by Rich Kincaide

On July 23, 2007, thru 97 games the Detroit Tigers led their division, the American League Central, by a season-high 2 games and had the best record in the Majors at 59-38.  Detroit had a winning percentage of .606 and was one of only 2 ML teams in with a win percentage of over .600 on that date (Boston, .604). 

From that point on however, the 2007 Tigers fell apart, playing their final 65 games at a .446 clip with a 29-36 record.  It mirrored almost exactly what the World Series team of the previous season had done when the 2006 Tigers opened 76-36 (.679) thru 112 games, good for a 10-game lead in the division on August 7, only to finish 19-31 (.380) in their final 50 games and lose the division crown on the last day of the regular season. 

But, I digress.

Take the Tigers record from their high-water mark last season until the end of the regular season (29-36) and add it to their record this season (16-21) and you’ve got a ballclub which has won 45 and lost 57 in their last 102 games.  Win Percentage: .441.

The point here is that Detroit’s slump didn’t exactly begin with the Tigers 0-7 start here in 2008.  It began last July.  

While the Tigers have won 2 of their last 3 (Detroit’s only wins in their last 8 games) we will have to wait and see if this is a trend or an anomaly.  Detroit’s 4-0 against the Yankees this season and it is, of course, New York which provides the opposition later this afternoon in the middle game of the 3-game series this weekend between the teams. 

The good news continues to be the fact that Detroit plays in the AL Central where a .500 record–the definition of mediocrity–means (as of today, anyway) you are only a game out of first.  The Tigs are in fourth place (percentage points ahead of last-place Kansas City) but because nobody in the division is going good, the Tigers are only 3.5 games off the division lead.  The Wild Card standings are an eye-opener, though.  If you were thinking that even if they don’t win their division the Tigers could still get into the playoffs as the Wild Card winner, Detroit’s 10th right now in the Wild Card standings, 6 back of the leaders.  Please make a note of it.

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By GEORGE B. EICHORN

Saying goodbye is never easy. These last few days have been especially hard for longtime sports followers in the state of Michigan as three Hall of Famers have left us in the space of several days.

They say deaths go in threes, especially in Hollywood and politics. Now, we know it happens in the sports world also as Everett “Sonny” Grandelius, George Puscas and Will Robinson have entered into eternal life.

The first to go was Grandelius, a larger than life man who was born April 16, 1929, in Muskegon Heights , Michigan and died on April 25 in Beverly Hills . He was a star football player at Michigan State , a college and pro football coach, broadcaster and gridiron executive.

Sonny was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame (MSHOF) in 2006 but honestly deserved the honor many years before that.  He led his Muskegon Heights team to back to back state championships in 1945 as a quarterback and in 1946 as a fullback when he was also selected as a first team All-State.

At MSU, he rushed for 184 yards in the 1950 season opener, establishing a then school record. During his senior season, he gained 1,023 yards and scored 11 touchdowns on 163 attempts, the 17th back in NCAA history to rush for 1000 yards or more in a season and the first at Michigan State . He was the leading scorer for the team and selected as the team’s MVP. Grandelius also was an All-American his senior year; selected by three publications including the AP.

He was ranked fourth in average career yards per carry (6.09) at Michigan State (minimum 150 attempts) and tied for 10th in rushing touchdowns for one season (11). He had seven 100-yard rushing games in his career and earned Most Valuable Player honors in the 1951 Hula Bowl. Sonny also lettered in boxing his sophomore year.

Drafted as the 11th pick in the third round (37th overall) of the 1952 NFL Draft, Grandelius played one season (1953) in the NFL for the New York Giants. He rushed 108 times for 278 yards with one touchdown and 15 receptions for 80 yards.

Grandelius was hired as the head football coach of Colorado beginning with the 1959 season. He would lead the team to greatness, including a Big Eight Conference Championship in 1961. He was the head football coach of the Buffaloes from 1959 to 1961 and posted a 20-11 (.645) record.

However, shortly after the 1962 Orange Bowl that Colorado lost, it became apparent that Grandelius had been using a secret fund to pay top recruits and their families. The NCAA investigated and released the findings on April 27, 1962, which resulted in Grandelius’ firing.

After Colorado , he went on to coaching positions with the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles. He then was an NFL color commentator for CBS for the Lions in 1965-67. Grandelius was also the general manager for the WFL Detroit Wheels in 1974.

“For any of us who were privileged enough to know Sonny and call him a friend, we knew him as one of the most honorable, respected and dignified persons in our sports history,” said Jim Stark, president, MSHOF.

“He was also instrumental in helping us to get our annual golf invitational started three years ago and served as our sponsoring member at Plum Hollow Country Club. He also served as our golf committee co-chair during the last three years. His passing is a tremendous loss for all of us who knew and respected him.”

Then came word we had lost George Puscas at age 81 on April 25 due to congestive heart failure in Pontiac . He called Beverly Hills his home.

Puscas and Joe Falls were the two big sports columnists in Detroit for a long, long time. George was best known for his insightful coverage of the Lions, the NFL and the sport of boxing. He covered the Lions 1957 NFL Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns, numerous Super Bowls and all the big fights involving the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard.

His “Love Letters of a Sports Writer” was a Free Press sports feature for almost 50 years, even 14 years following Puscas’ 1992 official retirement. Readers’ comments – in letter form — on the Lions, Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings and boxing were answered in print in only the way Puscas knew how — with a sharp pen and tongue!

George was a hard working journalist and longtime board member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. He earned his spot in the Hall in 2004 at ceremonies in Cobo Center that included Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch and Pistons owner Bill Davidson.

“I am so blown away learning that George Puscas died,” said former state boxing commissioner Stuart Kirschenbaum. “I had such a special relationship with that man. Being commissioner and George being the boxing writer for the Free Press, I must have been on the phone with George at least twice a week over a span of 12 years. He was a wonderful person and I’ll miss him dearly.”

Added Free Press sports editor Gene Myers, “Sports fans have lost a wonderful friend. George was one of Michigan ’s most influential media figures of the 20th Century.”

And then came the news that we had lost a third friend and giant of sports lore. Will Robinson, born way back on June 2, 1911 had passed away peacefully in Harper Woods on April 28. The former college basketball coach and college and pro scout was so loved and respected by the basketball world that the Pistons had already renamed their locker room in his honor.

Robinson became the first African-American head coach in Division I history when he accepted the position at Illinois State University (ISU) in 1970. He was a 1937 graduate of West Virginia State University. After graduating from college, he became a head coach at several high schools in Chicago and Detroit. He would coach such future professional athletes as Spencer Haywood, Ralph Simpson, Mel Daniels, Ted Sizemore and Doug Collins.

Robinson’s greatest acclaim came at Pershing, where he led the Doughboys to state titles in 1967 and 1970. He totaled 26 years as a basketball and football coach in the Detroit Public School League.

In 1970, Robinson became the head coach at ISU, a position he would hold until 1975. After leaving the Redbirds, he became a scout for the Detroit Lions and Detroit Pistons. He was inducted into the MSHOF in 1982 and retired from the Pistons in 2003.

At the age of 96, Robinson was still well remembered by his many friends and athletes. Many visited him in his declining years to share stories, laugh and hold his hands in a special bond of love and respect.

Will Robinson was Detroit basketball. Along with the likes of Haywood, Dave DeBusschere, Sammy Washington, Lofton Greene, Dave Bing, Bob Lanier, Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars, basketball became something special in the Motor City whether it was on the sandlots, high school gyms, college field houses or professional arenas.

Robinson left an indelible mark on this city and the sport he loved. He earned the trust of so many athletes and individuals he touched. The Pistons were so very kind to him and deserve accolades for making him a scout and assistant to the general manager. He earned three NBA Championship rings with the Pistons.

“Will Robinson was truly one of the great legends in life,” said Dumars who was scouted in 1986 by the late coach. “Will was one of a kind. Will inspired me and every other person he came in contact with. We will miss him dearly and he will always be in our hearts.”

Three giants gone, just like that, yet they left us with so many memories and smiles. May God bless them and their loved ones left behind.

Reach George Eichorn at geichorn@yahoo.com

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by Rich Kincaide

My guess is that opening with the words, “I was bored so…” is a poor way to begin an article, but I was and so I am.

I was enjoying day 2 of my 2-day free trial of MLB.TV which I had been granted for this week for “being a good customer” and was watching the Orioles at A’s game because by the time I’d gotten home the Mets at Dodgers game was 12-love in the 6th and even the chance to catch the great Vin Scully at work wasn’t worth watching that turkey.

I had, by the way, thoroughly enjoyed Day 1 of the two-day trial. MLB.TV can’t be beat. Last night, I had the Tigers on the “real” TV and was able to simultaneously via computer keep on eye on the other teams in the division; watching Cleveland come back on a three-run shot in the 8th to win in New York, seeing Gavin Floyd almost throw a no-hitter against the Twins and wrapping up the night by enjoying Scully and seeing a rare inside-the-park homer at Dodger Stadium. Like I said, I love the MLB.TV.

So, today, I had the Orioles on with Jon Miller (a fine broadcaster in his own right) doing play-by-play and he said something–I can’t remember what–that made me think of a question I wanted an answer to, so I brought up Baltimore’s Media Guide on the computer to find the answer. I don’t know if the Orioles PR Department is the best in baseball but I do know that their Media Guide used to be twice as thick as any other in the American League and that has to mean something. It’s as if the word “minutiae” had been invented just for them. And if it had in fact not been, they certainly ran with it nonetheless. Which is okay. I’m a big fan of minutiae, especially when it comes to the baseball.

Whatever question it was I’d had, had got answered, but you know it’s tough to put a Media Guide down and I found myself reading the “History of Baseball in Baltimore” section. Very interesting. Right off the bat I realized hat I’d forgotten this bit of trivia: The Baltimore Orioles were a charter member of the American League in ought-3. 1903, of course. After two less than stellar seasons, they moved to New York and became the Highlanders who later became the team whose name shall not be mentioned in this space.

Major League ball didn’t return to Baltimore until 1954 when the St. Louis Browns moved there. Interestingly, Baltimore’s records begin, according to their Media Guide, in 1954. They don’t count the Browns records, much less the Orioles of 1903-04.

I continued my reading of the Orioles’ history and got to 1966 and Baltimore’s World Series sweep of the L.A. Dodgers. I was an actual Little League catcher when that Series was played but I still remember it. Vaguely, but I remember.

Remember I’d watched the Dodgers game last night? The Dodgers came back to beat the Mets largely because when it looked like the game was going to get out of hand they brought in a relief pitcher who struck out 8, of note since 8 is only one shy of 9, and 9, as Scully pointed out, is the L.A. franchise record for most K’s in a game by a relief pitcher. Talking about it, Scully recalled Baltimore’s Moe Drabowski coming out of the pen to fan11 Dodgers in one appearance in that ‘66 Series, and that it is still a World Series record to this day.

Just recently, Sports Illustrated came out with a web feature that let’s you read an on-line version of any edition they’ve ever published. I did a search and found the issue containing the story of the 1966 World Series. I remembered the cover when I saw it since I had been an SI subscriber at the time. I was a precocious child.

The story reminded me just what a remarkable feat Baltimore’s four-game sweep of that Series really was. Drabowski’s 11-strikeout performance came in Game 1 when he relived in the bottom of the second inning. L.A. had scored a run in the first and when Drabowski walked the first man he faced to force in a run, the Dodgers had scored in each of the first two innings of the Series. They would not score again. Not later in that inning, not later in that game, and not in Game 2, Game 3 or Game 4! L.A.’s composite Series line score published below the game story in that edition said it all:

1 1 0 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000

Baltimore batted .200 in the 1966 World Series, a record low by a winner, but when you hold a foe off the board for 35 consecutive innings…

After I read the story of the ‘66 World Series, I did another search and read some of the coverage of the 1967 A.L. pennant race–like the World Series of the previous fall one of the greatest of all time. Four teams–Detroit, Chicago, Minnesota and Boston–had a chance to finish first heading into the final weekend of the season.

There was a great story in the September 18, 1967 issue which referred to the “now prideless” Baltimore Orioles, the “bizarre” American League pennant race, “Boston’s exciting young Red Sox” and an “improbable feat” accomplished by the White Sox pitching staff: blowing a 3-0 lead to the Tigers with one out in the top of the 9th on a Saturday before getting a no-hitter from Joe Horlen less than 20 hours later in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader which Chicago would go on to sweep.

The same issue contained SI’s NFL Preview for 1967 and a story by Tex Maule about labor peace in the NFL, which had merged with the AFL the year before. It was in that story that I came across a quote which has to be among the all-time greats. Maule was writing about efforts by the Teamsters Union to organize NFL players, primarily by “concentrating on Negroes”. Support for a union from the players was not widespread. Here’s a quote from a “veteran player” lifted from the Sports Illustrated story:

“A Jimmy Brown gets, say, $60,000 a year, and he’s worth it. With a union, I think it would tend to level out salaries. We average maybe $15,000 over the league now. Is the union going to get all of us that much more? I don’t think so. And it would probably cut out the shot at the big money.”

Which brings us to the title of this piece. We all know what unions have meant for player’s salaries. What were they thinking in 1967?

Time, as I say, makes fools of us all.

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by Rich Kincaide

Jerry Green of The Detroit News once pointed out in a column that whenever he was asked in the spring what kind of team he had, Sparky Anderson always used to say, “Give me 40 games and I can tell you.”

Well, the Detroit Tigers of 2008 have now played 32 games and about the only good thing we can say as we approach “The “Anderson Line” is that they play in the American League Central Division. It’s the only reason the Tigers are a mere three games out of first place. The AL Central, to this point at least, is the home of mediocrity. When the Tigers game at Minnesota got underway Saturday night, four of the five teams in the division had 14 wins. At that point, Detroit was only a game out of first. Getting swept in Minnesota has dropped ‘em, as we mentioned, three off the pace.

It’s been hard to get fired up about this ballclub. They step onto baseball’s grandest stage, Yankee Stadium, and in what will likely be the last time they see the place, sweep New York. They then proceed directly to baseballs biggest dump, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, (the worst ballpark in baseball today and perhaps the worst ballpark ever although, to be fair, I never saw Jarry Park–Le Parc Jarry–in Montreal) and promptly lose all three to the Twins, shutout in 24 of their 27 at-bats over the weekend.

It’s been like this all year. The Tigers score 37 runs and hit ten homers in a three-game sweep of the Rangers, then drop two out of three to the Angels.

They win four out of five and look like they are ready to make a move in late April after a 2-10 start, then drop two in a row to the Blue Jays.

Then this latest little embarrassment in Minneapolis after the teams first three-game sweep in New York since 1966.

It reminds me of a poem I read in Mad Magazine in the 1960’s and have never forgotten. It was called, appropriately enough, The Tigers:

They sweep New York and look so pretty,

So, why no pennant for Detroit?

Yes, the Tigers are over .500 since their 0-7 start (14-11), but they haven’t caught fire–at least not in any sustained fashion. Detroit’s longest winning streak this season is four games.

Eight games to go, and we will all know what kind of a team they have this season.

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