Al Kaline retired as a player two months after I was born – I mostly knew him as an announcer. Last night I went digging into his records on @baseball_ref, and did a modified scorebook of what I thought were some of his best games. #RIPMrTiger

A thread:

6-16-1953: The 18-year-old rookie spent 10 minutes before the game talking baseball with Ted Williams – then hit 3 singles vs. the Red Sox. (This *might* be an urban legend, but Williams was certainly a mentor + friend to Kaline.) (Box: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS195309160.shtml)

4-17-1955: Kaline goes 4-5 (3HR, 6RBI), becoming the 13th player in history to hit 2HRs in the same inning. He'd hit .340 that year and win the batting title; at 20 years old, Kaline is still the youngest player to pull off the feat. (Box: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET195504170.shtml)

8-11-1959: Kaline gets hit #1000, a single off White Sox pitcher Ken McBride. Some accounts list Billy Pierce as the pitcher (who was the starter), but @baseball_ref has it as McBride. (Box: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET195908110.shtml)

6-17-1961: The Tigers defeat the mighty NY Yankees, 12-10. Kaline outduels Maris (2-5, HR) & Mantle (1-3, HR) by going 4-5 with a HR. Both teams would win over 100 games; the Yankees would win 109 and the World Series. (Box: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET196106170.shtml)

9-19-1963: Kaline goes 4-7 with 2 HR and a triple, scoring the winning run in a 13-inning game with the Minnesota Twins. (Box: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN196309190.shtml)

6-15-1966: Kaline gets hit #2000, a single to left off Red Sox starter Jim Lonborg. He'll go 3-4 with a HR and 3RBI that day. (Box: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS196606150.shtml)

9-17-1968: Kaline was mostly used as a PH/1B during this injury-filled season. On this day, he pinch hits for Norm Cash in the bottom of the 9th, draws a BB, and scores the game-winning – and pennant-clinching – run for the Tigers. (Box: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET196809170.shtml)

10-9-1968: Kaline goes 3-4 with a HR in Game 6 of the 1968 World Series. The Tigers stave off elimination and send the Series to a 7th game. Mickey Lolich would outduel Bob Gibson, and the Tigers would take the title. (Box: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196810090.shtml)

9-24-1974: Kaline gets hit #3000 with a double to right off Orioles starter Dave McNally. He would finish with 3007 hits, retiring that year – and joining the Tiger announcing booth the next season. (Box: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL197409240.shtml)

7-24-1953: Kaline had 3 outfield assists from RF in this game against the White Sox, throwing runners out at home and twice(!) at 3B.

He was 19 years old at the time.

(Ref: https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2019/07/07/al-kaline-detroit-tigers/1656757001/)

(Box: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET195407070.shtml)

It's a sad day for the Tigers, and a sad day for baseball, but it's really amazing to look back on Kaline's history as a ball player.

#RIPMrTiger

(This was a lot of fun to do. Hi-res file is available if anyone wants it, just ask. Sorry for the tweet-storm.)