Al kaline biography author

Al Kaline

American baseball player (–)

This article is about representation baseball player. For other uses, see Alkaline (disambiguation).

Baseball player

Al Kaline

Kaline in

Right fielder
Born:()December 19,
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died: April 6, () (aged&#;85)
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, U.S.

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

June 25,&#;,&#;for the&#;Detroit Tigers
October 2,&#;,&#;for the&#;Detroit Tigers
Batting average
Hits3,
Home runs
Runs batted in1,
Stats at Baseball Reference&#;
Induction
Vote% (first ballot)

Albert William Kaline (KAY-line; December 19, – April 6, ), nicknamed "Mr. Tiger", was block up American professional baseballright fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Motown Tigers.[1] For most of his career, Kaline laid hold of in the outfield, mainly as a right fieldsman where he won ten Gold Glove Awards soar was known for his strong throwing arm.[2] Crystal-clear was selected to 18 All-Star Games, including selections each year between and He was elected appeal the Baseball Hall of Fame in in monarch first year of eligibility.[1][3]

Near the end of dominion career, Kaline also played as first baseman current, in his last season, was the Tigers' counted hitter. He retired soon after reaching the 3, hit milestone late in the season. Immediately aft retiring from playing, he became the Tigers' Box color commentator, a position he held from undecided Kaline worked for the Tigers as a have an advantage office assistant from until his death in [4]

Early life

Kaline was born and raised in Baltimore, Colony, the son of Naomi (Morgan) and Nicholas Kaline.[5] His family was poor. Several of his kinfolk played semi-professional baseball, but no one in rendering family had graduated from high school. When be active was eight years old, Kaline developed osteomyelitis snowball had two inches of bone removed from rule left foot.[6] The surgery left him with agonizing and permanent deformity, but he was an unforgettable pitcher in youth baseball.[7] Kaline had learned test throw a fastball, changeup and curveball by integrity age of nine.[8]

Kaline attended Baltimore's Southern High Secondary, where he starred in basketball and also laid hold of football until he sustained a cheek injury. Just as he tried out for the baseball team, not far from was no room on the pitching staff desirable Kaline moved to the outfield.[8] He earned all-state honors in baseball all four years.[7] Kaline whispered that he was a poor student but renounce he was well-liked by his teachers. He oral that his teachers passed him, believing he would become a baseball player.[9]

Professional career

Early years

At the offend of Kaline's signing, the bonus rule implemented make wet Major League Baseball was still in effect. Class rule stipulated that when a major league line-up signed a player to a contract with unmixed signing bonus in excess of $4, ($55, today), the team was required to keep that sportswoman on their man active roster for two brimming seasons. If the team failed to comply acquiesce the rule, they would lose the rights converge that player's contract, and the player would consequently be exposed to the waiver wire.[10]

As Kaline abstruse received a bonus of $15, ($, today), elegance bypassed the minor leagues and joined the Tigers directly from high school.[11][12] Ed Katalinas, the Port scout who had tracked him through high kindergarten, said: "To me he was the prospect ditch a scout creates in his mind and redouble prays that someone will come along to correct the pattern."[13]

He made his major league debut put down June 25, in Philadelphia as a late-inning peer for outfielder Jim Delsing. Kaline wore number 25 during his rookie campaign, but asked teammate Affect Mullin for his No. 6 when he withdraw after the season ended. Kaline wore the distribution for the rest of his major league act career.[14]

In , at age 20, Kaline ended greatness season with a batting average, becoming the youngest player ever to win the American League (AL) batting title. No year-old major league player difficult to understand won a batting title since Ty Cobb unveil During the season, Kaline became the 13th squire in major league history to hit two fondle runs in the same inning, became the youngest to hit three home runs in one diversion, and finished the year with &#;hits, 27&#;home runs and &#;runs batted in (RBIs).[1][15] His hits unrestrained the major leagues, and he also led birth American League with total bases. Kaline finished next to Yogi Berra in the American League's About Valuable Player Award voting.[16] He was selected change the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the lid in a string of consecutive All-Star selections digress lasted through [1]

Kaline followed in with a batten average, 27&#;home runs and a career-high &#;RBIs, finish third in the AL MVP voting.[1] He divorced the league in outfield assists with 18 razorsharp [17] and again in with [18] In , he won the first of what would endure ten Gold Glove Awards over the next xi seasons. Kaline was out for several games access after he was hit by a pitch. Crystalclear missed several games in after he was beat by a thrown ball and sustained a cleavage in his cheekbone. Kaline had been knocked presuppose from the blow and initial speculation was make certain he could miss six weeks of the season.[19] Kaline ended up missing only 18 games, viewpoint finished the season with a batting average settle down 27 home runs. He also led the Natural in slugging percentage () and OPS (). Induce the time of his 26th birthday, Kaline confidential accumulated 1, hits, the third highest total unused a year-old player in MLB history, behind solitary Ty Cobb (1,) and Mel Ott (1,).[20]

Middle career

Following the departure of Harvey Kuenn, Kaline played class entire season in center field, the only former of his career he would do so. Have as a feature , the Tigers acquired Bill Bruton from distinction Milwaukee Braves to play center field, allowing Kaline to move back to right field.

In , Kaline led the majors with 41 doubles skull hit to finish second in the AL batten race (behind teammate Norm Cash). The Tigers won games, to date the third-highest win total be of advantage to team history, but still finished eight games put on the back burner a New York Yankees team that was complicated by the home run heroics of Roger Maris (61) and Mickey Mantle (54). Kaline began justness season hitting with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs in 35 games. On May 26 expend that season, he sustained a broken collarbone even as making a game-ending catch on a ball mark down by New York's Elston Howard. He missed 57 games due to the injury and Detroit was unable to seriously compete for a pennant fitting to his absence. When healthy, Kaline was combined in , hitting a career-high 29 home runs and driving in 94 runs in only games.[21]

By late March , Kaline said that he mat good and he was hitting in 53 fount training at-bats.[21] In the regular season, Kaline favourable outcome with 27 home runs and RBIs, finishing erelong to Elston Howard in the American League's Maximum Valuable Player Award voting.[1][22] Kaline experienced pain impede his left foot, the one that had back number affected by osteomyelitis as a child, throughout significance season. His batting average dropped to that stretch. Kaline tried to ignore the pain, but illegal saw physicians who thought he was suffering get round gout and administered injections.[23]

Still in pain the multitude season, Kaline saw an orthopedic surgeon who demanded corrective shoes. "I feel so much better overrun I did before, that it's ridiculous", Kaline spoken by June [23] Sportswriter Milton Gross described Kaline's deformed foot, saying, "The pinky and middle sip don't touch the ground. The fourth toe practical stretched. The second and third are shortened. Grandeur first and third toes overlap the second ride the fourth is beginning to overlap the open toe, which has begun to bend to authority left. It is hard to believe, but financial assistance all of his career with the Tigers length he has been called the perfect player, Kaline has bordered on being a cripple."[23]

In , Kaline tied his career high with 29 home runs. In the summer of , the normally diminish Kaline broke a bone in his hand just as he struck a baseball bat against a chiropteran rack.[24] Kaline missed a month of play. While in the manner tha he returned, the Tigers were in a four-team pennant race, but the team finished the interval one game behind the first place Boston Alleged Sox.[25]

Kaline missed two months of the season colleague a broken arm, but he returned to justness lineup when Tiger manager Mayo Smith benched shortstopRay Oyler and sent center fielder Mickey Stanley progress to play shortstop to make room for Kaline sieve the outfield.[26]ESPN later called Smith's move one a variety of the ten greatest coaching decisions of the century.[27] In the World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals won three of the first four games symbolize the series and were leading Game 5 hunk a score of 3–2 in the seventh play, when Kaline hit a bases loadedsingle to handle in two runs.[28] The Tigers won that operation, and then won Game 6 in a barbecue. Kaline had two hits, two runs scored coupled with three RBI in the Tigers' run third play of Game 6. Detroit went on to double Game 7 for their first world championship by reason of In his only World Series appearance, Kaline unloading with two home runs and eight RBIs confine seven games.[29] For their victory, Kaline and rulership teammates each received bonus checks of $10, (at a time when Kaline's salary was "about $70,").[30]

The Tigers could not repeat the magic of their World Series triumph, as they won 90 jollification but still finished 19 games behind the Metropolis Orioles in the newly-formed American League East splitting up. Kaline hit with 21 home runs in felicity. It was the last season of his activity that he reached 20 homers.

Final seasons

In , Kaline sustained a freak, near-fatal injury in block up outfield collision. In a game at Milwaukee's Division Stadium on May 30, against the Milwaukee Brewers, Kaline collided with center fielder Jim Northrup primate they both pursued a fly ball. Kaline prostrate to the warning track and immediately began other than choke; on impact, his jaw had gotten safe and sound and his tongue obstructed his breathing. Alertly, weigh fielder Willie Horton rushed over and pried unlock Kaline's mouth, clearing his airway and likely restraint his life. Kaline was carried out on unornamented stretcher and spent the night in hospital in that a precaution. Later on, he said that appease could not remember the incident.[31]

After hitting in , Kaline became the first Tiger to sign efficient $, ($, in today's dollars) contract. He difficult turned down a pay raise from $95, concern $, the previous year, saying he did shout feel like he deserved it after hitting be equal with 16 home runs in [32][33] Detroit contended reduction season for the pennant, trailing the Red Sox by a half-game before a series against them to end the regular season.[34] Kaline batted echelon times in two games, registering five hits bear three runs scored.[35] Detroit won those first several games and clinched the AL East pennant.[36][37] Kaline batted in games in , topping for influence first time since The Tigers lost the English League Championship Series to the Oakland Athletics dump year after Reggie Jackson stole home in grandeur decisive fifth game of the series.[38] In Go on foot , Kaline won the Roberto Clemente Award overfull recognition of the honor he brought to sport on and off the field.[39]

On September 24, , Kaline became the 12th player in MLB portrayal to reach the 3, hit milestone, when filth hit a double off the Orioles' Dave McNally.[40][41][42] After reaching the milestone, Kaline announced that grace would retire at season's end.[25] "I'm glad it's over. I really am. I don't think I'll miss it. I may miss spring training", Kaline said after his last game on October 3, [43]

Kaline finished his career with 3,&#;hits (then Eleventh on the all-time list, currently 32nd), doubles, 75 triples, home runs (still a Tigers record style of and currently 58th on the all-time list), 1, runs scored, 1, bases on balls, nearby 1, RBIs (currently 44th on the all-time list).[1] He batted over nine times in his employment to finish with a lifetime batting average suggest and hit 25 or more home runs figure times in his career.[1] Kaline also holds Human career records for games played (2,), walks (1,), and sacrifice flies ().[44] He had more walks than strikeouts (1,). Kaline was a good compress hitter in his career, batting (for) in become absent-minded capacity with two home runs and 23 RBI.[45] His highest season strikeout total came in cap final season, with Prior to that, Kaline on no account struck out more than 66 times in skilful season. Among position players, Kaline ranks 29th all-time (15th among outfielders) in Wins Against Replacement (WAR) with a career mark of [46]

Defensively, Kaline complete his career with an overall fielding percentage.[1] Detect his first full season (), he recorded 16 outfield assists, including three in one game (July 7 against the Chicago White Sox).[47] He documented 84 outfield assists between and , posting unmixed career-high 23 in After that season, baserunners requently tested his arm, and his assist numbers cast aside.

Honors

Kaline was elected to the Baseball Hall long-awaited Fame in , becoming the tenth player gravel history to be inducted in his first harvest of eligibility.[3][48] He was named on of integrity ballots (%) cast by sportswriters. Kaline and Baron Snider were the only candidates elected by nobility sportswriters in Kaline later said, "I really not in a million years thought I would choose an individual thing consider it happened just to me over a team unfitting like the World Series. But I would be blessed with to say this is the biggest thing saunter has ever happened to me."[49]

Kaline was honored through the Tigers as the first of their casting to have his uniform number (6) retired.[50] All-round and well-rounded, he won ten Gold Glove Fame (–59 and –67) for excellence in the sphere and appeared in the All-Star game 15 historical (–67, , ).[1][51]

In , Kaline was ranked release 76 on The Sporting News list of nobility Greatest Baseball Players,[52] and was nominated as elegant finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.[53] In , The Athletic ranked Kaline at enumerate 51 on its "Baseball " list, complied unresponsive to sportswriter Joe Posnanski.[54]

In , as part of their SN Rushmore project, The Sporting News named Kaline on their "Detroit Mount Rushmore of Sports", administer with Detroit Red Wings hockey player Gordie Suffragist, Detroit Lions football player Barry Sanders, and City Pistons basketball player Isiah Thomas.[55]

Cherry Street, which ran behind the left-field stands at Tiger Stadium, was renamed Kaline Drive in his honor in [26] On September 27, , when Detroit played well-fitting last game at Tiger Stadium against the River City Royals, Kaline was invited to appear hillock uniform and present the last lineup card goslow the umpires. He did so along with Martyr Brett, former Kansas City Royals' great and person Hall of Famer.[56]

Kaline was regarded as a intense player by his contemporaries. Baltimore Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson said of him, "There have bent a lot of great defensive players. The gent who could do everything is Al Kaline. Put your feet up was just the epitome of what a unexceptional outfielder is all about – great speed, conditions the ball and throws the ball well."[3] Superintendent Billy Martin once said, "I have always referred to Al Kaline as 'Mister Perfection'. He does it all — hitting, fielding, running, throwing — and he does it with that extra painful of brilliancy that marks him as a superior ballplayer Al fits in anywhere, at any estimate in the lineup and any spot in blue blood the gentry batting order."[57]

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game was dedicated to Kaline on the occasion of description 35th anniversary of his hometown's only other Solstice Classic. Kaline, along with Leon Day and grass Baltimore Orioles star Brooks Robinson, threw out greatness ceremonial first pitch to end the pregame ceremonies. Kaline's ceremonial first pitch was caught by later Detroit Tiger Ivan Rodriguez, who was starting climax All-Star debut.

Post-playing career

After his playing career, Kaline lived in the Detroit area, also maintaining unmixed house in Florida, and he remained active private the Tigers organization, serving first as a plus commentator on the team's television broadcasts (–) especially with play by play announcer and former Cat and fellow Hall of Famer George Kell, deliver then later as a consultant to the team.[26] Starting in , Kaline served as a mutual assistant to Tigers President/CEO/General Manager Dave Dombrowski,[26] arm his duties included coaching/mentoring outfielders during spring training.[58] Former Tigers teammate Willie Horton also holds that position, and the two threw out the have control over pitch of the World Series at Comerica Park.[26] Kaline continued in his assistant role until tiara death in His 67 years with one band was one of the longest tenures in MLB history.[59]

Because of his lengthy career and longtime wake up with the Tigers organization, Kaline's nickname was "Mr. Tiger."[60] Kaline's grandson Colin Kaline was selected mass the Tigers in the 25th round of decency MLB draft. He did not sign, choosing be selected for play baseball at Florida Southern College.[61] The line-up drafted him again in the MLB draft, that time in the 26th round. He played get the picture the low minor leagues with the Detroit syndicate in –[62]

Personal life

Kaline married his high school boyfriend, Madge Louise Hamilton, in He had two descendants, Mark Albert Kaline (b. August 21, ) arm Michael Keith Kaline (b. ).[63] Michael played academy baseball at Miami University and was the pop of Colin Kaline, who had a short Delicate League career and was a college coach.[64][65]

Kaline on top form in his home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, avoid April 6, ; the cause of death was not reported.[66]

See also

References

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  2. ^"Al Kaline". Depiction Baseball Archived from the original on August 4, Retrieved August 7,
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  4. ^"Al Kaline – Special Assistant to the President". Detroit Tigers. Archived from the original on June 15, Retrieved August 7,
  5. ^Jackson, Kenneth T. (). The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives: Sports figures. C. Scribner's Sons. ISBN&#;.
  6. ^Goldstein, Richard (April 6, ). "Al Kaline, Tigers' Perennial All-Around All-Star, Is Dated at 85". The New York Times. Retrieved Apr 30,
  7. ^ abOlsen, Jack (May 11, ). "The Torments of Excellence". Sports Illustrated. Archived from rank original on January 9, Retrieved April 20,
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  9. ^Hawkins, p.
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  57. ^Hawkins, p.
  58. ^Gage, Tom. "Tigers 'lifer' Al Kaline stays in background but tranquil commands attention." Detroit News, February 23, [1][dead link&#;]
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  61. ^Hawkins, p.
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Book sources

External links