Liblong column spurs Tigers memory for reader

Dear Editor,

As I scrolled through the online edition of the April 22 edition of Tri-City Times, I was again very much impressed and entertained by the column posted from Rick Liblong, ‘Pitching the new baseball’.

It brought plenty of restful relief from paying attention to the US War in Iran. (Please don’t ask me about that dangerous conundrum that our beloved nation finds itself in, thanks).

Rick attended his first Detroit Tigers game in 1957, at the old Briggs Stadium, which soon had a name change to Tigers Stadium when the new owner, John Fetzer purchased the team in 1961.

Being a decade younger than Rick, I’ve always known the old stadium as Tigers Stadium.

It is where I saw my first Detroit Tigers game in late season Sept. 1967 when the Tigers were in one of the most exciting AL pennant races ever. Our hometown team was victorious over the California Angels in the Saturday night game of the season.

Although, the team didn’t win the AL pennant race which was being hard fought for by four teams, I fondly remember the very first magical time I set my eyes on the green grass playing field.

It was a heavenly experience for a 10-year-old kid from Detroit’s Charles Terrace housing projects!

The next year, I followed the Detroit Tigers religiously as they stormed to victory and won the MLB World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals!

And there were many games I attended at Tigers Stadium in the years to come. Whether it was seeing my hero Al Kaline pound a home run, and his cohorts Willie Horton, Jim Northrup, and Denny McClain to name a few! It was also memorable in seeing the next generation Tigers players, Mark ‘The Bird’ Fidrych do his thing on the mound, Jack Morris throwing some of the most fierce pitches in MLB history, and seeing Kirk Gibson step up to the plate.

Fast forward decades later, and my late dear wife and I decide to purchase a mini-season pack of tickets for the new Comerica Park.

Now, that was a commitment, with being a Dryden Twp. resident and driving 50 miles south to the new ballpark. We kept them tickets for the next 12-years and enjoyed every game attended.

But as seasons passed by, it was getting more challenging for Sharon due to her scoliosis, so we decided not to attend, no big deal, we could always follow the team on our satellite TV.

And then comes our modern-era MLB teams and the humongous salaries the players are receiving.

When I heard earlier this year the the Boston Red Sox’s signed shortstop Alex Bergman to a 3-year deal for $120 million, I thought, it’s no wonder why I no longer attend MLB games, nor really pay strict attention to the Detroit Tigers, or any other MLB games anymore.

I’ve always worked hard for a living, and I’m not about to throw away my money to any professional sports team.

Most especially our hometown team that depended on government subsidies to build new Comerica Park stadium, then pays ludicrous salaries to its star baseball players.
And, to add insult to injury, there were never any $5.00 Little Caesars pizza specials to be had at Comerica Park, which I could never figure out, other than the shear, massive greed of the Ilitch family ownership of the team.

But , I shall always cherish the many memories of attending Detroit Tigers games for nearly a half-century!

I also remember the very first time I met newly-appointed Detroit Free Press sportswriter Mitch Albom.

It was at an early morning live radio show, hosted by former FM radio rock jock Jim ‘JJ’ Johnson, held at the old La Notte nightclub in Clinton Twp.

Johnson brought in a special guest who Mitch was going to write about. It was none other that just released from prison former Detroit Tigers pitching star Denny McClain.

My first words to Mitch after introduction were, in reference to McClain, was how does a man that good go that bad and end up in prison being convicted of racketeering, extortion, and cocaine dealing? Mitch just glanced at me with giving no reason.

A few years later, Mitch married Janine Sabino, she’s one of my and my late-wife Sharon’s classmates from the Denby HS Class of ‘74.

Very nice, good-hearted people, when I seen them at the 50th year class reunion, they immediately approached me to offer the most sincere condolence for Sharon’s passing.

It’s a sports related, personal memory I shall forever remember.

—Ken Hreha
Dryden, Mi.