Tuesday, September 23, 2014

September 23 Happy Birthday to Former Tigers or Detroit Wolverines

Joba Chamberlain

Jim Morrison almost ended his career as a Detroit Tiger.  He was a ten year veteran of the Phillies, White Sox and Pirates when he was traded to the Tigers in August of 1987 for Darnell Coles and Morris Madden.  He was a utility player for the Tigers although he spent half his time at third.  The other positions he played were DH, 2B, SS, RF, 1B, and LF.  He hit .205 for the Tiges in 1987 and was with the team in the playoffs.  In the playoffs he went 2 for 5 with a run scored.  He came back to the Tigers in 1988 and was hitting .216 when the Tigers released him in June.  4 days later he was picked up by the Braves and played 51 games before the season ended and the Braves let him go.

Jim Rooker started his major league career with 2 games as a pitcher in the Tigers great 1968 season.  He started his pro career as an outfielder as the Tigers signed him as a centerfielder in 1960.  He was converted to a pitcher in the Tigers farm system in 1966.  He finally got a chance pitch in the bigs in 1968 after being called up multiple times and returned to Toledo without having pitched a pitch.  He pitched finally threw 4.2 innings and gave up 2 runs on four hits and did not get a decision in 2 games as a Tiger pitcher.  But his time as a Tiger was short lived.  He was sold to the Yankees in September of 1968 as part of the transaction that brought John Wyatt to the Tigers and two weeks later was drafted by the Royals as part of the expansion draft.  He went on to play 12 years with the Royals and Pirates and posted a career 103-109 record.  Twice in his career he won 15 games.  After he his career he became a broadcaster for the Pirates. 

Lefty Stewart was a left handed pitcher for the Tigers.  He started his career in 1921 at the age of 20 with the Tigers.  He got in 5 games and pitched 9 innings giving up 12 runs on 20 hits.  He then went down to the minors and three times won 20 games at the A and AA levels before coming back to the majors in 1927.  From 1927 until 1935 he pitched for the St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians and posted a career record of 101 and 98. 

Biff Schaller

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