1969 Detroit Tigers Team Baseball Signed by Al Kaline and others. From the Al Kaline Collection.
Official American League (Joseph Cronin) baseball signed in ink by 22 members of the 1969 Detroit Tigers. Signatures include Hall of Famer Al Kaline and Denny McClain to sweet spot. Other signatures include: Mickey Lolich, Don Wert, Dick Tracewski, Mickey Stanley, Fred Lasher, Gates Brown, Joe Sparma, Grover Resinger (coach), Hal Naragon (coach), Earl Wilson, Jim Price, Ike Brown, Tommy Matchick, Norm Cash, Fred Scherman and Dave Campbell. This model of the Official Joseph Cronin American League baseball has been utilized by professional baseball from 1960-1969. Housed in an acrylic display cube.
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With the exception of starting shortstop Ray Oyler, the 1968 championship team returned for the 1969 season. The 1969 Tigers followed up their 1968 championship season with a second place American League finish in the newly formed American League East.
18-time All-Star, “Mr. Tiger, Al Kaline spent his entire 22 year career with the Detroit Tigers and is considered one of the greatest hitters in baseball history and outfielder, winning 10 Gold Glove Awards and his 9th Gold Glove in 1966. He won the AL batting title early in his career, batting .340 with 200 hits in 1955, finishing that season only second to Yogi Berra for the MVP. He batted over .300 9 times and retired shortly after reaching the 3,000 hit milestone at the end of his last season (1974) with 3,007 hits.
Kaline’s performance in game 5 of the 1968 World Series against the St Louis Cardinals helped lead the Tigers when Kaline hit a bases-loaded single when trailing 2-3 in 7th inning and down 3-1 in the series. The Tigers went on to win the 1968 World Series in seven games with Kaline batting .379 with two home runs and eight RBI’s in the series.
Kaline was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980.
