100 Things Tigers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die by Foster Terry Horton Willie

Author:Foster, Terry, Horton, Willie [Foster, Terry, Horton, Willie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Triumph Books
Published: 2013-02-09T14:00:00+00:00

46. Mickey Lolich

Mickey Lolich was only supposed to pitch five innings in Game 7 of the 1968 World Series. He’d already become an unexpected hero in the Series by winning two games, including a Game 5 victory that sliced the Tigers’ deficit to 3–2 in the best-of-seven Series.

After the Tigers tied the series 3–3 manager Mayo Smith told Lolich that he only needed him to pitch five innings in Game 7 and he’d bring in help. This Series was supposed to be a duel between American League Cy Young winner Dennis McLain (31–6, 1.96 earned-run average) and National League Cy Young winner Bob Gibson (22–9, 1.12 earned-run average). Gibson beat McLain twice in the series. Tigers batters could not keep up with his fastball and seemed intimidated by his aggressive manner on the mound.

By the time the World Series began, Lolich was the Tigers’ best pitcher. All he had to do was pitch five innings and sit. After pitching five shutout innings, a satisfied Lolich walked off the field at Busch Stadium figuring his day was over.

However, Smith greeted him at the top of the dugout and asked if he could pitch one more inning. Lolich said yes, and he pitched the sixth.

In that inning he picked off base-stealers Lou Brock and Curt Flood, who were itching to get to second during a scoreless tie. Second baseman Dick McAulife said the pickoff of Brock was the key to the series.

Once again Lolich figured his day was done. But Smith again asked if he could pitch one more inning. The same happened in the eighth inning, and Lolich said, “I will just pitch the rest of the game.”

“That’s what I want to hear,” Smith said.

Lolich completed the game on just two days’ rest and was raised into the air by catcher Bill Freehan after he beat Gibson and the Cardinals 4–1 to win the World Series.

Lolich was a champion of the common man. He rolled out to the mound with a common-man gut and pitched with the same blue-collar work ethic the common man brought to the afternoon shift at Ford and Chrysler. He never was the star of the pitching staff because of McLain. However, Lolich went 17–9 in 1968 and the following season went 18–9 in earning his first All-Star berth. His best season came in 1971, when Lolich led the league with 25 wins, 308 strikeouts, and 29 complete games.

People always made fun of his weight because he was no flat-belly. Lolich once said, “I guess you could say I’m the redemption of the fat man. A guy will be watching me on TV and see that I don’t look in any better shape than he is. ‘Hey, Maude,’ he’ll holler. ‘Get a load of this guy, and he’s a 20-game winner.’”

Lolich was born right-handed, but he broke his left shoulder as a toddler when a motorcycle fell on him. The doctor recommended that he throw left-handed to straighten out the shoulder. He followed doctor’s orders and never threw right-handed again.

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