The Tigers honored the 40th anniversary of their 1968 team before their June 24th game against the Cardinals at Comerica Park with a 15-minute pregame ceremony. Eighteen formers members of the team (including Dick Tracewski, Dick McAuliffe, and Mickey Stanley, seen to the left) were in attendance.

The 1968 Tigers was truly an amazing ball club, winning a 103 regular season games and taking the World Series from the Cardinals in game seven thanks to a gutsy pitching performance by Mickey Lolich who was pitching on only two days rest. In addition to Series’ MVP Lolich, the ‘68 Tigers also included Denny McClain (winner of 31 games), leftfielder Willie Horton (who smashed 36 homers), and Hall of Famer Al Kaline in his only World Series appearance.

The stadium was packed for the tribute, and Tigers’ fans gave the eighteen surviving members a huge ovation, a sign that the 1968 club is still dear to their hearts.

Said Al Kaline at the event: “The reason why they like the ‘68 team is because many of us stayed here and lived here. Now, and in other years, guys go back to wherever they’re from. Or most of them now go to warm weather places because they make so much money. The ‘68 team, we had a lot of guys who lived in town, that were available, accessible, going to the market, going to outings. So they would see us around.”

The large ovation likely was not merely because of the accessibility of the ’68 team, but also because their winning ways played an important role in unifying Detroit following the city’s 12th Street Riot the previous year. Michigan’s then Governor, George Romney, credited the Tigers with helping calm the city. He wrote:

“The deepest meaning of this victory extends beyond the sports pages, radio broadcasts, and the telecasts that have consumed our attention for several months. This championship occurred when all of us in Detroit and Michigan needed a great lift. At a time of unusual tensions, when many good men lost their perspective toward others, the Tigers set an example of what human relations should really be.”

193 game winner Curt Simmons, 79, was on hand last Saturday for the grand opening of the “Play Ball” baseball exhibit at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum in Pennsylvania. The exhibit, which will run through December, aims to chronicle baseball history through the eyes of players with ties to Lehigh Valley. In addition to Curt, John ”Fat Jack” Fisher, who won 86 career games and posted a 2.99 ERA with the 1968 White Sox, and infielder Pat Kelly, who spent seven seasons with the Yankees, hail from Lehigh Valley.

Curt’s baseball career began in story book fashion when Phillies’ owner Bob Carpenter arranged for an exhibition match between the Phillies and a team of all-star high school players from the Lehigh Valley. Much to the surprise of the Phillies, Curt struck out eleven and the game ended in a 4-4 tie. The Phillies promptly signed Curt who made his Big League debut that September. Amazingly, the eighteen year old threw a complete game shut out.

Curt’s career may not have quite lived up to that auspicious start, but it was pretty splendid nonetheless. The three time All-Star was dubbed one of the “Whiz Kids” after winning seventeen games for the National League Champion Phillies in 1950, lead the league in shutouts in 1952, and won eighteen games for the 1964 World Champion Cardinals.

The exhibit includes some of Curt’s personal mementos, including this amazing photo of Curt with Babe Ruth, who managed Curt during a high school All-Star game.

If you live anywhere near Lehigh Valley be sure to check the exhibit out before it closes in December!

In celebration of the Dodgers’ fiftieth season in Los Angeles, the team was awarded their very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The event brought out a number of former Dodgers including the two flanking longtime Dodgers’ broadcaster Vin Scully….Ron Cey on the left and Tommy Lasorda on the right.

Ron, who turned sixty this year, currently works with the Dodgers in their Speakers’ Bureau, and makes public appearances and speeches on behalf of the team.

The eighty year old Tommy also works with the Dodgers as “Special Advisor to the Chairman.” His responsibilities include scouting, evaluating and teaching minor league players, acting as an advisor and ambassador for the Dodgers’ international affiliations, and representing the franchise at more than 100 speaking engagements and appearances to various charities, private groups and military personnel each year.

Congratulations on the star, guys!

San Francisco Giants rookie outfielder Brian Horwitz recently became the 159th Major Leaguer of Jewish descent. One of the first, of course, was the legendary Hank Greenberg whose greatness on the field and strength of character changed the perception of Jewish people around baseball, and paved the way for future Jewish players like Sandy Koufax, Shawn Green, and last year’s Rookie of the Year, Ryan Braun.

The acclaimed documentary, “The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg,” will also be screened throughout the day.

The program will begin shortly after the museum opens at 9 a.m. and will be free to those purchasing admission tickets to the museum. Information is available by calling (607) 547-0397.

1984 National League Cy Young winner Rick Sutcliffe has been pronounced “cancer free” after undergoing 6 1/2 hours of surgery last Monday to remove a cancerous tumor from his colon.

Rick was diagnosed with colon cancer on March 13th, and has since had chemotherapy and radiation treatments in his hometown of Kansas City. Doctors were fearful before the surgery that the cancer may have spread to his lymph nodes, but Rick was informed after the surgery this was not the case.

“I’ve been given the greatest gift of all – my life,” said Rick, who turned 52 on June 21st. “The past few months have been an amazing journey and it’s really just beginning. I can hardly wait to see what God has planned for me.”

Rick hopes to return to his current job as an ESPN broadcaster for next month’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Get well soon, Rick!