What were some of your memories about the 2006 Detroit Tigers REGULAR SEASON?

[DTroppens]

In recent years whenever we get to this time of year I'll select a year or a Tiger theme for a series of easy feature stories that I include as part of my sports coverage for our twice-a-week (mostly prep coverage) publication's sports section. Over the years I've done features on the 1968 and 1984 Tigers. I also did Mark Fidrych's 1976 season and the 1957 Lions.

This year I'm selecting the 2006 Detroit Tigers. It's pretty easy for me because I still remember a lot about that season and I recorded probably 50 regular season games off the radio and another 30 off the television. And based on the names I see still here, I know a lot of you remember that year as well. I WISH we still had access to the old Motownsports site game threads. That would be awesome. 

But I was wondering what memories do you remember from 2006, especially the regular season. I think we all remember "gum time." I do, although I do need to gather what specific incident started it again. What games, what plays and just what cool memories do you remember about the season that we all talked about, but maybe some of us (mainly me) forgot. 

My stories roughly follow the actual date of the season with the date in our publication, especially during the summer. This time of year I typically fall behind fast due to the crazy amount of prep sports happening this time of year. I just don't have the extra space for these stories frequently. And when I do, it's limited. But I always catch up by the end of June and remain pretty much on target in July and then get ahead of pace in August realizing when fall sports happens again, I'm going to have limited space again.

These stories are probably the ones I hear the most comments about. As people know, most newspaper readers are older, so our subscription base enjoys them. I was thinking about doing the 1945 Tigers, but figuring it's been 20 years since 2006, it made this an easy decision. Next year I'll probably do 1987. That will be a lot of fun as well. 

Don't hesitate to add anything. But, really, I'm looking for the regular season right now. I've already been listening to some of those old 2006 radio broadcasts. Oddly, the last two I listed to were losses.



 

[DTroppens]

It's doing these stories that makes me realize what a treasure our game threads are here on the site and on the past site. It would be so cool before writing an update to just come here and read the 2006 game thread. Or while I listened to a game, open that day's game thread and follow the posts with the game as close as I possibly can.  That would be fun.

[lordstanley]

Cool! I will come back with 2006 thoughts at some point but just wanted to add how fun it is to look back at "as it happens" game threads and broadcasts. I have  shoebox of old cassettes from the 1980s and included in that for about 100 games each for 1983 and 1984 are game recaps I recorded from the radio - a combination of Paul Carey's post-game summaries from the radio broadcast, Kell or Harwell key play highlights, Eli Zaret's next morning Tigers banter with JJ & the Morning Crew (including George Swell and Al Foulline), and JP McCarthy morning interviews with Sparky. I'm in the process of digitizing it and cleaning it up a bit. 

[Sports_Freak]

I remember waiting for the bubble to burst and for the team to implode. I remember JV and Joel Zumaya forcing their way on the team in ST and having them dominate opposing teams. I remember the fans embracing Jim Leyland and the entire team. And I remember Magglio's 3 run home run off of Houston Street, sending us to an unlikely World Series. Mostly i remember being happy as a pig in s*** for the entire spring/summer/fall..

😅😅

[DTroppens]

41 minutes ago, lordstanley said:

Cool! I will come back with 2006 thoughts at some point but just wanted to add how fun it is to look back at "as it happens" game threads and broadcasts. I have  shoebox of old cassettes from the 1980s and included in that for about 100 games each for 1983 and 1984 are game recaps I recorded from the radio - a combination of Paul Carey's post-game summaries from the radio broadcast, Kell or Harwell key play highlights, Eli Zaret's next morning Tigers banter with JJ & the Morning Crew (including George Swell and Al Foulline), and JP McCarthy morning interviews with Sparky. I'm in the process of digitizing it and cleaning it up a bit. 

I have hundreds of blank cassette tapes. I'd love some of those games on cassette if that ever was possible. 

For a few years I used to tape Sports Final Edition on channel 4 figuring that was a good way to summarize at least the weekend if not a week of Detroit sports on a weekly basis. I got about a year or maybe two done but then quit with it. I don't have those tapes any more though.

[Tiger337]

I remember being young!

I just looked back at my blog where there a lot of memories.  I have no idea how I had the time and energy to do all that.  I could not do that now!

I should go back to it later to see what I was thinkking about during the season - especially at the beginning when most of us had no idea how good they were,  

 

 

[oblong]

Random memories. Pudge Rodriguez hitting the homer off Fausto Carmona to win it. “Into the night!”  was the call by DD.  
 

Bonderman giving up a lead in MN. 

[IdahoBert]

I remember the World Series and Tim McCarver’s announcing and not being a very objective observer, but I didn’t realize until a few days ago he died three years ago, and I feel bad about speaking ill of the dead. I remember about a year ago recounting how badly 1968 must’ve affected him and relishing it and now I’m not particularly proud of my remarks.

[oblong]

eh, Tim already had 2 WS championships and they won the year before in '67 so he could get over it. 🙂

 

[NorthWoods]

19 hours ago, lordstanley said:

Cool! I will come back with 2006 thoughts at some point but just wanted to add how fun it is to look back at "as it happens" game threads and broadcasts. I have  shoebox of old cassettes from the 1980s and included in that for about 100 games each for 1983 and 1984 are game recaps I recorded from the radio - a combination of Paul Carey's post-game summaries from the radio broadcast, Kell or Harwell key play highlights, Eli Zaret's next morning Tigers banter with JJ & the Morning Crew (including George Swell and Al Foulline), and JP McCarthy morning interviews with Sparky. I'm in the process of digitizing it and cleaning it up a bit. 

Long story but one that still makes me emotional.   My lifelong best friend died from cancer in May of 24.  We met in kindergarten, went to all 13 years of school together, played sports together, roomed together at MSU, and shared a house a couple times in our early 20s until marriage etc.

How does this relate to your post?  One of my most vivid memories with him was an Eli Zaret/George Kell moment.  I'm pretty sure it was on the Morning Crew show either the morning after they hit 35-5 or a few days before they did.   He was a dairy farmer and some mornings I'd get up and go visit him in the feed room as he ran the silage unloader.   George came on with Eli and started with "It's magical Eli, just magical" with his Arkansas twang it was unforgettable.  

For the rest of our lives he and I would use that phrase to describe things, sometimes seriously, sometimes sarcastically.  Now and then that phrase comes to mind and I think of my buddy......

 

[gehringer_2]

5 hours ago, oblong said:

eh, Tim already had 2 WS championships and they won the year before in '67 so he could get over it. 🙂

 

Right. The thing with McCarver is that he was never gracious enough to admit the Tigers were also a pretty damn good team that year. Even Tom Izzo will admit when he plays a good opponent! 😉