Comments on: Celebrating Al Kaline on His 75th Birthday http://blog.detroitathletic.com/2009/12/19/celebrating-al-kaline-on-his-75th-birthday/ All Tigers all the time. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:17:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dave http://blog.detroitathletic.com/2009/12/19/celebrating-al-kaline-on-his-75th-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-419 Dave Mon, 04 Jan 2010 06:03:16 +0000 http://blog.detroitathletic.com/?p=2342#comment-419 Here's a special treat: a video clip from home movies taken on Aug. 4, 1956, when a family of Yankee fans came to Briggs Stadium for a game pitting the upcoming Triple Crown winner (Mantle) versus the defending batting champ (Kaline). Both were magnificent. You simply won't believe it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wIyhY0u4kM Here’s a special treat: a video clip from home movies taken on Aug. 4, 1956, when a family of Yankee fans came to Briggs Stadium for a game pitting the upcoming Triple Crown winner (Mantle) versus the defending batting champ (Kaline). Both were magnificent. You simply won’t believe it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wIyhY0u4kM

]]> By: Ron http://blog.detroitathletic.com/2009/12/19/celebrating-al-kaline-on-his-75th-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-413 Ron Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:55:06 +0000 http://blog.detroitathletic.com/?p=2342#comment-413 Happy 75th Birthday to Al Kaline Forever a Tiger. I would take a team of Al Kalines’ over any player not named Aaron, Mantle or Mays from his era. No player had a stronger AND Accurate throwing arm than Kaline. Those lasers - frozen ropes to second, third, and home are forever etched in my minds eye. Al Kaline had no weakness at the plate or in the field. Kaline was the Ultimate team player, looking for a basehit, or to hit the ball to the right side to advance the runners, instead of swinging for a 450 foot homerun every atbat. Al knew what to do in Every game situation. Kaline was signed by Tigers’ scout Ed Katalinas the afternoon he graduated from high school in 1953, and turned his signing bonus of $35,000. over to his parents so his mother could have a much needed eye operation. Al played usually 2 and sometime 3 games most days while in high school at Baltimore Southern High and the sandlots-legion ball. He was schooled in his baseball acumen by his father and uncles all semi-pro players. The one and only weakness Al had was his inability to stay healthy through out his career. He missed about 400 games from a variety of injuries from his all out play. Those years of injuries, (’59 fractured cheekbone, ‘62 broken collarbone, ‘63 sore leg and knee, ‘67 broken hand, ‘68 broken arm), and missing 15-20 up to 60 games in 1962, many of those years, cost Al many homeruns, hits, and several years that he could have had 30 homeruns and a few more 100 plus runs and rbi seasons. Many people don’t know that Al had the same debilitating osteomyelits (a bone disease),that Mantle also had for much of his playing career. Kaline was so consistent at such a high level for so many years, and played with such a smooth and elegant style he was really taken for granted by many of the fans, but not the players. Kaline did play in an era that was geared more towards pitchers having the advantage, but his .296 batting average during the 1960’s was the highest of any American League player. Kaline led the league as mentioned in B.A. and hits in ‘55, and also led the league in total bases as well. In 1959 Kaline led the league in slugging and ops. In 1961 he led the league in doubles. Every other year ‘55-’67,Kaline consistently ranked in top 3, 5, or ten in nearly every offensive category. Those two years Al finished second in the MVP Award, ‘55 and ‘63, he was voted the Sporting News American League Player of the Year. Al played in 15 All Star games, voted to 18 all together, and hit .324 12 for 37. Al played at the highest level in that ‘68 World Series and I was so Proud of my “Hero” coming through in game 5 with the clutch hit to win that game while the Tigers were down 3 games to 1. I still get chills and a few tears in my 62 year old eyes every time I see old film of Al or when he is interviewed in recent years. The Greatest Tiger I have ever seen, a Class act and All Time Great player. God Bless and Thankyou for all the thrills Al Kaline - Mr. Tiger. Happy 75th Birthday to Al Kaline Forever a Tiger.
I would take a team of Al Kalines’ over any player not named Aaron, Mantle or Mays from his era. No player had a stronger AND Accurate throwing arm than Kaline. Those lasers – frozen ropes to second, third, and home are forever etched in my minds eye. Al Kaline had no weakness at the plate or in the field. Kaline was the Ultimate team player, looking for a basehit, or to hit the ball to the right side to advance the runners, instead of swinging for a 450 foot homerun every atbat. Al knew what to do in Every game situation.
Kaline was signed by Tigers’ scout Ed Katalinas the afternoon he graduated from high school in 1953, and turned his signing bonus of $35,000. over to his parents so his mother could have a much needed eye operation. Al played usually 2 and sometime 3 games most days while in high school at Baltimore Southern High and the sandlots-legion ball. He was schooled in his baseball acumen by his father and uncles all semi-pro players.
The one and only weakness Al had was his inability to stay healthy through out his career. He missed about 400 games from a variety of injuries from his all out play. Those years of injuries, (’59 fractured cheekbone, ‘62 broken collarbone, ‘63 sore leg and knee, ‘67 broken hand, ‘68 broken arm), and missing 15-20 up to 60 games in 1962, many of those years, cost Al many homeruns, hits, and several years that he could have had 30 homeruns and a few more 100 plus runs and rbi seasons. Many people don’t know that Al had the same debilitating osteomyelits (a bone disease),that Mantle also had for much of his playing career.
Kaline was so consistent at such a high level for so many years, and played with such a smooth and elegant style he was really taken for granted by many of the fans, but not the players. Kaline did play in an era that was geared more towards pitchers having the advantage, but his .296 batting average during the 1960’s was the highest of any American League player. Kaline led the league as mentioned in B.A. and hits in ‘55, and also led the league in total bases as well. In 1959 Kaline led the league in slugging and ops. In 1961 he led the league in doubles. Every other year ‘55-’67,Kaline consistently ranked in top 3, 5, or ten in nearly every offensive category. Those two years Al finished second in the MVP Award, ‘55 and ‘63, he was voted the Sporting News American League Player of the Year.
Al played in 15 All Star games, voted to 18 all together, and hit .324 12 for 37. Al played at the highest level in that ‘68 World Series and I was so Proud of my “Hero” coming through in game 5 with the clutch hit to win that game while the Tigers were down 3 games to 1.
I still get chills and a few tears in my 62 year old eyes every time I see old film of Al or when he is interviewed in recent years. The Greatest Tiger I have ever seen, a Class act and All Time Great player. God Bless and Thankyou for all the thrills Al Kaline – Mr. Tiger.

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