Detroit Tigers: The forgotten season of 1972

How hard is it to repeat as World Series Champions? Just ask the Detroit Tigers of the early 1970’s.

The Detroit Tigers were world champions in 1968, breaking a 23 year old drought. However, it would be another 16 years before they made it back to the World Series, in their magical 1984 season. In the meantime, what happened? Staff writer Jim Kramer takes a look:

A different era of baseball

Following the successful 1968 campaign, the Detroit Tigers struggled to regain their championship ways. The 1969 Bengals finished a distant second place to the Baltimore Orioles.

In the newly established American League Eastern Division, they completed the season with a 90-72 record. That put them 19 games behind the Orioles.

In an era dominated by great pitching, changes were underway to balance the scales.

In 1969, Major League baseball lowered the pitching mound to 10 inches above home plate.

This was an attempt to eradicate pitching dominance. The average major league ERA that year was 2.98. Today we would look at a pitcher with that type of earned run average as dominate. Since the mound was lowered, the ERA for Major League pitchers has been 4.06.

Although it has been only 50 years, the game has changed dramatically.

The 2003 Detroit Tigers are often labeled the ‘worst team ever’.  Their cumulative batting average was .240. In contrast, the 1968 World Series Champs had a cumulative batting average of .235.

Post World Series Seasons

In the years following the championship, the Detroit Tigers struggled to repeat as a champion.

Under the management of Mayo Smith, the Tigers dipped to 4th place in 1970. Knowing that their stars were growing old, the Tigers made a change.

In 1971, the Detroit Tigers hired Billy Martin. Immediately, the Tigers jumped back into contention. While, the majority of Tiger stars from the 1968 team remained, there were significant subtractions.

In 1970, the Tigers traded star pitcher Denny McClain to Washington. In exchange, the Tigers received Aurelio Rodriguez, Ed Brinkman and Joe Coleman.

The 1971 Detroit Tigers finished  91 – 71 in second place.

The 1972 Season

The season began under the pale of a players strike. By the time of resolution, a total of 86 games were lost. That fact would have significant ramifications.

Many of the Tigers’ stars were now aging. Al Kaline and Norm Cash were 37 and a total of 16 players were in their in their 30’s.

‘Billy Ball,’ Martin’s unique managing style, and pitching ultimately led the Tigers to a championship season.

The Tigers were well past their prime and had very few power hitters. Consequently, Martin instituted small ball. It was a form of baseball that became known as Billy Ball.

While Billy Ball produced a substantial run total, pitching was the key to success.

The regulars were led by Kaline, who had a .314 batting average, and Cash who had 22 home runs and 61 RBI. Mickey Lolich and Joe Coleman led the team in wins. Lolich finished the season with 22 wins, struck out 259 batters and had an ERA of 2.50.

But it was the late season acquisition of Woody Fryman that carried the Tigers. While the Bengals were struggling to win games, Fryman had a 10 – 3 record and a 2.06 era in the last months of the season.

Oddly enough, the most significant reason the Tigers would win the division was the early season strike. The Tigers would play one more game than the Red Sox and finish a half game ahead.