1968 Detroit Tigers: McLain’s Historic Feat

1968 Detroit Tigers: McLain’s Historic Feat

1968 Detroit Tigers: McLain’s Historic Feat

The Detroit Tigers had the right mix of talented players that could carry the load on offense, defense and on the pitcher’s mound, but none proved to be more valuable to his team in 1968 than starting pitcher Denny McLain as he became the only pitcher to win at least 30 games in a single season since 1934. McLain went 31-6 with 280 strikeouts and posted a 1.96 ERA, an astonishing 28 complete games and 6 shutouts. With this historic season, McLain would make the All-Star Game, win the Cy Young award and be named the American League Most Valuable Player.

However, McLain wasn’t alone in securing big wins for Detroit. Mickey Lolich went 17-9 with 197 strikeouts and posted a 3.19 ERA, 8 complete games and 4 shutouts. Earl Wilson went 13-12 with 168 strikeouts and posted a 2.85 ERA, 10 complete games and 3 shutouts. Joe Sparma went 10-10 with 110 strikeouts and posted a 3.70 ERA, 7 complete games and 1 shutout.

Closer Pat Dobson had 7 saves with 93 strikeouts and posted a 2.66 ERA. Relief pitcher John Hiller posted a 2.39 ERA and had 78 strikeouts. Daryl Patterson had 7 saves and posted a 2.12 ERA. Fred Lasher had 5 saves and posted a 3.33 ERA.

While they didn’t have the best team statistics, the Tigers had an effective situational offense. Left fielder Willie Horton bated .285 and slammed 36 home runs and recorded 85 RBI’s off 146 hits and 20 doubles. Playing in 102 games, right fielder and first baseman Al Kaline batted .287 with 10 home runs, 94 hits, 14 doubles and 6 stolen bases. Catcher Bill Freehan belted 25 home runs and recorded 84 RBI’s off 142 hits and 24 doubles. First baseman Norm Cash crushed 25 home runs and had 108 hits and 15 doubles.

Right fielder Jim Northrup smacked 21 home runs and recorded 90 RBI’s off 153 hits, 29 doubles and 7 triples. Second baseman Dick McAuliffe had 16 home runs along with 142 hits, 24 doubles, 10 triples and 8 stolen bases. Third baseman Don Wert had 12 home runs, 107 hits and 15 doubles. Center fielder Mickey Stanley had 11 home runs, 151 hits, 16 doubles and 6 triples.

The Detroit Tigers went 103-59 in the 1968 regular season, finishing 12 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles to win the American League pennant. They would play against the National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals in the 1968 World Series, and it would turn out to be a classic 7-game series. However, the Cardinals struck first with a 4-0 shutout win in Game 1 on October 2 at Busch Stadium II. The ace of the St. Louis’ starting rotation, Bob Gibson, pitched a complete game, giving up 5 hits and 1 walk, but he would strike out 17 batters.

In the bottom of the 4th inning, Cardinals third baseman Mike Shannon had an RBI single, and second baseman Julian Javier followed with a 2-run single. Left fielder Lou Brock provided the exclamation point with a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 7th inning.

In Game 2 on October 3 the Tigers came back to win 8-1. Mickey Lolich pitched a complete game and gave up 6 hits, 2 walks and 1 walk, but recorded 9 strikeouts. In the top of the 2nd inning Willie Horton hit a solo home run, and Mickey Lolich helped himself out at the plate in the bottom of the 3rd by hitting his own solo home run. Norm Cash then hit a solo home run in the top of the 6th, and Dick McAuliffe followed with a 2-run single. While Cardinals first baseman Orlando Cepeda had an RBI single in the bottom of the 6th, the Tigers never gave up the lead. Jim Northrup grounded into a double play in the top of the 7th to score Al Kaline, and a pair of bases loaded walks drawn by Don Wert and Lolich secured the victory.

Going to Tiger Stadium for Game 3 on October 5, the Cardinals responded with a 7-3 win. Al Kaline smacked a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 3rd inning, but the offense for St. Louis would soon come alive. Center fielder Kurt Flood had an RBI double in the top of the 5th inning, followed by a 3-run home run crushed by catcher Tim McCarver. Dick McAuliffe hit a solo home run for Detroit in the bottom of the 5th, but Orlando Cepeda would hit his own 3-run home run in the top of the 7th to pull St. Louis away.

The Cardinals would put the Tigers in a 3 games to 1 hole by winning Game 4 on October 6 by the score of 10-1. Bob Gibson pitched another complete game, giving up 5 hits, 2 walks and 1 run while striking out 10 batters. Brock led things off with a solo home run in the top of the 1st, and Shannon followed with an RBI single. McCarver had an RBI triple in the top of the 3rd, and Shannon again followed with an RBI double. Gibson helped his own cause by hitting a solo home run in the top of the 4th, and right fielder Roger Maris followed with an RBI ground-out. After Jim Northrup hit a solo home run for Detroit in the bottom of the 4th, Gibson drew a bases loaded walk in the top of the 8th to score Shannon, and then Brock cleared the bases with a 3-run double.

The Tigers then won Game 5 on October 7 by the score of 5-3. Flood had an RBI single and Cepeda smacked a 2-run home run in the top of the 1st, but Detroit came back with a sacrifice fly hit by Norm Cash and an RBI single by Northrup in the bottom of the 4th. In the bottom of the 7th, Kaline had a 2-run single and Cash would have an RBI single.

Returning to Busch Stadium II for Game 6 on October 9, The Tigers crushed the Cardinals 13-1 to even the series. Denny McLain was a huge reason for Detroit’s victory as he pitched a complete game, giving up 9 hits and 1 run, and recording 7 strikeouts. Willie Horton had an RBI double in the top of the 2nd, which would be followed by an RBI single by Bill Freehan. Kaline and Cash then had a pair of RBI singles in the top of the 3rd, and Northrup followed by belting a grand slam home run. Kaline and Cash would return to get another pair of RBI singles, and Horton would get an RBI single soon after. A solo home run by Kaline in the top of the 5th ended Detroit’s offensive pounding.

Having a great opportunity, Mickey Lolich pitched a complete game in Game 7 on October 10, giving up 5 hits, 3 walks and 1 run, and recorded 4 strikeouts. Taking on Bob Gibson, who himself pitched a complete game, the Tigers rose to the occasion. Jim Northrup had a 2-run triple in the top of the 7th inning, and Bill Freehan followed with an RBI double. Don Wert tacked on an insurance run in the top of the 9th with an RBI single, and Mike Shannon’s solo home run in the bottom of the 9th would not be enough for St. Louis Cardinals as the Detroit Tigers won 4-1, winning the World Series. Mickey Lolich would be named World Series Most Valuable Player.