that the 46,512 fans not be informed about Baltimore's game any more. At 9:58, Pete Sark, a Flint radio man, yelled into the pressbox that Baltimore had lost.

The Tigers had won the pennant as they were playing the Yankees.

But that was not the way Campbell wanted the Tigers to win the pennant. No backing in. He asked Ernie Harwell not to mention Baltimore's defeat on the radio.

The Yankees touched Sparma for a run in the ninth. It was 1-1.

Mayo batted for Norm Cash. He sent Kaline, the noted benchwarmer, to bat as a pinch-hitter. Kaline enticed a walk off Steve Hamilton. Bill Freehan singled to left. Jim Price batted for Ray Oyler. Ralph Houk, the Yankees manager, countered by bringing in Lindy McDaniel. Mayo sent Gates Brown up to bat in place of Price. Gates walked.

The bases were filled.

The next batter was Don Wert.

Wert sliced a line drive to right.

Kaline danced home from third. Certainly, he should be the man to score the winning run in the Tigers' first pennant victory in 23 years. And he was

The Tigers clinched their pennant in typical fashion, with a last-licks victory, No. 27 of the season..

Detroit erupted. The Tigers, actually champions for 20 minutes, erupted.

That night the Tigers partied long and hard at the Lindell AC, closed to the public, but not to selected journalists. Sparma stood beaming behind the bar.

Forty years later, the beatific look on his face remains etched in my memory.

Baseball as therapy!

* * * * *

Denny McLain would win No. 31. Mayo Smith would squeeze Kaline into his World Series outfield by boldly moving Mickey Stanley from center field to shortstop.

Bob Gibson would strike out 17 Tigers as the Cardinals won the first game of the World Series. The Tigers would seem doomed, down 3 victories to 1, entering the fifth game of the Series as the Cardinals dominated with Gibson and Lou Brock and Curt Flood. Gibson twice had outdueled McLain.

And then, in Game 5, Horton would throw out Brock with the Cardinals ahead at Tiger Stadium, a perfect throw and a perfect block by Freehan at home plate. Smith would upset strategy by allowing Lolich to bat with the Tigers behind in the fifth. Lolich singled to right. McAuliffe singled. Stanley walked, the bases loaded.

And Kaline put the Tigers ahead with a single to right. The Tigers had escaped from the brink.

McLain won Game 6 in St. Louis with Northrup banging another grand slam.

And unexpectedly the Tigers had extended the World Series to the seventh game. Gibson faced McLain.

The story is familiar. A 0-0 ballgame into the seventh. With two outs, Norm Cash singled for the Tigers' second hit. Then Horton singled. And then Northrup lined a pitch by the seemingly invincible Gibson to center field. Flood took a step in and retreated. Too late. The ball streaked over Flood's head. Northrup had tripled in two runs. He scored the third.

And soon, Lolich induced Tim McCarver to pop a foul off of home plate. Freehan flipped off his catcher's mask and the ball descended and plopped into his mitt. Next, he caught Lolich leaping into his arms.

The Tigers had won the World Series, 4-1 in Game 7, unlikely champions.

"It was worth waiting 16 years," Kaline said, gently sipping champagne in the champions' clubhouse.

The Tigers flew home to Detroit for a champion's welcome in the city that one year earlier had been devastated by a riot. And by the hometown team losing the pennant on the final day.

These all are precious memories among my souvenirs over the past 40 years, half my life.

But what I remember most vividly was the night the Tigers won the pennant -- in the joyous clubhouse, owner John Fetzer hugging Mayo Smith.

"Mayo, it was great," said Fetzer, many of us eavesdropping again.

"It was more than winning the pennant. It was for Detroit. This may save Detroit."

Baseball as therapy!

Jerry Green is a retired Detroit News sportswriter. Read his Web-exclusive column every Sunday at detnews.com.

WOW


Fans really tore things up! I would love to see today's fans throw an usher or a crowd manager on their ass; Some of them that work at Comerica are such pricks; they deserve it

When Maggs hit the HR in the ALCS in 2006; One Fan ran on the field [ he was quickly caught in CF by security]

I am not saying fans should destroy the stadium; but I would love to see fans run on the field[ like they did in 68 when the Tigers won the pennant] or people dancing in the streets and throwing papers out of office windows in Detroit right after the Tigers won the 68 WS in St Louis.


Say to say those days are gone


Baseball was better back then


I wish I was around in them days

I was in 4th grade then and they allowed us to watch the day games in school, in the afternoon. It was a great year even in the suburbs! We had a party in my class, at Garden City Henry Ruff Elementary, after they won!

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

I was in 4th grade then and they allowed us to watch the day games in school, in the afternoon. It was a great year even in the suburbs! We had a party in my class, at Garden City Henry Ruff Elementary, after they won!

I envy you so much!


for your personal story, too

I wish I could go back in Time and see it; 1968!


Maybe 2009 will be the Tigers year?

gs78 wrote:

WOW


Fans really tore things up! I would love to see today's fans throw an usher or a crowd manager on their ass; Some of them that work at Comerica are such pricks; they deserve it

When Maggs hit the HR in the ALCS in 2006; One Fan ran on the field [ he was quickly caught in CF by security]

I am not saying fans should destroy the stadium; but I would love to see fans run on the field[ like they did in 68 when the Tigers won the pennant] or people dancing in the streets and throwing papers out of office windows in Detroit right after the Tigers won the 68 WS in St Louis.


Say to say those days are gone


Baseball was better back then


I wish I was around in them days

.....Everything was better back then. The world is quickly cascading into Hell.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

I was in 4th grade then and they allowed us to watch the day games in school, in the afternoon. It was a great year even in the suburbs! We had a party in my class, at Garden City Henry Ruff Elementary, after they won!

I was in 2nd grade that year in Clarkston. It was great watching those games on TV. My teacher "wore out" that record with the Go get 'em, Tigers song on it!!

tigersaint wrote:

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

I was in 4th grade then and they allowed us to watch the day games in school, in the afternoon. It was a great year even in the suburbs! We had a party in my class, at Garden City Henry Ruff Elementary, after they won!

I was in 2nd grade that year in Clarkston. It was great watching those games on TV. My teacher "wore out" that record with the Go get 'em, Tigers song on it!!

Lots of people wore out that record!

Glad to see you on the board again Saint!

tigersaint wrote:

gs78 wrote:

WOW


Fans really tore things up! I would love to see today's fans throw an usher or a crowd manager on their ass; Some of them that work at Comerica are such pricks; they deserve it

When Maggs hit the HR in the ALCS in 2006; One Fan ran on the field [ he was quickly caught in CF by security]

I am not saying fans should destroy the stadium; but I would love to see fans run on the field[ like they did in 68 when the Tigers won the pennant] or people dancing in the streets and throwing papers out of office windows in Detroit right after the Tigers won the 68 WS in St Louis.


Say to say those days are gone


Baseball was better back then


I wish I was around in them days

.....Everything was better back then. The world is quickly cascading into Hell.

tigersaint wrote:

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

I was in 4th grade then and they allowed us to watch the day games in school, in the afternoon. It was a great year even in the suburbs! We had a party in my class, at Garden City Henry Ruff Elementary, after they won!

I was in 2nd grade that year in Clarkston. It was great watching those games on TV. My teacher "wore out" that record with the Go get 'em, Tigers song on it!!

They need to start playing that song at Comerica Park

They used to sometimes


Not anymore