Dean Chance was a
Tiger for one season. Dean was finishing up a pitching career that lasted 11
years and made him a star in the 1960's. Dean started with the Angels in 1961. In 1962 he started a seven year streak of 110
wins. This included 1964 when he had a phenomenal
year winning the Cy Young award and leading the league wins, ERA, complete
games, and shut outs. He only needed 10 more strike outs to have won the triple
crown for pitching. He was a fastball pitcher who had great control. He was traded to the Minnesota Twins for 1967
and won 20 games for them. But in 1969
things came apart for Dean. Twins owner
Calvin Griffith was known for being tight with his money and tried to cut
Dean’s salary by $9,000. Dean held out
and when he finally agreed to his contract was rushed to get in shape and hurt
his back. He was 5-4 in 1969 and was
traded to the Indians after the season in the deal that sent Luis Tiant to the
Twins. He did not finish the season with
the Indians but was sold to the Mets.
Before the 1971 season he was traded by the Mets to the Tiges with Bill
Denehy for Jerry Robertson. By the time
he came to Detroit his best years were long past. He was 4-6 with Detroit and
was done with baseball after the 1971 season.
In his last appearance he came in in relief against the Red Sox with a
runner on first. He gave up single to
Luis Aparicio. Luis then stole
second. Reggie Smith came up and hit a
line drive single to center scoring both runners. Dean was removed for Fred Sherman and never
pitched again. Dean died on October 11,
2015.
Jo Jo White was the centerfielder for the Tigers in during the hey days of 1934
and 1935. Jo Jo was from Georgia, hence the nickname. His name was actually
Joyner Clifford White, but His accent was so strong he pronounced Georgia as Jo
Jo and thus was born his moniker. He was a back up outfielder in 1932 and 1933
before he took over the centerfield role of Gee Walker in 1934 and led the team
in stolen bases in the Tiger glory championship seasons of 1934 and 1935. Those two years and hit .313. He lost the
role of centerfielder in 1936 when Gee took the role back. In 1938 Jo Jo was frustrated by his lack of
playing time. He took it out on manager
Del Baker’s new hat he had purchased.
When Del found out it was Jo Jo he sent Jo Jo out of the league when he
made Jo Jo part of the deal that brought Fred Hutchinson to Detroit. The deal was George Archie, Tony Piet, minor
leaguer Ed Selway and cash to the Pacific Coast League Seattle Rainiers for
Fred Hutchinson. Jo Jo played in the
minors through 1949 with the exception of war years 1943 and 1944 when he
played with the Philadelphia Athletics and Cincinnati Reds. After the war he finished his playing days
with the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League at the age of 40. He continued to coach and manage into the late
1960's. He even managed the Cleveland Indians in 1960 for one game when he was
the interim manager for the Indians when the Tigers and Indians traded managers. Joe Gordon was sent from Cleveland to Detroit
for manager Jimmy Dykes. After the role
of interim Jo Jo joined Gordon as coach for his old Tigers for the rest of the
season. His son, Mike, played for the
Houston Astros in the early 1960’s. My brother wrote Jo Jo's SABR bio. Here is a nice photo of Jo Jo in 1938.
Herm Malloy played for the Tigers during their hey days of 1907 and 1908. He started
in the minors in 1906 and after going 18-15 for the Dayton Veterans of the
Central League he was brought to Detroit.
He made his major league debut on the last day of the 1907 season when
the Tigers were swept in a double header by the Browns. I am not sure which
game Herm pitched as both games have the Browns scoring 10 runs and Herm
pitched a complete game but gave up 6 earned runs. Now I wasn't there, but
somehow this looks like it was a case of the Tigers resting the entire team
after winning the pennant. Four unearned runs against the 6th place team? Hmmmm.
Herm got a double in the game he pitched going 1 for 4. Herm did not make the World Series roster for
the Tigers in 1907 when they lost to the Cubs in 4 games. Herm returned to the Tigers in 1908 and the
right hander pitched in three more games in 1908 at the major league level and
was 0-2 in those three games with a 3.71 ERA. At the plate Herm was 3 for 9 with an
RBI. Those four games with a 0-3 record were
the extent of Herm's major league experience. But at least Herm picked a couple
of good years to play in the majors. Both years Detroit was AL Champions. Unfortunately they lost to the Cubs in the
World Series both seasons winning only one game in the two series. Herm
continued to play in the minors through 1912.
Jo Jo White was the centerfielder for the Tigers in during the hey days of 1934 and 1935. Jo Jo was from Georgia, hence the nickname. His name was actually Joyner Clifford White, but His accent was so strong he pronounced Georgia as Jo Jo and thus was born his moniker. He was a back up outfielder in 1932 and 1933 before he took over the centerfield role of Gee Walker in 1934 and led the team in stolen bases in the Tiger glory championship seasons of 1934 and 1935. Those two years and hit .313. He lost the role of centerfielder in 1936 when Gee took the role back. In 1938 Jo Jo was frustrated by his lack of playing time. He took it out on manager Del Baker’s new hat he had purchased. When Del found out it was Jo Jo he sent Jo Jo out of the league when he made Jo Jo part of the deal that brought Fred Hutchinson to Detroit. The deal was George Archie, Tony Piet, minor leaguer Ed Selway and cash to the Pacific Coast League Seattle Rainiers for Fred Hutchinson. Jo Jo played in the minors through 1949 with the exception of war years 1943 and 1944 when he played with the Philadelphia Athletics and Cincinnati Reds. After the war he finished his playing days with the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League at the age of 40. He continued to coach and manage into the late 1960's. He even managed the Cleveland Indians in 1960 for one game when he was the interim manager for the Indians when the Tigers and Indians traded managers. Joe Gordon was sent from Cleveland to Detroit for manager Jimmy Dykes. After the role of interim Jo Jo joined Gordon as coach for his old Tigers for the rest of the season. His son, Mike, played for the Houston Astros in the early 1960’s. My brother wrote Jo Jo's SABR bio. Here is a nice photo of Jo Jo in 1938.
Herm Malloy played for the Tigers during their hey days of 1907 and 1908. He started in the minors in 1906 and after going 18-15 for the Dayton Veterans of the Central League he was brought to Detroit. He made his major league debut on the last day of the 1907 season when the Tigers were swept in a double header by the Browns. I am not sure which game Herm pitched as both games have the Browns scoring 10 runs and Herm pitched a complete game but gave up 6 earned runs. Now I wasn't there, but somehow this looks like it was a case of the Tigers resting the entire team after winning the pennant. Four unearned runs against the 6th place team? Hmmmm. Herm got a double in the game he pitched going 1 for 4. Herm did not make the World Series roster for the Tigers in 1907 when they lost to the Cubs in 4 games. Herm returned to the Tigers in 1908 and the right hander pitched in three more games in 1908 at the major league level and was 0-2 in those three games with a 3.71 ERA. At the plate Herm was 3 for 9 with an RBI. Those four games with a 0-3 record were the extent of Herm's major league experience. But at least Herm picked a couple of good years to play in the majors. Both years Detroit was AL Champions. Unfortunately they lost to the Cubs in the World Series both seasons winning only one game in the two series. Herm continued to play in the minors through 1912.
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