Memo to The 1984 Detroit Tigers: Thanks for the Memories! Thank You for Being a Friend!

When you grow up with a sports team, you almost think you are part of them.  You welcome them into your homes.  Sharing them on your radios. Hundreds of nights listening to legendary Ernie Harwell and Paul Carey late into the night, being serenaded with them, thinking of them as my best friends .  Reading about them like you are reading a letter from them.  They become family to you.  That is how it was like for me growing up with the Detroit Tigers.  We shared the ups and downs.  We cried tears of sorrows together and tears of joy.  That 1984 Detroit Tigers team may not have known it, but they shared those tears with me!  

The 1927 Yankees can take a back seat for a moment.  The 2004 Boston Red Sox cannot match this.  The Dodgers, and every other franchise, step aside as the 1984 Detroit Tigers were one the best, and after 40 games, are still the best.  

This past weekend, The Detroit Tigers celebrated their 40th anniversary of the 1984 World Series champion team.  All but two of the living Tigers from that team were in attendance.  It culminated Saturday night with a dominant performance by the leading Cy Young award winning candidate, Tarik Skubal.  

Kirk Gibson, Alan Trammel, Lou Whitaker, Lance Parrish, Jack Morris, the list goes on and on.   Chet Lemon made it, as tough as it was for him, he made it.  These were the players of my youth.  They started to come along, as well as Sparky Anderson in the mid to late 1970s.  The Tigers were great in the late 60s early 70s, and then suffered greatly.  Then one by one, through the farm system, players like Whitaker and Trammel came up.  Morris, Dan Petry.  Then Lance Parrish and Kirk Gibson.  As a teenager, I would watch the Yankees, Reds, Dodgers, and Red Sox win every year.  The Tigers were far apart, losing 100 games.  There were creeping closer and closer, but still far far apart.  

Kansas City would win every year.  The Pirates and Baltimore Orioles were always decent and went to the World Series, but the Tigers were still far far away.  Then they clicked.  The strike shortened season of 1981 got the Tigers close, a due or die final weekend series, but they couldn't quite get there.  1983 the Tigers got close, but Baltimore stood in their way.  But in 1984, there was no one that was going to stand in their way.  

The Tigers started out so fast.  Jack Morris getting a no hitter in the fourth game of the season.  Timely hitting from names like Bar
baro Garbey, Rusty Kuntz, and Marty Castillo.  Acquisitions like Rupert Jones and his timely home runs just added to the lore of the 84 Tigers.  Detroit started out 35-5.  Some say they coasted.  Others would say that it was that much more difficult to maintain that start with the spotlight on them.  Detroit swept through Kansas City in the ALCS.  They took San Diego in five games.  A gentleman's sweep, if you will.  But it was more than that.  It was the culmination of a journey for all of us young and old Tigers fans of the day.

I would listen to stories from my grandfather listening to Harry Heilman and the 1945 Detroit Tigers.  Hear stories of the 1961 Detroit Tigers, winning over 100 games and not getting a smell.  I was three years old when Detroit won it all in 68.  So I have no recollection.  I can remember being allowed to play hooky in 72, watching Larrin Legrow getting the bat thrown at him by Bert Campenaris in the '72 ALCS.  Detroit lost to Oakland that year in 5.  After that, years of hope.  Never giving up hope.  Circling the one or two games of the year they may be on national TV.  Watching Mark Fydrich take the world by storm in 1976.  

This team was the team of my youth.  We grew together.  a long suffering Tigers fan, taking my lumps along with Trammell, Whitaker, Petry, and the rest.  But it was all worth it watching that magical run.  One that hasn't been topped after 40 games.  No one can say they were better.  No Yankees team, Dodgers, or anybody.  

Thank you for the memories.  Always brings a smile to my face.  40 years ago.  It seems like yesterday.  And when I saw all the old gang get back together, it brought those tears back again. Tears of joy that's for sure.  THANK YOU, and Bless you Boys!!

Join me Tuesday nights at 7pmET for Captain Lou's Champions of Sports History, where we take a look back at the great champions including the 1984 Detroit Tigers.  Watch here:  
https://12ozsports.com/