September 9 Happy Birthday to Former Tigers or Detroit Wolverines

Edwin Jackson

Dan Miceli

Jim Proctor spent his major league cup of coffee as a Tiger.  He went to school at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in the mid 1950’s.  He also played with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues.  He was in the Milwaukee Braves organization in 1955 but in 1956 was in the Tigers farm system.  He was working his way up the farm system and was having a great season at Knoxville of the Southern Association with a 15-5 record and a 2.19 ERA when he was called up by the Tigers.  In a September 14^th game the Tigers were trailing the Washington Senators 4-0 behind pitcher Ray Narleski.  Ray was pulled in the top of the 6^th for a pinch hitter.  It did not help.  In the bottom half of the 6^th, Jim Proctor came in to pitch for the Tigers.  He faced Clint Courtney first and gave up single.  He then face future Tiger coach Billy Consolo and Billy laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Courtney to second.  He got the next batter to ground to first before a single by Dan Dobbek drove in Courtney.  It would be the only run Jim gave up.  He gave up a walk to Harmon Killebrew but then ended the inning with a pop fly.  Jim pitched one more inning and gave up leadoff triple but the runner died at third as Jim got the next three out 1-2-3, including Courtney.  But Steve Demeter pinch hit for Jim in the 8^th and his debut was over.  12 days later Jim got a start against the Chicago White Sox in Briggs Stadium.  Jim got the first two batters out, including Hall of Famer Nellie Fox.  But then he gave up a single, two walks, two more singles and a double to make the score 4-0 Sox in the first.  Jim was pulled for Jim Stump after only two thirds of an inning pitched.  His last batter faced was Johnny Callison.  Jim never faced another major league batter.  The next day the season ended and Jim was not with the Tigers coming up in 1960.  He did have a baseball card made of him in 1960 as future star but it never came to be.  Jim was in AAA Victoria in 1960 and was 15-8 with a 3.91 ERA.  But that was the last of Jim in the Tiger organization.  He was off to Cleveland in their farm system and finally in the White Sox farm before ending his pro career back in the Tigers farm system in 1963 back with Knoxville where he was 1-1 in his final pro season. 

Bud Thomas

Waite Hoyt

John Eubank