Detroit Tigers to Retire Lou Whitaker’s Number

Lou Whitaker will have his number retired by the Detroit Tigers.

After many years of waiting, and having to watch as his old teammate and his former double-play partner had their numbers immortalized, Lou Whitaker finally gets to see his number retired by the Detroit Tigers.

The announcement officially came out on February 8th via Twitter, where the Tigers posted this short video.

The news couldn’t have come at a better time, with the lockout halting all real transactions at the MLB level. Instead, the report gave many Tigers fans a brief moment of happiness.

The Great Lou Whitaker

Lou Whitaker, known as “Sweet Lou,” spent his entire career with the Tigers, playing in 2,390 big-league games from 1977 to 1995, the third most in franchise history. He won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1977, and he named an all-star five times.

He finished his career with 2,369 hits, 244 home runs, 143 stolen bases, more walks than strikeouts, and a lifetime .276 batting average. Sweet Lou was known for his defense, and for spending parts of 19 seasons playing alongside Hall-of-Famer Alan Trammell.

Lou Whitaker is one of the greatest players in Detroit Tigers history. Even after sharing the spotlight with Trammell all those years, he managed to make a name for himself. On top of being a five-time all-star, Lou won four Silver Slugger awards, and took home three Gold Glove awards as well. And he was one of the keys to the Tigers’ success in the 1980s, helping lead the club to a World Series title in 1984.

The Tigers announced Whitaker’s number would be retired on August 6th before a game with the Tampa Bay Rays. They also announced a “Double Play Ticket Package” combining tickets to Opening Day with tickets for the Whitaker retirement ceremony and a Lou Whitaker Replica Jersey.

Congrats Lou! You deserve it!