R.I.P. Al Kaline

Al Kaline, a Hall of Fame outfielder who played 22 seasons in the Major Leagues, all with the Detroit Tigers, died on April 6th, 2020. He was 85.

Kaline, who was born and raised in Baltimore, signed with the Tigers out of high school in 1953, and never played in the minor leagues. He appeared in 30 games in 1953. Just two years later, 20 year old Kaline became the youngest player ever to win an American League batting title. He broke the record for the youngest AL batting champion which had been held by another Detroit Tigers Hall of famer–Ty Cobb. Kaline hit .340 with 27 homers and 102 RBIs; he led the league with 200 hits. In 1956, he drove in a career high 128 runs while hitting .314.

In 1968, Kaline played in his only World Series, and made the most of the opportunity. he was 11 for 29 (.379) with two doubles, two home runs, and eight RBIs. The Tigers beat the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.

Kaline retired after the 1974 season. He finished with 3007 hits, 498 doubles, 399 homers, and 1582 RBIs. He was a 10-time Gold Glove winner as an outfielder. After retiring as a player, Kaline worked as a broadcaster for the Tigers as well as in the club’s front office. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980, the first year he was on the ballot.