December 15 Happy Birthday to Former Tigers or Detroit Wolverines

Ray Herbert graduated from Detroit Catholic Central and then signed with the Tigers. He debuted in the minors at AAA Toledo and was 6-17 his first year with a 5.80 ERA. His next year in 1950he was 11-12 with a 3.69 ERA when he was called up to the Tiges. He made his major league debut against the Athletics in Philadelphia. He went the distance and gave up 4 runs on 6 hits but still took the loss as the Tigers only scored 3 runs. Three days later he came into a game at Washington with the Senators ahead 8-7. He pitched the last 2.2 innings and gave up no runs on three singles. But the Tigers came back and scored three runs in the 9th to give Ray his first major league victory. Ray stayed with the Tigers through 1954 with one year off for military service in 1952 during the Korean War. He was used mainly in relief for the Tigers and posted a career record of 12-14 with a 5.09 ERA for the Tigers. The Tigers sold him to the Kansas City Athletics in 1955. Ray went on to the White Sox in 1961 and had his best season in the majors in Chicago when in 1962 he won 20 games and was selected to the All Star team. He was done pitching in 1966 after he was pitching for the Phillies.

Eddie Robinson joined the Tigers in his last year in the majors. He had played since 1942 with the Indians, Senators, White Sox, Philadelphia Athletics, Yankees and Kansas City Athletics before finally joining the Tigers in 1957. Along the way to Detroit Eddie was an All Star four times and was a good first baseman. He average a .268 batting average and with about 20 homers a year over a 162 game average. He was a good fielding first baseman as well. The Tigers picked him up after the 1956 season in a trade with the Kansas City Athletics. The Tigers picked up Jack Crimian, Jim Finigan. Bill Finigan and Eddie for Wayne Belardi, Ned Garver, Gene Host, Virgil Trucks and $20,000 cash. For Detroit Eddie went hitless in 13 plate appearances in 13 games. Only one game did Eddie get in the field for the Tigers as a first baseman. He was released in May by the Tigers and picked up by the Indians, who released him about a month later only to be picked up for the last month of the season by the Orioles. Eddie went on to be GM for the Braves from 1972 through 1975 and the Rangers GM from 1977 through 1982.

Nig Clarke made his major league debut in 1905 with the Indians and also spent a bit of time with the Tigers that year. Three years before he set a professional baseball record of going 8 for 8 with each hit being a home run. He got his nickname due to his dark complexion. Obviously this was before Jackie Robinson. His real name was Jay Justin. He was with Cleveland when they "loaned" him to the Tigers on August 1. He got in 3 games as a Tiger and went 3 for 7 and scored 1 run. He was returned to Cleveland after 10 days and played six years for Cleveland. While at Cleveland he caught Addie Joss's perfect game. He is credited with inventing the catchers shin guards. He died in 1949 in River Rouge, MI, two years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and there were no longer any players with the moniker "Nig".