Shawn MacDonald

"Al Kaline signed his initial contract in June, 1953, and the health of his parents had also become a concern. His mother’s eyesight was failing and surgery would be required to save it. In 1955, Al Kaline would reveal to writer Hal Middlesworth that his dad “was not real well and neither is Mom.” When Kaline inked that first contract with Detroit, he used the money to pay off the mortgage on his parents’ home and to pay for his mother’s eye operation. Jack Olsen described the Kaline family as “poor, proud, and hungry” "Among an illustrious collection of Detroit Tiger batting Kings, Ty Cobb, Harry Heilmann, Heinie Manush, Charlie Gehringer, and George Kell, Al Kaline in 1955 became the youngest Tiger to achieve the distinction, a scant one day younger than Ty Cobb was when he won the first of his 12 titles. With all the years stretching out before him, something approaching Cobb’s remarkable record is not beyond the realm of possibility. Through race riots, through the assassinations of King and the Kennedy`s, through Vietnam death counts on the morning news, through the crimes of our President, through times of turmoil and uncertainty, Al Kaline was there, every season.” Tom Stanton Accumulated 3,007 hits, 399 HR , a .297 batting average, 10 Gold Gloves, 15 All-Star selections. Won the batting title in 1955, hitting .340 at the age of 20. "Mr. Tiger".