January 19 Happy Birthday to Former Tigers or Detroit Wolverines

Phil Nevin was very good utility player for the Tigers. He started his major league career with the Houston Astros in 1995. He played 18 games for the Astros before he became the “player to be named later” for our sending Mike Henneman to the Astros. It was an odd trade for Tiger GM, Randy Smith, as no known catcher was involved. Phil was highly regarded before even coming to Detroit. But in Detroit it was unclear where he would be used. He had played third at Houston but the Tiges had Travis Fryman. So Phil went to the outfield for the rest of 1995. In 1996 his versatility was appearing when he was the main back up for Travis at third as well as some outfield and he played catcher for four games. At the plate Phil hit .292 with 8 homers in 120 at bats. In 1997 he played outfield, DH, third, first and caught a game while his average dropped to .235. At the end of the season Phil was sent to the Angels for catcher Matt Walbeck and minor leaguer Nick Skuse. Phil was only in Anaheim for one season before heading to the Padres. In San Diego Phil became an all star. He hit .288 over seven seasons for the Pads while playing mainly third but still spending a few games in the outfield, first and behind the plate. Part way through the 2005 season the Pads sent Phil to the Rangers. Phil had one more year in the majors before his major league career was over. He spent that last year with the Rangers, Cubs and Twins. For his 12 year career Phil was a .270 hitter with 208 homers and 743 RBI’s. In Detroit he was a .246 hitter with 19 homers and 66 RBI’s. He skippered the Toledo Mud Hens last year and on this year’s HOF balloting he did not receive a vote.

Mark Grater played two thirds of his time in the majors with the Tigers.  He started his professional career in the Cardinals system in 1986.  He had always kept a good ratio of K’s to walks at whatever level he was at.  Usually it was above 2 and one year he was above 3.  He was a mid season call up in 1991 and in three innings over three games he did not give up a run.  However, he did give up 5 hits and 2 walks.  And several of the outs were runners caught stealing.  1992 he was back in the minors at AAA Louisville and again his K to BB ratio was above 3 and his ERA was at 2.13.  But at the end of the season the Cardinals granted the 28 year old rightie free agency.  He then signed with the Tigers.   For about two weeks in May of 1993 Mark was pitching the Tiges.  He faced the Yankees, Orioles, Brewer, Blue jays and Indians.  In 6 games and 5 innings pitched he was 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA giving up 3 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks.  However, in his last game for the Tigers he pitched one inning against the Indians and sent the side down 1-2-3 with 2 K’s swinging.   Today he works for the Washington Nationals as rehab pitching coordinator. 

Rip Radcliff ended his major league career as a Tiger during the war.  Rip was actually Raymond Allen Radcliff but his dad nicknamed him Rip.  He went into the minors instead of playing for a college team because he wanted to make some money.  He originally was in the Philadelphia Athletics farm system but when Connie Mack told him he was looking for a catcher Rip suggested Hank Erickson.  So Connie Mack traded Rip to the White Sox for Hank Erickson.  Rip broke in with the Sox in 1934 and was soon the starting left fielder.  He was an all star in 1936.  The Sox traded him to the St. Louis Browns for Moose Solters after the 1939 season.  Rip then led the league in hits with 200 hits and led all left fielders in fielding percentage.  Half way through May of 1941 the Tiges purchased Rip for $25,000.  Rip played through the 1943 season with the Tiges hitting .292 with 4 homers and 70 RBI’s as a back up outfielder.  At the end of the season the Tiges traded Rip back to the Athletics for Bob Swift and Don Heffner.   But rather than go back to play for Connie Mack he joined the Navy and went to spend the next two years fighting the war.   

Dan Boone played part of four seasons in the majors and one part was with the Tigers.  He played at the University of Alabama with future major leaguers Lena Styles, Frank Pratt, Riggs Stephenson, Luke Sewell and his Hall of Fame brother Joe Sewell.  Dan made his major league debut as a Philadelphia Athletic in 1919 and in 3 games was 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA.  He was in the minors in 1920 with the Atlanta Crackers but returned to the majors in 1921 with the Tigers.  He appeared in one game and got a save.   He next appeared with the Indians in 1922 and 1923.  His final pitching stats was a 8-13 record with a 5.10 ERA.  He returned to minors and in 1926 started his next career as a hitter playing first and third.  He continued to play in the minors until he was 38 and hit .356 as a player manager in the minors.