Al Kaline

[dennyjones]

Al Kaline, Detroit Tigers legend, dies at age 85

 

I actually have a little league baseball with his name on it.   They were popular when I was playing little league way back in the day.

[commishbob]

Like me, a Baltimore native. I was lucky enough to have watched him play. RIP

 

[MNGopher]

My buddy's favorite team is the Detroit Tigers (even though he was born and raised in MN).  He said it's because the first set of baseball cards he got as a kid had Kaline's card in it.  From that day on, he loved the Tigers and Al Kaline.   He even wore #6 on his softball jerseys over the years!

[dennyjones]

I was fortunate enough to watch him play also.   One of my elementary teachers was such a baseball fan that we watched the entire 1968 world series on a small TV during school.   I did visit the old Tiger stadium a few times in my youth. 

[boogielicious]

I remember him playing when I was a kid. There were certain players that you just liked even if they weren’t on your home team. He was one of them. Frank and Brooks Robinson were two. Boog Powell. Johnny Bench. Sandy Koufax. Roberto Clemente. We would pick names when we played pick up baseball.

[Carl3]

9 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

I remember him playing when I was a kid. There were certain players that you just liked even if they weren’t on your home team. He was one of them. Frank and Brooks Robinson were two. Boog Powell. Johnny Bench. Sandy Koufax. Roberto Clemente. We would pick names when we played pick up baseball.

The name and mustache made Rollie Fingers memorable to me.

Edited April 9, 2020 by Carl3

[Papa Steve 55]

Detroit's Big Papi. 

[Piz]

He was my favorite player.  My first real bat was an Al Kaline 30.  I always thought it was a credit to him that he retired with 399 career home runs...rather than stick around another season.  

P.S.  I still use Al Kaline batteries in flashlights and video game controllers.  

[shanksalot]

When he retired he had 498 doubles and 399 homers. He said if he knew he needed one more homer to be in a special group he would have stayed a little longer. Saw him play a lot. He had the best right arm of any right fielder that I ever saw. RIP AL. There were certain players that just stuck out in those days and Al certainly was one of them.