Top 10 Tigers Games

[NorthWoods]

I don't have an actual list I just know that one would be on it.   I have fond memories from nearly every era.

The 1967 heartbreaker solidified me as a fan for life.

1968 was special for an 8 year old kid, I loved every one of those guys and still do.

1972 the last hurrah of the 68 boys.

1981 oh so close with the kids

1984 the magical season

1987 the beartrap....then heartbreak.

2006 the drought is broken

2011-2014 trying to get Mr. I his WS win

2024 shocking the world

Lots of history there to pick from, would be fun to point out personal favorites and see if there's a consensus?   

[Tiger337]

1 minute ago, NorthWoods said:

I don't have an actual list I just know that one would be on it.   I have fond memories from nearly every era.

The 1967 heartbreaker solidified me as a fan for life.

1968 was special for an 8 year old kid, I loved every one of those guys and still do.

1972 the last hurrah of the 68 boys.

1981 oh so close with the kids

1984 the magical season

1987 the beartrap....then heartbreak.

2006 the drought is broken

2011-2014 trying to get Mr. I his WS win

2024 shocking the world

Lots of history there to pick from, would be fun to point out personal favorites and see if there's a consensus?   

1976 needs to be in there too.  

Edited yesterday at 01:32 PM by Tiger337

[NorthWoods]

1st nomination for me would be the Tanana 1987 game I put in the other thread.   The closure of Gibby's beartrap on our big rival from that era.

Game 7 of 1968 would seem to have to be there.

Clinching game in 2006?

 

 

[romad1]

24 minutes ago, NorthWoods said:

I don't have an actual list I just know that one would be on it.   I have fond memories from nearly every era.

The 1967 heartbreaker solidified me as a fan for life.

1968 was special for an 8 year old kid, I loved every one of those guys and still do.

1972 the last hurrah of the 68 boys.

1981 oh so close with the kids

1984 the magical season

1987 the beartrap....then heartbreak.

2006 the drought is broken

2011-2014 trying to get Mr. I his WS win

2024 shocking the world

Lots of history there to pick from, would be fun to point out personal favorites and see if there's a consensus?   

Candidates:

Game 163 in 2009 against the Twins... full suckitude for losing but damn what a game.  

2006 ALDS Kenny Rogers start against the Yankees at Comerica Park.  That crowd was rocking.  

Game 5 1984 

This one from the 1935 World Series seems like a humdinger

Game 3

Friday, October 4, 1935 1:30 pm (CT) at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
Detroit	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	4	0	0	1	6	12	2
Chicago	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	5	10	3
WP: Schoolboy Rowe (1–1)   LP: Larry French (0–1) Home runs: DET: None CHC: Frank Demaree (2)

In Game 3, Frank Demaree's leadoff home run in the second off Elden Auker put Chicago on the board. A one-out single and subsequent error put runners on first and third before Bill Lee's ground out made it 2–0 Cubs. They added a run in the fifth when Billy Jurges drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Augie Galan's single. The Tigers got on the board in the sixth when Goose Goslin singled off Lee and scored on Pete Fox's triple. In the eighth, after a walk and double, Goslin's two-run single tied the game and knocked Lee out. Reliever Lon Warneke allowed two singles, the second of which to Billy Rogell scoring a run, then Fox stole home to make it 5–3 Tigers. Detroit brought back Game 1 starter Schoolboy Rowe in relief. He allowed three straight one-out singles in the ninth, the last of which to Ken O'Dea, before Augie Galan's sacrifice fly sent the game into extra innings, but Rowe nailed down the victory after Jo-Jo White's RBI single scored the winning run off Larry French in the 11th. This game remarkably featured four ejections. The Tigers lost coach Del Baker while The Cubs lost Woody English, Tuck Stainback and manager Charlie Grimm. Neither English nor Stainback were in the game.

 

[Zakk_Wylde]

A few magical moments for me in the modern millennium.

Game 5 of 2006 ALDS, defeating the Yankees (against everybody's expectation). And seeing the Tigers include the fans  in the celebration, Kenny Rogers dumping a bottle of champagne on a cop, etc.  So many iconic moments and a series result that nobody predicted.

Game 4 of 2006 ALCS, Magglio Ordonez's walk off homerun, clinching a spot in the World Series.

Verlander's first no hitter in 2007.

[tiger2022]

Armando Galarraga's perfect game stolen by Jim Joyce's arrogance, the only guy in the world who thought Donald was safe.

[romad1]

5 minutes ago, tiger2022 said:

Armando Galarraga's perfect game stolen by Jim Joyce's arrogance, the only guy in the world who thought Donald was safe.

Followed by a great example of forgiveness and humility by both.  

[tiger2022]

I actually watched something on this last night.  

They had interviews from Joyce, Galarraga, Donald, Leyland, Inge, Avila Alomar, Jr (first base coach).  

Donald said he felt bad about it and you could see from his reaction after the call was made.

It was also huge for Avila.  To catch a perfect game is pretty special too.

[Motor City Sonics]

Too young to remember 1968

 

The 1987 final two weekends.  Four in Toronto and then 3 in Detroit.  All 7 games were 1-run games.   Tigers lost the first 3 in TO.  Bill Madlock got death threats for his slide that broke Tony Fernandez' arm.   Going into that week against the Orioles it was over.   We were asking the O's right fielder for the Blue Jays v. Brewers score because we could not see the big scoreboard.    I went to all 3 games that last weekend.  They were all one-run games.    Friday night Scott Lusader made a game-saving diving catch.  Jim Walewander scored from second in the 12th inning to win the seond game.  Waited in line all night outside the stadium for tickets to Sunday's game.  And you know how that one went.   Man, you talk about tense.   My heart couldn't take that now. 

They were spent for the Minnesota series.    The last hurrah for that amazing 80's group.  It was wonderful.     I am not, nor have I ever been a religious person.  Tiger Stadium was the closest thing to a Cathedral for me. 

[romad1]

Some interesting comebacks on this list: 

https://champsorchumps.us/team/mlb/detroit-tigers/comebacks

Best comeback was 1911 against the White Sox when we came back from a 12 run deficit. 

Best "modern" comeback was 2003 of all years when we came back from 8 runs down to the Twins 

https://champsorchumps.us/team/mlb/detroit-tigers/biggest-wins

Run margin appears to have topped out at 21-0 in 1901 against a Cleveland team that no longer exists.

Best "modern" run margin was annus mirabilis (no, not miracle anus you children) 2006 with an 18-1 win over the Twins. 

[tiger2022]

Remember the time when the wrong guy went up to at bat out of order for the Tigers.  I believe Luis Pujols was the manager.

[Tenacious D]

These are some impressive games for sure, but what about Tom Veryzer’s MLB debut?!?

[romad1]

1 hour ago, Tenacious D said:

These are some impressive games for sure, but what about Tom Veryzer’s MLB debut?!?

I do remember a elementary school friend being upset that Veryzer lost his job to "Alam Tremmel."  

[casimir]

This one.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET198404210.shtml 

I had just turned 11 and my brother just turned 10.  Mom and Dad splurged on us big time and got birthday seats for the boys, 2nd row behind the plate.  It was only the 2nd time there for me and my brother.  The previous year we were 2nd deck along the RF line.  But seats behind the plate?  2nd row?  Wowza.

Sweet Lou led off the bottom of the first with a home run.  A few drunks behind us yelled “Oh no, it’s Ho Jo!” every time Howard Johnson came to the plate.  It was funny until they knocked a beer over on my brother’s Tiger yearbook that was under his seat.  It was a cool day.  The snap of the catcher’s mitt was fun.  While the premise of sitting that close seems awesome, especially to a kid, I think that’s when I first realized that sitting up front like that takes away from some of the other vantages that just aren’t there.  But, whatever, it was a great time.

[Sports_Freak]

Playoff, World Series and clinching games all should fill in any top 10 list but other dramatic games should get an honorable mention. Two of my favorite wins are more recent because they're easier to remember. One is the JD Martinez pinch hit HR off of Chris Sale when JD returned from injury. It helped the Tigers with a late victory. The other recent memory was the walk off grand slam by Rajai Davis against the A's. Doolittle was the pitcher and he Didlittle. 🤣🤣

[NorthWoods]

Verlander's 1st start was pretty highly anticipated.    He'd been the subject of much more hype than even McGonigle.   The start itself was a bit of a disappointment but you could see the talent.

[romad1]

3 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

Playoff, World Series and clinching games all should fill in any top 10 list but other dramatic games should get an honorable mention. Two of my favorite wins are more recent because they're easier to remember. One is the JD Martinez pinch hit HR off of Chris Sale when JD returned from injury. It helped the Tigers with a late victory. The other recent memory was the walk off grand slam by Rajai Davis against the A's. Doolittle was the pitcher and he Didlittle. 🤣🤣

The Rajai Davis one was so good.  He hit another famous grand slam....

[Sports_Freak]

1 minute ago, romad1 said:

The Rajai Davis one was so good.  He hit another famous grand slam....

For the Tigers?

[Sports_Freak]

2 hours ago, NorthWoods said:

Verlander's 1st start was pretty highly anticipated.    He'd been the subject of much more hype than even McGonigle.   The start itself was a bit of a disappointment but you could see the talent.

Agreed, in 2005. But then his first 2006 start showed what was to become, he went on to have a HOF career.

[romad1]

3 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

For the Tigers?

Oops...not a grand slam.  Game 7 HR for Cubs. 

[DTroppens]

A few games I'll always remember (that aren't the complete obvious games, well maybe some are) were these:

Milt Wilcox near perfect game. I hated Jerry Hairston's kid because of his dad's single with two out in the ninth.

When Pat Underwood made his Tigers' debut by pitching against his brother Tom. It ended up being a 1-0 pitchers' duel won by Pat. 

Being at the 1986 home opener and seeing the stadium go from the ultimate high of the first pitch, only to see Dwight Evans hit the first pitch by Jack Morris go over the fence (we were behind home plate) and quiet us down quickly. But I think the Tigers won that game.

Dave Bergman's two home run games against the Blue Jays in 1984 with the Roy Lee Jackson game being the big one.

Watching Disco Demolition at Comiskey Park during a DH with the Tigers. It was supposed to be a single game but became a DH and local TV broadcast the twinbill because they initially were planning on covering the only game on that date. Good thing they did because watching what happened on the field was pretty entertaining.

Attending the last game at Tiger Stadium will always be my favorite Detroit sports history memory, even if the Lions win a Super Bowl.   

The last game of the 1987 regular season.

There are others but I'm on deadline and probably should be doing my job. 🙂

Edited 1 hour ago by DTroppens

[romad1]

Disco Demolition was amazing!  I was watching that night and George Kell and Al Kaline were beyond shocked and appalled.  So good. 

[NorthWoods]

7 minutes ago, DTroppens said:

A few games I'll always remember (that aren't the complete obvious games, well maybe some are) were these:

Milt Wilcox near perfect game. I hated Jerry Hairston's kid because of his dad's single with two out in the ninth.

There are others but I'm on deadline and probably should be doing my job. 🙂

I'd forgotten about this, it was so great mostly because it was so unexpected.

Another game that I didn't see but is memorable for me was this one:

"On June 21, 1970, Detroit Tigers shortstop César Gutiérrez became the first MLB player in the 20th century to go 7-for-7 in a single game. He achieved this feat in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians, collecting six singles and a double in a 9–8, 12-inning victory. "

"Context: He became only the second player in Major League history at the time to record seven hits in seven at-bats without making an out, matching Wilbert Robinson (1892)."

"Aftermath: Despite this historic game, Gutierrez was a light hitter, finishing his career with a .235 average and only 128 total hits. "

I remember coming home and my Dad telling me a Tiger went 7 for 7 - which Tiger?   Never did get the right answer after guessing most of the team.

 

[DTroppens]

He not only was a light hitter, but he never walked either. 

I'm actually playing out the 1970s Tigers season right now (only 14 games to go) and gosh, I completely forgot about Gutierrez's 7-for-7 game. I wonder what he did for me in that game. I need to check it out.

No one has been on a season-heater like Gutierrez has been in my replay. The guy has spent the season with an average between .285 and .295 most of the season. Every time it looks like he may fall, he has another 3-for-4 day. There have been games in the replay where he's been up in the eighth or ninth with the Tigers trailing and I "know" he would've been replaced for a better bat, but with the way he's hitting I keep him up. And it may have cost the Tigers a game or two. But, if he was batting .290 in 1970, I figure he wouldn't have been pinch hit for, especially with the pitcher spot coming up next in most instances. Why not just keep the guy that is probably going to swing at anything and maybe get an RBI-single? But, doing so, I know his card is pretty lousy, so I'm actually hurting the Tigers. 

[DTroppens]

A few months ago I did my column I write about ticket stubs. I just brought a bunch of ticket stubs I had, picked up random ones (from all the Detroit teams to some Toledo MudHen games), checked the results and seeing the box score sparked my memory of the game. 

One of them was a ninth-inning home run by Lou Whitaker for the win. I still don't remember going to this game. I don't drink so I have no excuse not to remember it. But, it was pretty cool to do that column and see some of the game I completely forgot about.