1946 Team Wins the World Series!

Manager/Owner Mike Walter is ecstatic with his 1946 ballclub, clearly the class of the league all season and now All-Time Detroit Tigers World Series Champions!!!  They defeated a stubborn and scrappy 1993 team in 5 games.  They went 102-60 in the regular season and 8-1 in the playoffs!

Congrats Mike, and thanks to all who participated in the league!!!! It's been great fun, look forward to another Retro Season next year!   

Newhouser, Trout, Greenberg,,Cullenbine, Hutchinson, Trucks, Kell, Lake, Wakefield, Evers, Benton, Kretlow

Game 1 was a pitcher's duel between 1946 Hal Newhouser and 1993 David Wells.  Prince Hal was just a little better though, holding the 1993 team to just 1 run and 8 hits while striking out his customary 11 batters!  1946 scraped together 2 runs with Jimmy Bloodworth driving them both in.  2-1 in favor of 1946 in the series opener.

1946 Fred Hutchinson continued that squad's great pitching and held 1993 to just 1 run and 4 hits in Game 2.  The 1946 team got 5 runs off of Mark Leiter.  Roy Cullenbine, Eddie Lake, and Birdie Tebbetts each got 2 hits for 1946.   They win 5-1 to take a 2-0 lead of the Series. 

1946's offense took center stage in Game 3 as they rolled up 12 runs off of a collection of 1993 pitchers.  Dick Wakefield connected for a grand slam and Roy Cullenbine homered and drove in 4 runs of his own.  Travis Fryman went 4 for 5 for the 1993 team.  Dizzy Trout and the 1946 team win 12-4, and take a commanding 3 games to 0 lead in the series. 

1993 didn't get this far by being quitters though, and they showed what they are made of when their backs were absolutely against the wall.  They trailed 1946 6-4 in the bottom of the 9th, and were just two outs away from elimination when they started to rally off of 1946 starter Hal Newhouser.  Travis Fryman  (who went 4 for 5 with 3 runs and 4 RBIs) started things off a single and Mickey Tettleton walked.   Al Benton replaced Newhouser, and he promptly walked Alan Trammell.  Stubby Overmire came in and walked Chad Kreuter to tie things up.   Skeeter Barnes then singled to give 1993 a dramatic and much-needed 7-6 victory!  1946 leads the series 3-1.  

In Game 5, though, 1946 Fred Hutchinson shut the door on any other hopes the 1993 would still have.  He shut out 1993 on just 6 hits, with  0 walks and 8 strikeouts.  George Kell had 3 hits, Roy Cullenbine 2 RBIs, and Eddie Lake 2 hits and 2 runs.  The final was 4-0, and 1946 wins the game and the Series!!!!!!

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3
Game 4

Game 5 

1946 sweeps 1961! Moves on to World Series vs. Chuck and the 1993 team!

Big Hank Greenberg goes yard in Game 1!

Mike and I played these games 'live' and there was no debate which team was better.  Mike's 1946 team stomped on 1961 all 4 games, and now move on to face 1993 in the World Series!!!

The two best starting pitchers in the league matched up in Game 1.  1946 Hal Newhouser outpitched 1961 Jin Bunning though, holding the sluggers on the 1961 team to just 1 unearned run and 3 hits while striking out 11.  1946 used home runs from Hank Greenberg and Hoot Evers to win this one 5-1.

1946 catcher Birdie Tebbetts - CAW!  CAW!

1946 jumped on 1961 starter Frank Lary in Game 2, rollingup 7 runs in the first two innings.  1946 starter Fred Hutchinson was tagged for 7 runs and 11 hits, but it was enough for the 1946 team to win 9-7.  Hank Greenberg and Dick Wakefield each had a home run and 3 RBIs.  Eddie Mayo added 3 hits.

Game 3 featured another strong pitching performance for 1946, this time Dizzy Trout holding 1961 to 2 runs and 6 hits.  1961 starter Don Mossi was battered for 8 runs and 13 hits.  Doc Cramer went 2 for 5 with 3 RBIs, and catcher Birdie Tebbetts added 2 hits and 2 RBIs.  This one ends 8-2 in favor of 1946 and they take a commanding 3 games to 0 lead.

Hal Newhouser dazzles in the series!

Game 4 had Bunning vs Newhouser again, but "Prince Hal" dominated again.  He shut out 1961 on just 4 hits, with another 11 K's. to send 1946 to the World Series.   Newhouser went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00 and 22 K's in 18 innings this series! Every 1946 batter recorded at least one hit, and Dick Wakefield and Roy Cullenbine homered.  Final score was 6-0!




Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4

Here are the pitching rotations for the World Series.

Mike and Chuck, please let me know if you want to change anything before I run these games.  Will try to do this Sunday night.   Good luck to you both, excited to see who takes home the belt from this great season!!!

1993 team disposes of 1950 to move on to the World Series!

March Madness as the Cinderella 1993 team dispatches of the 1950 team four games to one!  The power of the 1993 hitters overwhelmed the strong starting pitching of the 1950 club.

Game 1 saw 1993 David Wells scatter 7 hits in a shutout of the 1950 team.   Travis Fryman and Chad Kreuter each homered for the 1993 team, and all batters except for Sweet Lou Whitaker had hits.  1993 wins 7-0.

3B Travis Fryman is the hero of Game 2

1950 held off 1993 in Game 2, winning 5-4  despite a 3 run 9th inning rally by the 1993 team.  1950 starter Art Houtteman did just enough to limit the hard-hitting 1993 team to just 4 runs despite garnering 10 hits.  1950's offense came from home runs from Pat Mullin, Vic Wertz (two HRs!), and Hoot Evers.

1993 takes Game 3 with a walk-off homer by Travis Fryman off of Hal Newhouser!  Storm Davis picked up the win  and pitched 2 1/3 shutout innings of relief. Alan Trammell added a homer and 3 RBIs.

1993 continued their momentum with a 12-4 thrashing of 1950.  They chased 1950 starter Fred Hutchinson after just 5 innings, and the game was essentially decided with a 7 run explosion for 1993 in the bottom of the sixth.  Fryman was the star again, with 2 hits, his 3rd homer of the series, 2 runs, and 3 RBIs.  Lou Whitaker went 4 for 5 and Alan Trammell clubbed his 2nd homer of the series.

1993 batters Art Houttemann again, chasing the 1950 starter in the second inning and cruising to an 8-3 win to win the series!  1993 rolled up 16 hits, and ALL batters recorded at least one hit.  Chad Kreuter go 3 for 5 with a homer, and Alan Trammell knocks his 3rd homer of the series.  David Wells gets his second win of the series. 1993 got some slick fielding as both Alan Trammell and Travis Fryman recorded web gems, robbing 1950 of two base hits.  The 1993 team batting average was .337 for this series, with 8 homers and 35 runs in the 5 games!!!!

Chad Kreuter hit .563 for the series!

Congrats Chuck!   1993 will now await the winner of the 1961-1946 Series, which will be played LIVE at my house in the next day or two!

Here is a good summation of the 1993 team, finished third in the league then but are standing tall now!

1993 Tigers season summary

SS Alan Trammell excels with the bat and the glove

Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore
Game 3 Boxscore
Game 4 Boxscore
Game 5 Boxscore

Playoff Matchups

Here are the playoff matchups - 1961 vs 1946, and 1993 vs 1950.  Please let me know of any rotation, lineup, or strategy changes you may want.   Seven game series, and the winners will meet in the World Series!  Will run these games Thursday.  Good luck to all!

Day 171-173: 1950 and 1993 win their divisions, huge individual milestones hit!

Wow, what an amazing season!!!  Full of great pennant races and incredible individual performances.  I've really enjoyed it and hope you all have also, big thank you to all for playing along!

The 1993 team celebrates their Briggs pennant!!!

Our final two Division Champs have been crowned.    Chuck's 1993 team was a big surprise to win the Briggs.  A
late season surge pushed this power-laden team to the top of the division, two games over Mike's 2006 squad.

Tim's 1950 team had a fierce battle with Chuck's 1935 team that went down to the final day of the season.  1950 emerged on top, just one game ahead of 1935.

Mike's 1946 team finished with the best record in the league and was the only 100+ win team!

1950 Ilitch champions Hoot Evers, 

Vic Wertz and George Kell!

Some crazy numbers were put up across the league.  1961 had two seasons for the ages, with Norm Cash (.400, 49 HRs, 157 RBIs) and Jim Bunning (32-5, 2.95 ERA) the top two in the MVP voting.  Bunning won both MVP and Cy Young.  2012 Miguel Cabrera hit .343 with 60 HRs and 162 RBIs!
1909 Ty Cobb hit .373 with 111 steals, 125 runs, and 102 RBIs.  1911 Cobb hit .414 with 78 steals and 1915 Cobb hit .367 with the amazing all-time record of 168 steals!!!  Ty Cobb and Norm Cash both hit .400, but how about a .500 hitter?!  1909 Hughie "Eee-Yah" Jennings hit an astounding .530 in 168 at bats!  Not enough to qualify for the batting title, but a crazy amount of at bats to hit that well!  

Fred's 1945 team may be the biggest underachiever, this real-life World Championship team was rock bottom in this league.  Dizzy Trout went 5-30 for this team with a not completely ridiculous ERA of 5.24.  Yep, that's 30 losses!!!!  In real-life, there has not been a 30 game loser singe 1899!

Baseball-reference.com side note:  A player in 1887 named Phenomenal Smith was one of those 30 game losers.   Did not quite live up to his name :-) 

1961 Norm Cash. an awesome
combination of average and power

MVP and Cy Young winner 1961 Jim Bunning

Dizzy Trout with the kind of facial 

expression only a 30 loss season can cause

Eee-yah!!!! 1909 Hughie Jennings

hits an incredible .530!

2012 Miguel Cabrera finished atop the power categories with 60 HRs and 162 RBIs.  1961 Jim Bunning led all hurlers with 32 wins.  1908 Kickipoo Ed Summers won the ERA title at 2.44.  1911 Ty Cobb finished with a .414 average to lead the league. 1915 Ty Cobb almost lapped the field with 168 steals, with 1909 Ty Cobb second with 111 steals.   1946 Hal Newhouser won the strikeout crown with 318 steals, 41 more than 1968 Denny McLain.  1968 Darryl Patterson held off all closers and led with 42 saves.  

Day 171  1993 moved into a tie for first in the Briggs by defeating 1940 9-5, Alan Trammell and Tony Phillips both homered.  2013 Rick Porcello moved to 17-8 and Prince Fielder hit homer #23 in a 7-2 win over 2012.  1950 Dizzy Trout took a no-hitter into the 6th inning and ended up throwing a one-hit shoutout of the 2006 team.  2006 Neifi Perez got the only bases hit.  1915 Bernie Boland shut out 1968 on just 3 hits, and moved to 25-8 for the season.  Goose Goslin's walk-off triple gave the 1934 team the 5-4 win over 1924.  1946 Fred Hutchinson shut out 1973 in  a 12-0 whitewash.  Jimmy Bloodworth had 4 hits and 4 RBIs for the 1946 team.

Day 172   1993 moved a game ahead of 2006 in the Briggs with a 6-5 win over 1940 that was highlighted by Travis Fryman's 20th homer.  1950 Art Houtteman struck out 10 and Vic Wertz cracked his 28th homer of the season and their win moved them into a first-place tie with 1935 in the Ilitch Division.   1987 Walt Terrell shut out 1911 on 4 hits. 2014 David Price shut out 1935 and struck out 12.  1944 edged 1961 4-3 on a 12th inning walk-off homer from Jimmy Outlaw.  1968 Willie Horton hit his #52 and #53 homers of the season in a 19-3 romp over 1915.

Day 173   Two division titles come down to the final game of the season!!! 1993 trounced 1940 11-3, with Cecil Fielder and Dan Gladden going yard. That 1993 win coupled with the 2006 team falling to Fred Hutchinson and the 1950 team 10-2 gave 1993 the Briggs Division crown.  The win by 1950 also clinched the Ilitch division as 1950 ended up just 1 game ahead of 1935.  1961 Norm Cash went 3 for 4 to raise his final batting average to .400!  Jim Bunning throw a shutout in that game, finishing with an amazing 32-5 record and a 2.95 ERA.  2012 Miguel Cabrera hit home run #60 off of 2012 Max Scherzer!

I will post the pitching rotations for the playoffs and welcome any managerial changes you may want.  Will finish the playoffs in the next few days.

Days 161-170: 1946 and 1961 clinch titles, races go on in the Briggs and Ilitch!

Congrats to the first two Division Champions, Mike's 1946 team in the Navin and my 1961 team in the Fetzer!  1946 went on a 9-1 run this block of games to surge past Steve W.'s 2013 team and claim the Navin crown.  Their starting pitching is their greatest strength. with Hal Newhouser (21-11, 2.49 ERA), Fred Hutchinson (23-8, 3.49), and Dizzy Trout (22-12, 3.01) all enjoying outstanding seasons.  Hank Greenberg (.325, 42 HRs, 144 RBIs) provides most of the offense for the team. The 1961 team wins a different way, with an overpowering offense led by Norm Cash (.398, 48 HR, 154 RBIs), Rocky Colavito (.253, 39 HRs, 138 RBIs), and Al Kaline (.368, 23 HRs, 103 RBIs).  Jim Bunning's sensational season now stands at 31-5 with a 3.03 ERA!

Colavito, Kaline, and Cash power the 1961 club

Chuck's 1935 team has a 1 game lead over Tim's 1950 team as just three days remain in the season. Mike's 2006 team holds a 1 game lead over Chuck's 1993 team in the Briggs, and PJ's 1909 team is still alive and just 2 games back.  Will get those final three games in Tuesday and then move on to the playoffs!

1915 Ty Cobb has upped his stolen base record to 166! 1911 Ty Cobb leads all with a .414 average.  2012 Miguel Cabrera now sits at 59 homers and 160  RBIs, both league-leading totals.  2013 Miguel Cabrera and 1968 Willie Horton have both passed the 50 Home Run mark.  1961 Jim Bunning now has 31 wins!  1946 Hal Newhouser has passed the 300 K mark, sitting at 315 right now.  The ERA Title is still up for grabs, with 2013 Max Scherzer (2.44), 1908 Ed Summers (2.47), and 1946 Hal Newhouser (2.49) all very close as we enter the final couple of days in the regular season.

Cash is putting together what would be

one of the most memorable seasons

ever if this was real life!

Norm Cash again is our Player of the Block!  Norm hit .575 with 3 homers and 12 RBIs, and also hit for the cycle in a game this week!  Teammate Rocky Colavito was a close contender for the honor (.342, 5 HRs, 15 RBIs), as was 1993 Mickey Tettleton (.429, 3 HRs).  1940 Schoolboy Rowe went 2-0 and only allowed 4 earned runs in three complete games.  1944 Hal Newhouser went 3-0 for the week.

Day 161   1944 Dick Wakefield collected 5 hits in a 9-5 win over 1908.  2014 Torii Hunter (The Torrid One) smacked 2 HRs and doubled.  1940 Hank Greenberg had 4 hits and 2 RBis off of 1909 Wild Bill Donovan.  1911 Ty Cobb got three hits and 1961 Jim Bunning suffered only his 5th loss of the season.  2012 beat 1950 3-2 in 13 innngs, with Don Kelly (aka "The Working Man's Ballplayer", aka Donnie Kelly Baby) drives in the winning run in the top of the 13th.

Day 162   1984 puts together a two-run rally in the 9th to top 1934 Firpo Marberry.  1968 beats 2011 2-1 on a Willie Horton walk-off homer.  2006 C-Mo, Craig Monroe homered and then drove in the winning run in the top of the 13th against 1987 Eric King.  1944 got two taters from Hack Miller to edge 1908 7-6.

Day 163   19-7 rolled up 13 runs on 20 hits to batter 1935 13-4.  Stormin' Norman Cash went deep twice to help 1968 top 2011 10-4.  1968 Paul Foytack went the distance in a 9-2 win over 1911.

Day 164    1993 edged 1908 11-10 in 11 innings.  1940 Rudy York notched 4 hits in a 6-2 win over 1911.  1946 Hal Newhouser whiffed 13 batters and held 2011 to just 1 run.  2014 Miggy smashed two homers.  Mickey Cochrane's 3 hits and 4 RBIs helped 1935 get past 1924 10-9.  1968 got  4 hits from CF Mickey Stanley en route to scoring 13 runs off of 1945.  1961 Norm Cash blasted HRs #46 and #47 in a 9-1 romp over Nate Robertson and the 2006 team.

Day 165   4 hits for Alan Trammell as 1993 whomped 1908 14-2,  1984 Howard Johnson had two dingers in a10-5 win over 1973.  1987 Darrell Evans hit his 36th HR and Matt Nokes hit his 32nd in a 7-5 triumph over 1950.  1968 Willie Horton hit 2 HRs and Earl Wilson went the distance for his 13th win.  1924 rallied for 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th to edge 1935 10-9.  1961 Jim Bunning shut out 2006 on six hits and got win #30!!!!

Day 166   1984 Milt Wilcox and Willie Hernandez combined to shut out 1973.  Boss Schmidt had a walk-off walk for 1908.  1946 Virgil Trucks struck out 11 in a 3-2 win over 2011, Jhonny Peralta got his 20th homer for 2011.  Ivan Rodriquez' HR in the 8th put 2006 on top for good in a 5-3 game against 1961.

Day 167   1961 clinched the Fetzer with a 5-3 win over David Price and the 2014 team.  1934 SS Billy Rogell hit a grand slam and added a single and double.  Pat Mullin's 4 RBIs pushed 1946 to a 7-4 win over 1911.  2006 Chris Shelton ("Big Red") singled, doubled, and homered.  1973 Aurelio Rodriguez had a walk-off grand slam in an 8-7 win over 1950.  1984 Juan Berenguer only allowed 3 hits and earned his 20th win of the season against 1940.

Day 168   1961 Norm Cash hit for the cycle in a 9-7 win over 2014!  1946 Hank Greenberg's 42nd HR of the year was a 2-run walk-off in the 12th inning to defeat 1911.  1934 Tommy Bridges pitched all 11 innings in a 2-1 squeaker over Denny McLain and the 1968 team.  1940 got all the runs they needed with 7 in the second inning to top 1984 8-6.

Day 169   1946 Dizzy Trout won his 22nd game, 3-1 against 1911. 1934 Schoolboy Rowe won his 24th, limitng 1968 to just 1 run.  1961 Jim Bunning wins his 31st with an assist from Rocky Colavito and his 39th homer of the season.  1924 Fred Haney had 4 hits and 6 RBIs in a 16-8 laugher over 1993.  1909 Ed Willett blanked 2012 on 5 hits.

Day 170   1946 clinches the Navin Division with an 11-7 win over 1911.  George Kell had 4 hits and Virgil Trucks struck out 12.  1035 General Crowder threw a shutout and Jo-Jo White got 4 hits against the 2006 team.  1987 Frank Tanana went the distance in a 2-1 win over 2011.  1940 Dick Bartell's 3 -run HR was the difference in a 4-3 win over 1984, with Dave Rozema suffering his first loss of the year,

Days 151-160: Races tighten as Cobb, Cabrera, Bunning, and Newhouser chase huge milestones

Only 13 days remain in the season and the division races are getting close again.  Should be very exciting down the stretch this week!  Steve W.'s 2013 team is now tied with Mike's 1946 club in the ultra-competitive Navin Division, both with 92-58 records that are the best in the whole league.  Chuck's 1935 team lost a step and now has a 1.5 game lead over Tim's 1950 team in the Ilitch.  The Brigg is a three-way dance, with Mike's 2006 club currently just 1 game ahead of both PJ's 1909 team and Chuck's 1993 team.  The Fetzer is squarely in my 1961 team's grasp, now with a 6 game lead over Mike's 1915 and a magic number of 7.

Some individual performances are amazing.  1915 Ty Cobb has continued to pad his all-universe stolen base total with 157!!!!  1911 Ty Cobb checks in a .419, far ahead of 1961 Norm Cash at .385.  2012 Miguel Cabrera league-leading power numbers now stand at 58 HRs and 155 RBI's, extraordinary totals with 12 games left for him to play.  1961 Jim Bunning is up to 29 wins now, looking for #30 any day.  1968 Darryl Patterson leads in saves with 40, but 2006 Todd Jones is still in striking range with 36.  1946 Hal Newhouser leads all with 292 K's, and could surpass 300 in his next start.

The Players of the Block for this set are 1934 Tommy Bridges and 1915 Hooks Dauss!  Some good hitting by the likes of 1984 Darrell Evans and 1945 Eddie Mayo in particular, but these two pitchers had great weeks.   Bridges went 3-0, allowing only 4 earned runs and 18 hits over 26 innings.  Hooks went 2-0, with 18 scoreless innings!

Tommy Bridges went 194-139 in 16 years in

real life, all with the Tigers

Hooks Dauss is the Tiger's all-time

real-life leader in wins (and losses!).

He went 223-182 in his 15 year Tiger career.  

Day 151   2013 Justin Verlander shut out 1934 on just two hits and no walsk!   1003 Kirk Gibson hit two dingers to help John Doherty pick up his 8th win.  1924 Bob Fothergill drove in the game-winner with a walk-off single.  1944 Rudy York had 3 hits and 3 RBIs in a 10-3 romp over Walt Terrell and the 1987 team.  1946 pieced together 2 runs in the top of the 12th with hits from Eddie Lake, Roy Cullenbine, and Pat Mullin.  1968 Denny McLain struck out 13 and Norm Cash hit 2 HRs.  2006 Marcus Thames had 2 taters himself, #28 and #29 for the season.  

Day 152   1911 Ty Cobb tripled in the top of the 11th and was brought home with the game-winner by Sam Crawford.  1984 Jack Morris moved to 18-7 with a win over 1908.  1909 Ed Willett blanked 1968 in a 1-0 game.

Day 153   2962 Jim  Bunning continued his dominance, limiting 2011 to just 1 run and 5 hits in earning his 28th win against just 4 losses.  2012 Miguel Cabrera hits #54 and #55 in a 5-2 win over 1935.  1987 Frank Tanana threw a complete game and moved his record to 15-12.  2014 Max Scherzer scattered 7 hits in a shutout of 2006.  1984 Darrell Evans singled, doubled, and homered in a 12-11 victory over Al Benton and the 1945 squad.  1909 Ed Summers went all 10 innings to earn his 20th win of the season.  1968 Norm Cash hit a grand slam and Mickey Lolich moved his record to 14-9.  

Day 154   1973 Gates Brown had 3 hits in a close 6-5 win over 1924.  1950 beat 1908 in 15 innings!  1987 won their own 15 inning game, this one 4-3 against 1940.  1046 Fred Hutchinson won his 20th game of the season.  1945 won 6-1 over 1984, with the creatively named duo of Stubby Overmire and Skeeter Webb leading the way.  1968 Don Wert hit a grand slam and drove in 7 in a 19-4 shellacking of 1944. 1909 3B George Moriarty had 4 hits and the team rallied for 3 in the top of the 9th to  top the 1907 team 5-3.  

Day 155   2011 Victor Martinez delivered a walk-off homer. to beat Hank Aguirre and the 1961 team.  1950 Art Houtteman collected his 20th win in a tidy 5 hit, 1 run allowed effort.  1909 George Mullin threw a three-hit shutout at 1907.  Big night for Chester Lemon as Chet racked up 4 hits and 5 RBIs in a 7-4 win over 1945.  1934 scored 3 runs in the top of the 11th to edge 1911 6-4.  

Day 156   1934 Tommy Bridges blanked 1945 on just 3 hits.  1968 Jim Northrup had 2 triples in a 3-1 win over Rip Collins and the 1924 team.  1984 Jack Morris won his 19th game, this one over 2011 6-5.  1935 Schoolboy Rowe whitewashed 1907 on six hits.  1950 Vic Wertz homered and drove in 5.  1909 beat 2006 when Ty Cobb got aboard in the bottom of the 10th, stole second, and came home on a Donie Bush single.  

Day 157   2012 got a walk-off single from Delmon Young to finally defeat 2014 in 11 innings.  2011 Miguel Cabrera hit his 27th and 28th homers.  1940 Rudy York blasted his 24th and 25th of the seaon.  1935 Tommy Bridges blanked 1907 on just five hits.  1987 Alan Trammell had a monster game, with 4 hits and 6 RBIs in a 19-10 shootout against 1993.  1950 Vic Wertz is still hot, homering again and driving in 5 tonight against 1911 Ed Willett.  

Day 158   2014 Max Scherzer struck out 11 in a 5-4 win over 2013.  1973 Woodie Fryman gets his 10th win and Aurelio Rodriguez collected 3 hits and 3 runs.  1993 Alan Trammell cranked a walk-off homer to defeat 2006 9-8.  `1940 Johnny Gorsica shut out 1950.  2011 Will "Busta" Rhymes had 2 hits and 3 RBIs to help Max Scherzer win against 1915.  1961 Al Kaline had a walk-off single in the 11th to top 1909 8-7.  

Day 159    1908 catcher Boss Schmidt had 4 hits in a 5-3 win over 1934.  1973 Mickey Stanley hit homers #21 and 22.  1946 Hal Newhouser outdueled 1907 Wild Bill Donovan in a 2-1 game.  2006 Carlos Guillen's walk-off single off of 1993 Sean Bergman sealed a 6-5 win.  1945 Hal Newhouser shut out 1984 and struck out 11.  1944 Stubby Overmire got tagged with his 20th loss. 1961 Al Kaline homered twice and drove in 4 in a 6-2 win over George Mullin and the 1909 team.  

Day 160   1907 dropped their 9th in a row, 7-2 against 1946.  1973 used 4 hits from Dick McAuliffe to edge 2012 3-2.  1987 Jack Morris only allowed 4 hits while blanking 1924.  1984 Jack Morris notched his 20th win of the season while blanking 1945, only allowing 2 hits this time!  2013 Rick Porcello and Joaquin Benoit combined to shutout 2014.  1961 Charlie "Paw Paw" Maxwell doubled and homered in an 11-6 win over 1909.  

Days 141-150: 1993 charges to the top of the Briggs! Kell's hitting streak finally snapped

We have a new leader in the Briggs as Chuck's 1993 team has clawed to the top of the division with an 8-2 record this set.  1935 has moved ahead of 1950 by 2 games in the Ilitch.  1961 has opened up a 6 game lead in the Fetzer, and 2013 has a solid 4 game lead in the Navin.  Only 23 more days left in the season!

Cecil Fielder and Mickey Tettleton lead a powerful 1993 offense

1950 George Kell's hitting streak was finally broken after 38 games.  That would tie him for 8th best ever in real life! Here are the (real life) top hitting streaks of all-time!

Joe DiMaggio, Yankees, 1941, 56 games 
Willie Keeler, Orioles, 1896-97, 45 games
Pete Rose, Reds, 1978, 44 games 
Bill Dahlen, Cubs, 1894, 42 games
George Sisler, Browns, 1922, 41 games
Ty Cobb, Tigers, 1911, 40 games
Paul Molitor, Brewers, 1987, 39 games 
Jimmy Rollins, Phillies, 2005-06, 38 games



Well done, George!




The batting average race is 1911 Ty Cobb's to lose, hitting  .420 and ahead of 1961 Norm Cash .who is at .391.  The Home Run race looks like this:  2012 Miggy 52, 2013 Miggy 48.  1968 Willie Horton has 44 dingers, most for a player-not-nicknamed-Miggy.  2012 Miggy leads all with 145 RBIs, and 1924 Harry Heilmann is next with 137.  1961 Jim Bunning now has 27 wins, and has a real chance at 30 wins.  1915 Ty Cobb adds to his record with a total now of 146 steals.  1946 Hal Newhouser leads all with 273 K's.

1935 Hank Greenberg edged out 1961 Norm Cash for Player of The Block.   Greenberg (.432, 6 HRs, 11 RBIs) had just a little more power than Stormin' Norman (.464, 3 HRs, 10 RBIs).  1973 Dick McAuliffe batted .435.  1907 Ed Killian picked up three wins.

Greenberg's powerful swing

Day 141   1915 Bernie Boland recorded his 21st win.  1984 Lance Parrish's 9th inning homer pushed 1984 over 1944 2-1.  1907 Charlie O'Leary had a walk-off squeeze play.  1961 Norm Cash had 4 hits and 4 RBIs.  2012 Miguel Cabrera belted his 50th homer!  1940 Birdie Tebbetts hit a grand slam.

Day 142   1908 Wild Bill Donavan moved to 18-12 with a 4-1 win over 1961.  1973 Joe Coleman staved off a potential 20th loss and beat 1935 in a 5-3 game.  1987 Jack Morris blanked 1934.  1924 Heinie Manush drove home 4 in an 8-7 win over Rick Porcello and the 2014 team.

Day 143   2011 Carlos Guillen smashed 3 HRs against the 2013 team.  Guillen joins Jhonny Peralta and Miguel Cabrera as the only players to accomplish that feat.  1915 Bobby Veach had two triples in an 8-5 win over 1909.  1944 Rufe Gentry amazingly got his 5th win of the season with a shutout fo the 1984 team.  1961 Jim Bunning got win #26, going all 11 innings and striking out 13 in a 5-4 win over 1908.  A Bill Bruton ground-out brought home the winning run in that contest.  1935 Eldon Auker shut out 1973, and handed Jim Perry his 21st loss.  Don Wert crashed a three-run shot in the ninth to life 1968 over 1950 8-6.  2014 Ian Kinsler went yard twice.

Day 144   1946 George Kell had 4 hits in a win against 1907.  1984 rallied for 3 runs in the top of the 10th on hits by the likes of Johnny Grubb and Rusty Kuntz, and topped 1944 7-4.  1908 Sam Crawford blasted 2 homers.  1993 Travis Fryman's walk-off single led to a 6-5 victory over 1911.  2012 Justin Verlander threw a 2 hit shutout at the 1945 team.  That gave Dizzy Trout a league-high 24 losses (against just 4 wins).

Day 145   1935 Tommy Bridges held 1950 George Kell hitless in 5 at bats to break George's epic hitting streak.  1993 wins their sixth in a row with Chad Kreuter homering and driving in 4.  1945 Al Benton tossed a 3 hit shutout of the 1984 team.

Day 146   1935 Hank Greenberg hit 3 homers to join the Three Homer Club (members Jhonny Peralta, Miguel Cabrera (twice), and recently Carlos Guillen.  1911 win in 10 innings when Joe Casey drove home Davy Jones.  1945 was tied with 1984 at 6 apiece in the 12th inning, but banged out 4 runs against Aurelio "Senior Smoke" Lopez to win that game.  

Day 147   1950 Joe Ginsberg drove home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th to defeat 1915 9-8.  2011 Justin Verlander struck out 10 and held 1911 to just 1 run.  1940 Bobo Newsom held 1944 to just 4 hits and 1 run.  2012 Austin Jackson had 4 hits in a wild 10-9 win against 1907.  1946 Hank Greenberg stroked a walk-off single.  2006 Kenny Rogers (aka The Gambler) moved to 17-5 with a 4 hit shutout of 1909.  2014 David Price tied 1935 Tommy Bridges with a 14 K effort, and Rajai Davis had 3 hits against 1984 Juan Berenguer.

Day 148   Fred Haney blasted a two-run shot to put 1924 over 2013 by a 3-2 score.  1946 Dizzy Trout won his 19th with a 4 hit shutout of 1968.  1961 Frank Lary blanked 1945 on just two hits.

Day 149   2014 Miguel Cabrera tied a league record with 4 walks.  1934 Hank Greenberg had 3 hits and Schoolboy Rowe won his 21st.  1950 Hoot Evers brought home 4 runs to help defeated 1915 7-5.  1940 Schoolboy Rowe threw a 4 hit shoutout and Earl Averill got the RBI in a 1-0 win over 1944.  2013 Prince Fielder had 4 hits in a 10-9 win over 10-9 win over 1924 (the teams combined for 40 hits!).  2011 lost in the bottom of the 11th when a Jose Valverde wild pitch brought home Charley O'Leary with the game-winning run! 1961 Jim Bunning got another win, and is now 15-1 in his last 17 starts!

Day 150    1940 won their 8th in a row, no small accomplishment for a team that was 49-83 before this streak started!  1940 Dick Bartell shocked Saul Rogovin and the1940 team with a 2 run walk-off homer.  1945 Paul Richards had 2 homers and Stubby Overmire tossed a complete game.  1984 Alan Trammell doubled home Lou Whitaker to top 1908 8-7.  More walkoff drama as 1986 used six players to get on base in the bottom of the 9th to score 3 runs and defeat 1944 5-4.  2006 Marcus Thames belted his 27th HR of the year in a 12-3 laugher over General Crowder and the 1935 team.  1961 trounced 1946 16-8, Dick McAuliffe had two home runs.

Days 131-140: Briggs Division is a tossup, battle continues in the Ilitch

The Briggs Division features the closest pennant race right now, as PJ's 1909 squad is just a half game up on Mike's 2006 team, with Chuck's 1993 team only two games back.  The Ilitch now has Chuck's 1935 team tied with Tim's 1950 team.  My 1961 team is starting to pull away in the Fetzer, and Steve W.'s 2013 team is getting a big lead in the stacked Navin Division (Counting Linda's 1984 team and Mike's 1946 team, three of the top six teams in the entire league reside there!).

Hats off to 1950 George Kell, who has a league-record 35 game hitting streak going!  The beloved TV broadcaster is showing why he is in the Hall of Fame as a player.  He is now hitting .373 on the year, with an OBP of .929 and a WAR of 6.7 to go with his Gold Glove defense at 3B.

Before

After

1911 Ty Cobb has his batting average up to .423!  1915 Cobb has now amassed 142 steals.  2012 Miggy now has 49 HRs and 137 RBIs.  2013 Miggy is second with 47 homers.  1924 Harry Heilmann is the current runner-up with 131 RBIs.  1961 Jim Bunning leads all hurlers with 25 wins.  Earl Whitehill 1924 is next best with 24 wins, and 1915 Bernie Boland and 1935 Schoolboy Rowe joined the 20 win club this block of games.  2013 Max Scherzer takes a turn atop the ERA leaderboard, checking in at 2.26.

Our Player of the Block is 1924 Harry Heilmann! He hit .455 with 3 homers and 13 RBIs. Heilmann is pretty unknown despite being a Hall of Famer.  You can read a little about Ol' Slug by clicking here.  My favorite part of that short article is "Heilmann ran like a man trying to extract himself from wet cement.  However, he was a blistering line-drive hitter".










2013 Max Scherzer 2-0, 1 ER in 16 innings, 16 K's

1961 Rocky Colavito was hot, hitting .371, with 4HRs and 15 RBIs.  2013 Max Scherzer was 2-0, allowing just 1 run in 16 innings while striking out 16.  1946 Fred Hutchinson and 1935 Schoolboy Rowe each notched 3 wins.  Some Tigers were mired in terrible slumps, like 1973 Jim Northrup (.071, 2 for 28, 0 HRs) and 1961 Chico Fernandez (.083, 2 for 24)

Day 131   1908 wins their seventh in a row, edging 1973 2-1.  Lerrin Legrow took the loss.  1944 Rufe Gentry came into the game with the 2012 team with a 2-21 record, yet somehow spun a 5 hit shutout to get his third win of the season!  1911 racked up 14 runs and 20 hits against 1935 Eldon Auker.  1945 Dizzy Trout pitched a three hit shutout of 2011.  1984 Juan Berenguer matched Dizzy with a three hit shutout of his own, and is now 17-8 on the season.  1940 Rudy York clubbed two home runs off of 1909 Ed Summers.  1961 Jim Bunning got win #23.

Day 132   1968 light-hitting 3B Don Wert had two singles and a homer in a win against 1908.  2013 used a ninth-inning homer from Miguel Cabrera to edge 1944 4-3.  1984 Jack Morris whitewashed 2012 in a 3-0 game, allowing just 4 hits.  1946 Fred Hutchinson pitched all 10 innings to beat 1915 by a score of 3-2.  2006 Craig Monroe singled in Chris Shelton with a walk-off hit to top 1940 6-5.

Day 133   2013 pounded 1944 15-3, rolling up 20 hits (four by Prince Fielder).  1987 Walt Terrell evened his record at 13-13 in an 8-1 victory over 1973.  1934 Schoolboy Rowe shut out 1907 on just four hits, and Goose Goslin contributed 4 base hits.  2011 gets 4 hits from Miguel Cabrera and a walk-off single from Victor Martinez to eke past 2014 8-7.  Al Alburquerque takes the loss for the 2014 team.

Day 134   1973 Willie Horton went deep twice and drove in 4 runs.  1968 Wille Horton also hit 2 homers, and drove in 5.  1968 Mickey Lolich whiffed 13 batters in that game.  2013 Max Scherzer outdueled 1944 Hal Newhouser in a 3-1 game.  1984 wins 7-5 on a Marty Castillo two-run walkoff HR off of Phil Coke.

Day 135   "Papa Grande" Jose Valverde collected save #30 as 2012 defeated 1993 5-2.  1987 Darrell Evans blasted a walk-off homer to beat 1907.  1935 2B Charlie "The Mechanical Man" Gehringer had 2 HRs in a 14-6 win over Juan Berenguer and the 1984 team.  150 George Kell racked up 4 hits in an exciting 6-5 win over 2011.  1940 Pinky Higgins had a grand slam and 1946 Hank Greenberg hit his 35th home run of the season.  

Day 136   1946 rallied for thee runs in the top of the ninth to top 1940 3-1.  1924 Earl Whitehill won his 23rd game of the year while defeating 1968 Denny McLain in a 3-2 ballgame.  2006 Todd Jones earned his 30th save of the year.

Day 137   1993 Travis Fryman hit safely three times as they beat 2012.  1987 Alan Trammell had 3 hits in a 10-5 win over 1907 Ed Willett.  1911 Jack Lively (his last name describes his fastball!) moved to 3-0 with a win over 1973 Mickey Lolich.  1935 Tommy Bridges struck out 12 in an 12-3 rout of 1984.  2011 Ramon Santiago had 4 hits as the 2011 team edged 1950 5-4.  1924 scored 4 times in the bottom of the 9th to surprise 1968 7-6.  1940 had an instant classic with 1946, which ended when the 1940 team rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th.  Barney McCoskey collected 4 hits and Hank Greenberg provided the walk-off hit.

Day 138   1961 Al Kaline hit 2 HRs and scored 4 times in a 10-1 thrashing of Milt Wilcox and the 1984 team (Uncle Milty drops to 8-15 for the season).  1993 Cecil Fielder clubbed his 20th homer and Scott Livingstone hit a 3 run shot in a 10-3 win over 1987 Jack Morris.  Another multi-hit game from 1944 Jimmy Outlaw, whose 4 hits paced the team to a 4-3 win over 1940.  2012 Miguel Cabrera belted HRs #48 and #49 off of 2006 Jeremy Bonderman.  1950 Hoot Evers 20th homer was the key blow in a 6-4 win over 1946.

Day 139   2013 Max Scherzer fired a two-hit shutout at the 1911 team.  He whiffed 11 players.  The 1924 team and the 1973 team combined for 39 runs, just one shy of the season record currently held by a game between 1924 and 2012.  1935 Eldon Auker blanked the 2011 team, scattering 5 hits.  2014 David Price had a five-hit shutout of his own!  1944 Mike "Pinky" Higgins had 2 HRs and 4 RBI to give Rufe Gentry another win!  1987 Alan Trammell cranked two HRs and added a single to support Frank Tanana's 14th win.   The wonderfully named 1945 Jimmy Outlaw provided a walk-off single in a 4-3 win over Tommy Bridges and the 1934 team.

Day 140  1961 Al Kaline stroked 4 hits, and a three run rally in the bottom of the 9th gave the 1961 team a 7-6 win over Willie Hernandez and the 1984 team.  1993 exploded for 7 runs in the top of the ninth to beat 1987 10-4! 1911 Charley O'Leary doubled home the winning run against 2013 Drew Smyly.  1940 Birdie Tebbetts had a walkoff single in another barnburner of a game.  2012 Max Scherzer struck out 12 and Gerald "G-Money" Laird added 2 hits and 2 RBIs.  1924 Ty Cobb had 5 hits in a 19-6 thrashing of Woodie Fryman and the 1973 team.