Leon Roberts
started his career as a “local boy done good” as a Tiger. He was born in Vicksburg, MI and
attended U of M although he does not appear to have played on the team. The Tigers drafted him and he rapidly
worked his way up the Tigers farm system making AAA Evansville in only his
third season and hitting .285 was second on the team in homers, RBI’s and
stolen bases. It was 1974
and the Tigers called him up as the rosters expanded. He went 0-5 in his debut as a right
fielder but quickly showed that he was major league caliber as he hit .270 with
three doubles and two triples in only 17 games. This had to please the Tiges as the
Tigers intended to use Leon in right for 1975. They had sent Jim Northrup to Montreal
in August, just before calling up Leon and in November traded Dick Sharon and
as pitchers and catchers reported in 1975 they released Jim Nettles. No one was higher in the depth charts
for right field for the Tigers than Leon. Leon did start for the Tigers in 1975
and hit .257 with 10 homers and 3 stolen bases. But that would be all for Leon as a
Tiger. He was traded after
the season with Terry Humphrey, Mark Lemongello and Gene Pentz to the Houston
Astros for an unrelated Dave Roberts, Milt May and Jim Crawford. Leon went on to play 9 more seasons in
the majors and hit .267. Leon
was also a great athlete. In
fact, while in Houston he tried out for the Houston Oilers of the NFL. He made the team as an end and punter
and intended to play only on Sundays until the season ended. But the Houston Astros found out his
plans and paid him to NOT play football. Leon is still in baseball today and
was in the Astros organization as coach for their AAA team, the Oklahoma City
Redhawks.
Johnny Bucha
Prince Oana is a 1945 Tiger.
The 1945 Tigers won the last of the World War II World Series. Prince was born Henry Kawaihoa Oana in
Hawaii. He was the fourth major leaguer
and second Tiger Johnnie Williams from 1914 Tigers) to be born in Hawaii. However, he liked to go by Hank, not Prince. It is not known how he became a pro ball
player. There is a story that Ty Cobb
got him his first gig while seeing him play in 1928. There is a story that he got his first pro gig
by joining that San Francisco Seals in the PCL
due to articles of his playing in a Hawaiian newspaper. Regardless of how he was signed he was
playing pro ball in 1929 in the minors and played part of the season with San
Fran. The rightie thrower played both
outfield and pitched. He had some
trouble in 1932 which he blamed on an early season illness and vision problems.
Others attribute it to drinking. Still
others attribute it to a growth in his nose that came about from an injury from
his high school football days.
Regardless, he was replaced in the San Fran outfield by Vince DiMaggio,
brother of Joe and Dom. In fact, it was
Prince and pal Augie Galan who left the Seals to go barnstorming that year
close to the end of the season in Hawaii that allowed the 17 year old Joe D. to
make his pro debut at shortstop, replacing Augie. He made the majors in 1934 with the
Philadelphia Phillies who hoped the young Hank or Prince would replace Hall of
Famer Chuck Klein who had been traded to the Cubs. But after only 6 games he was sent back to
the minors. He would continue to bounce
around the minors always known as someone with great talent but also a
playboy. He was the property of the Red
Sox, Dodgers and Yankees without ever making it back to the majors until
finally World War II came along. The
Texas League (where Prince was playing) suspended operations in 1943 due to a
lack of players as they were all off to war.
He joined Bill Veeck’s Milwaukee Brewers but Bill tried to pull some
fast ones and not pay Fort Worth the price agreed for Prince. So the Tigers signed him. He played about a month and half and pitched
out of the bull pen and went 3-2 with a 4.50 ERA. At the plate he hit .385 playing 10 games in
the outfield. But then it was decided he
should go back to Milwaukee. So Hank or
Prince left the Tigers. He was sold by
the Milwaukee Brewers to the Buffalo Bisons and was picked up again by the
Tigers in August of 1945 when they were in the midst of the pennant race. He pitched in only three games that pennant
season and had the game of his career when on September 12, he faced the
Philadelphia Athletics and in the 9th was pitching a 1 hitter. However, the Tiger bats were quiet that day
and in the 9th he had two outs with Hal Peck on first after a walk
when he gave up only the second hit of the game, a double to tie the game at
1. He gave up the third hit of the game
in the 11th with two out and was pulled. The Tiges lost the game in the 16th
and his brilliant start was lost. Prince
did not get a decision on the mound for the Tigers that day and never played
the outfield that season. Instead he
returned to the minors never to return to the majors. He went back to the Texas League and won
pitcher of the year in 1946. He was done
in baseball after 1951 at the age of 41.
Ivey Shiver
Ira Thomas
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