Detroit Tigers: Alan Trammell and Jack Morris are (finally) Hall of Famers

Detroit Tigers shortstop and franchise icon Alan Trammell and longtime starting pitcher Jack Morris were inducted by the Modern Era committee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Detroit Tigers fans will finally have a reason to vacation to Cooperstown this summer. For the first time since Hal Newhouser was elected in 1992 a player will enter the Hall of Fame wearing the Old English D.

Alan Trammell and Jack Morris were both inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday, December 10th at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida.

Lou Whitaker, Trammell’s long time double play partner, was left off the Modern Era ballot.

Trammell played for the Tigers his entire career, debuting in 1977 and retiring in 1996.

In that time he accrued 2,365 hits, 185 home runs, 236 stolen bases, six all-star game appearances, four Gold Glove awards, three Silver Slugger Awards, a World Series MVP and a 70.4 WAR.

Morris was not a lifelong Tiger, but he was on the team from 1977-1990. The winningest pitcher of the 1980’s, Morris went 198-150 with a 3.73 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in a Tiger uniform, before playing one year in Minnesota, two in Toronto and one final season in Cleveland.

The five time All-Star and 1991 World Series MVP spent 15 seasons on the Hall of Fame ballot, topping out at 61.5% of the vote in his final year.

Trammell and Morris become the 21st and 22nd hall of famers to play for the Tigers, and the ninth and tenth to have spent more than half their career in Detroit.

Trammell is only the third player, along with Charlie Gehringer and Al Kaline, to have played his entire career in the Motor City.

Each had to wait a long time to hear their name called.

Trammell was on the regular Hall of Fame ballot from 2002-2016, never receiving more than 40.9% of the votes.

Players need 75% for induction.

The 59-year-old Trammell is still with the organization, serving as a special assistant to general manager Al Avila.

Trammell will not deny that the Hall of Fame was on his mind leading up to Sunday’s vote.

“That would be overwhelming,” Trammell said last month in an interview with USA Today. “I’d probably shed a few tears, and good tears”.

Trammell went on to advocate for his long time double play partner, Lou Whitaker, saying his dream was to go into the Hall of Fame with him. While that sadly will not happen, Whitaker may get another opportunity in two years.

Whitaker had a 74.9 career WAR, made five all-star games and won three Gold Glove Awards. Yet somehow he only received 2.9% of the vote in his lone year on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Next: What about Lou Whitaker?

The Hall redeemed themselves big time with the additions of both Alan Trammell and Jack Morris. It is time for Lou Whitaker to get his due as well.