The Tuesday Fungo: May 14

May 14, 1984: Tigers 7 – Mariners 5

W: Aurelio López (4-0) – L: Ed Vande Berg (2-2) | Boxscore

Record: 27-5

Highlights

  • Homers for Tram, his fourth, off Ed Vande Berg, in the first inning; and Rusty, his first, also off Vande Berg, in the fourth.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Bill Kunkel, 1B – Terry Cooney, 2B – Richard Shulock, 3B – Derryl Cousins
  • Time of Game: 3:05
  • Attendance: 18,830

Les Moss #28

In 1979, John Lester Moss took over for the retired Ralph Houk as Tigers manager. The Tigers finished Houk’s final season at 86-76, and the club seemed ready to make a move in an albeit stacked* American League East.

*Six of the seven teams finished over .500, and three had 90+ wins.

Moss had been in the Tigers farm system managing the Triple-A Evansville Triplets in the American Association and presumably his familiarity with the Tigers’ young core made him a logical choice.

Moss managed the Tigers for just 53 games in ’79. Detroit sat at a 27-26, on the morning of June 14 and before the day over, he was out of a job and Sparky Anderson was the Tigers’ new manager.

As a player, Moss had a 13-year career as a catcher, making his debut in 1946 as a 21-year-old with the St. Louis Browns. He played in just a dozen games that year but finished a .371 average.

Though he didn’t hang around Detroit for very long, Les Moss is another player in the Tigers’ rich history.

Birthdays

Efren Navarro and the late Les Moss

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 408 8/9: Rarity: 124

See you tomorrow.

The Monday Fungo: May 13

May 13, 1984: Rained Out in Detroit

The Tigers are rained out yet again in the first six weeks. Seattle comes to town for three starting tomorrow.

Record: 26-5, 7.5 games up

Glenn Wilson #12

A torrid start in Evansville led to Glenn Wilson‘s promotion to the Tigers in time for the Tigers on Opening Day in Detroit, April 15, 1982, against the Blue Jays.

Just two years earlier Wilson was a Tigers first-round pick, 18th overall, out of Sam Houston State University in Texas.

Wilson entered the ’82 home opener in the bottom of the eighth pinch-hitting for DH Jerry Turner. Facing Jays’ reliever Jerry Garvin, he stuck out looking.

The next day, Wilson collected his first major-league hit the next day against Ron Guidry, leading off the ninth with a double to left center.

Wilson made the most of his opportunity, hitting .467 in his first six games, and playing excellent defense in the outfield. Thanks to his hot start, he stuck with the Tigers until early May when he was sent back to Evansville only to return in July.

Wilson ended up playing in 84 big-league games that season, 80 of them in centerfield, and finished at .292 with 12 home runs.

In 1983 the Tigers were depending on Wilson to maintain the pace he began in his rookie season. He shifted from centerfield to right, allowing Chet Lemon to take over his natural position. Wilson appeared in 144 games that year and hit .268 with 11 HR and 64 RBI.

The Tigers saw him as a key piece of the puzzle heading into 1984. But the Tigers were determined to make Kirk Gibson their regular right fielder in ’84 which complicated the outfield picture and likely meant Wilson was a man without a position.

On March 24, the Tigers sent Wilson and John Wockenfuss to the Phillies for Willie Hernandez and Dave Bergman. Wilson spent four seasons with the Phillies and was named to the National League All-Star team in 1985. He finished the season with a .275 average, 14 home runs and 102 RBI.

With stops in Seattle, Pittsburgh and his hometown Astros, Wilson had a solid 10-year major-league career. His place in Tigers lore is set, if only as a player traded away on the eve of a magical season.

I for one enjoyed watching him play in Detroit — he was one of my favorite players — and wish he’d hung around a bit longer.

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to the late, old-time Tigers: Alex Main (1914 Tigers), Jimmy Archer (1907 Tigers) and Jack Burns (1903-04 Tigers)

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 407 9/9 – Rarity: 33

See you tomorrow.

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 Friday Fungo: May 10

May 10, 1984: Off Day

After sweeping the Royals, the Tigers enjoy an off day before a weekend series at home against the Angels.

So, here’s a game from May 10, 1987.

On TV: May 10, 1987: Tigers vs. A’s

Jack Morris vs. Moose Haas

Birthdays

JaCoby Jones, Brayan Villarreal, Matt Tuiasosopo, Luke Putkonen, Marino Santana, John Cummings and the late Tim Hosley

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 404 7/9 — Rarity: 254

A couple of half-baked guesses doomed me today …

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 Wednesday Fungo: May 8

May 8, 1984: Tigers 5 – Royals 2

W: Jack Morris (6-1) – L: Bud Black (3-2) | Boxscore

Record: 24-4

Highlights

  • After seemingly years of being stymied by Dan Quisenberry, the Tigers got to him in the seventh inning — with an exclamation mark.
  • The Tigers trailed 2-0 and, with Quisenberry on the mound, the road winning streak again looked in peril … until a two-out grand slam by Alan Trammell as part of a five-run rally.
  • Morris turned in a seven-hit, five-strikeout complete game.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Royals Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Joe Brinkman, 1B – Larry McCoy, 2B – Nick Bremigan, 3B – Vic Voltaggio
  • Time of Game: 2:35
  • Attendance: 14,304

Birthdays

Wily Peralta, Alfredo Simón and the late Norman “Turkey” Stearnes and John Skopec

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 402 9/9: Rarity: 39

See you tomorrow.