TIGERS AND THE 68 HEROES
In Play! Magzaine
By 31-6 Denny McLain
Allow me to first thank everyone for all of the great stories and memories that you have shared with me this year regarding our 1968 World Series Championship.
While I have not been invited to the Fantasy Camp, cruise ships and other Tigers events, I will be forever a guy more thankful than most to you and your memories of the past.
The 1968 club did more for the city of Detroit and the State of Michigan than any other team in history.
The fans are inspiring and their memories are incredible because most of the time I can’t recall what I had for breakfast (with the exception of my Twinkies!), let alone the memories you have shared with me from 40 years ago.
What I have missed this year is being able to visit with Norm Cash, our Manager Mayo Smith, Joe Sparma, Ray Oyler and others who are in the “Great Baseball Park in the Sky.”
What a great time the reunion would have been with those characters!
As for the rest of us, Bill Freehan still looks like he can play, and I ask you, how can a guy who was an All Star more than 10 times be denied the Hall Of Fame?
I have never understood that, they put in Phil Rizutto, Goose Gossage, Rollie Fingers, Bill Mazerowski and even some Managers who sit on their butts that hope and pray the 25 guys out there save their Manager’s job each year. I could name another 25 if given enough space here in this story.
Man if they would only let me change the system huh?
The Ovation that we received from fans at Comerica on June 24 for the Reunion Celebration was overwhelming for me and the fan turnout for autographs that night was just the greatest toast that you could have given any of us, it was truly wonderful.
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