Mad Dog’s Favorite Detroit Tiger is Al Kaline

Another fun debate to have is who is your favorite Detroit Tiger of all time? Well, that’s pretty easy for me. It’s Mr. Tiger the late great Al Kaline.

Kaline wore number six for the Tigers. He played in Detroit his entire career. For 22 seasons, Al Kaline owned right field in Tiger Stadium.

Kaline had a strange route to the Major Leagues. He came from the sandlots of Baltimore and high school right to the parent team the Detroit Tigers. He was 18 years old and in 1953 he came to the Tigers and never spent one day in the minors. Two years later he was the youngest player to win an AL batting title batting, hitting .340.

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Al Kaline was absolutely pure greatness. His plaque in Cooperstown—where he was inducted in 1980—states so many wonderful accomplishments and achievements. Al Kaline was just a perfect, classic baseball player that many players emulated. He was the leader of his team and in 1968 the Tigers defeated the Cardinals to win the World Series.

In right field he was the master. Kaline had a rocket arm and could play right field as good or better than anyone ever to play the game. Denny McClain told me his teammate Mr. Kaline is one of the best players that could get an RBI in a tight game. He was almost automatic manufacturing RBIs.

All I can say is this AL Kaline is my favorite Tiger of all time. Plain and simple. Now, you have to tell me, who is your favorite Tiger of all time?