Tigers Iconic Pitcher Mickey Lolich Passes Away at Age of 85
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The Detroit Tigers lost a legend on Wednesday morning.
As first reported by the Detroit Free Press, 1968 World Series MVP Mickey Lolich passed away at the age of 85 on Wednesday. A 13-year veteran of the Tigers, Lolich was a staple of that era and one of the biggest reasons the team was able to capture a championship that fateful season.
Making three starts and pitching 27 innings, he posted a 1.67 ERA and 0.963 WHIP in the seven-game series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals to give Detroit its third World Series title in franchise history.
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Lolich Will Be Missed Dearly by Tigers Fans
Beyond the absurd three complete game victories in the 1968 World Series -- something which cannot even be comprehended in today's day and age -- Lolich had a long and legendary career for the organization.
In over 500 appearances, he had a 3.45 ERA and a bWAR of 46.7, posting an overall record of 207-175 and tossing 3361.2 innings while wearing a Detroit uniform. Though he would fall short of Cooperstown, his 1971 season was one of the best in franchise history.
Winning 25 games to lead Major League Baseball, Lolich made an incredible 45 starts and threw 376 innings that year, pitching to a 2.92 ERA and facing over 1,500 batters. A true staple of what the game used to be, the southpaw's incredible career will be talked about for generations of fans to come.
Lolich Put Up Some Incredible Numbers Throughout Career
According to the Detroit Free Press article breaking the news of his death, Lolich struck out more hitters than Hall of Famers Bob Feller, Warren Spahn, Don Drysdale, Christy Mathewson, Cy Young and his childhood idol, Whitey Ford.
He is fifth all time in strikeouts for left-handed pitchers, behind only Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton, CC Sabathia and Clayton Kershaw. A three-time All-Star, Tigers fans of the old guard will remember the fun-loving lefty as a franchise hero, and that is how his memory will go down.
This season, you can expect to see Lolich honored at Comerica Park in some capacity as fans pay tribute to the icon.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.