The Failed Al Cowens Experience

On this date six years ago, former Tigers outfielder Al Cowens passed away after suffering a heart attack. What better time to look back on his unremarkable career in Detroit than today?

Cowens came to the Tigers on May 27, 1980, from the Angels for first baseman Jason Thompson. That also was the day my heart was broken for the first time by a baseball trade. Rooftop was my favorite player.

Though just 28, we’d soon find out that Cowens’ best days were behind him.

In his brief stay in Detroit, a mere 193 games over the 1980-81 seasons, Cowens is best remembered for charging the mound against White Sox pitcher (and current radio play-by-play voice) Ed Farmer and starting an ugly brawl.

The year before, Farmer, a one-time Tiger himself, broke then-Royals player Cowens’ jaw with a pitch. Apparently Cowens wanted retribution before the on-field statute of limitations expired. For his trouble, he was suspended for seven games and, of course, fined.

What’s more, according to Cowens’ Wikipedia entry:

[A] warrant was issued for his arrest in Illinois‚ forcing him to skip the remainder of the Tigers-White Sox series in Chicago. Farmer agreed to drop the charges in exchange for a handshake‚ and the 2 players brought out the lineup cards before the game on Sep 1, 1980.

Cowens played right field in 107 games for Detroit in 1980 and was the DH in one game. That year he batted .280 with five HR and 42 RBI. Here’s how Cowens, who wore #10, was described in the 1981 Tigers Yearbook:

Cowens’ coming stabilized an unsettled condition in right field and enabled Manager Sparky Anderson to move Richie Hebner to first base as Thompson’s replacement and install Tom Brookens at third base — all with good results.

Wow. As much as I loved Richie Hebner, he was no Jason Thompson — at least offensively. But back to Cowens…

In the strike-shortened ‘81 season, Cowens turned in a .261 average, one homer and 18 RBI. Defensively, he played 65 games in center and just 18 in right.

On March 28, 1982, Cowens, who finished second in the 1977 A.L. MVP voting, was finished in Detroit. His contract was purchased by the Seattle Mariners — which preceded the Tampa Bay Rays as the place where former Tigers faded away, see Wilcox, M. — where he played his final five seasons.

Cowens spot on the roster for all intents and purposes was taken by the newly acquired — and more productive — Larry Herndon.

While Cowens’ performance certainly hastened his departure from Detroit, one has to suspect that the melee at Comiskey did nothing to endure him to Sparky or Jim Campbell.