Justin Verlander declares himself a Detroit Tiger for life in emotional retirement ceremony

At a little after 1 p.m. today, Justin Verlander will stride out to the mound at Comerica Park to start his last game as a Detroit Tiger -- and as a Major League Baseball player. But first, Friday night, the Tigers honored Verlander with a pregame celebration to thank him (and his family) for all they've done for Detroit both on and off the field.

Detroit stars, past sports voices, and more were part of the tributes, with longtime Fox Sports Detroit (and its various related stations) John Keating opening the ceremony with the words, "There are players that you get excited to see, and then there are players that you rearrange your day to see, because when Justin Verlander was pitching you watched. In Detroit, we called it Must See (JV). ...

A No. 35 stood on the mound, and will no doubt soon find its way to the stadium's wall of fame.

Full Friday Night Ceremony for Justin Verlander Weekend

"One of the greatest pitching careers the game has ever seen," Keating continued. "The numbers belong to history. The memories belongs to us."

"For Tigers fans, you aren't just one of the greats," Keating continued. "You are one of our greats. You gave a baseball city something precious: hope. ... So from the fans who watched from the stands, from living rooms, from the neighborhood bars, the barbecues with radios playing in the background, and from a city that will always consider part of your story, part of our story. Thank you, Justin."

When the camera cut to Verlander in the dugout, he was wiping his clearly wet eyes. But weren't we all, as if weren't already a puddle of emotion?

Dan Dickerson, Jim Leyland, and many more former teammates, Tigers front office members, and personalities filmed videos for the scoreboard, with his old skipper jokingly saying, "You got mad at me a few times when I took you out. I probably should have taken you out a little earlier. "

"Justin, I'm incredibly grateful for our memories, all the battles, all the laughs, but most of our all our friendship," Verlander's old catcher, Alex Avila said, after Verlander strode out to the mound to sit by his wife, Kate, and two daughters. "Congratulations on a Hall of Fame career. You earned it. Thank you."

Branon Inge even brought him a golf cart to get around in after retirement.

Justin Verlander declares himself a Detroit Tiger for life

"I'm quite emotional," Verlander said when he stepped in front of the microphone, thanking his current and former teammates, "the late Mr. I," Mike Ilitch, and Al Kaline, and Jim Leyland.

And then came a hint. A very big hint. With some debate this year about whose hat Verlander might choose to wear a few years down the road when he becomes a Hall of Famer, he said the words that every Tigers fan wants to hear.

"And last, but certainly not least, to all the fans. I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. We've been through a lot over the years. I always hoped I'd get a chance to come back here to Detroit and finish my career where it all started. Thanks. And although I certainly didn't intend on things going the way they have this season, your love and support has meant the world to me and gotten me through a very tough season. Thank you, sincerely.

"That love and support has solidified to me that I am, and always will be, a Detroit Tiger. Thank you."

To us, he always will be.

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