Why Tigers? This is why…

fannie's avatarTigers Forever

So here it is! My first ever Tigers fan blog.

I could write about all the usual stuff most bloggers write about – stats, how this player is doing, why this player needs to do this or that. I will admit that I’m pretty die-hard when it comes to the Tigers. But I will also admit that I don’t know EVERYTHING about the game.

What I do know is how great the Tigers are for me and how much I love watching them play. I also know how opinionated their fans can be – myself included. For me, it is because I love the team that much. Like anything you love, you feel passionate about it, right?

There have been times when I have been so angry with Leyland’s decisions (seriously, did we have to have THAT many heart attacks every time he put Papa Grande in during a play…

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2013 Southern League All-Star Game

Today starts a 10 day stretch of posts on the Jacksonville Suns as they prepare to host the 2013 Southern League All-Star Game at Bragan Field at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

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The Suns are the Double A affiliate of the Miami Marlins .

In addition to post here, I’ll be tweeting about the Suns and the SL ASG on my Twitter page, posting on my Facebook page, Instagram, Pinterest, and I’ll be checking in on Foursquare during next weeks festivities.

Also, check out the Twitter page of Suns owner Peter Bragan, JR. … and Play by Play guy Roger Hoover.

I have lived in Jacksonville for 32 years, and since that first game at old Wolfson Park, the Suns have been my favorite Minor League team.

If you live here in JAX,  are going o be in the area next week, or you’re looking for a quick baseball vacation, go to the Suns website… Twitter page… Suns Fans Facebook page   … or call (904) 358-2846 for ticket information.

 

 

Today in Baseball…the 1st All-Star Game

Today marks the 80th anniversary of the very first baseball All-Star Game, at Chicago’s old Comiskey Park, on July 6th, 1933.

The idea of the game came from Chicago sportswriter Arch Ward.

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The American League defeated the National League, 4-2, and Babe Ruth hit the very first ASG home run.

I came across this letter, written to the catcher Gabby Hartnett of the Chicago Cubs, inviting him to participate in the historic game.

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Tonight the starters for this years game will be revealed on FOX, at 6:30pm, before Baseball Night in America.

This year’s ASG will be held on Tuesday, July 16th, at Citi Field in New York, Home of the Mets..

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Baseball w/o cable TV

This summer is quite challenging for me and my love of baseball, 

No cable, no satellites, no MLB.tv, just the weekly FOX Baseball Game of the Week.

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Twitter and Facebook are helpful, but it’s not the same as watching my favorite sport.on television.

Tonight my Detroit Tigers beat the Indians, 7-0, in Cleveland, giving the Tigers a 2 1/2 game lead in the American League Central Division.

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I saw none of it, nor did I hear any of it.

I was subjected to updates by tweets, Facebook updates, and the imaginary field…Gameday…on MLB.com.

At least I’ll be able to watch the All-Star Game, which is on FOX.

2013 marks the 44th consecutive year I’ve watched the mid-summer classic, starting with the famous Pete Rose bowling over of Indians catcher Ray Fosee in 1970, giving the N.L. the win.

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And life goes on…play ball!

This is a terrific look at a late pennant race game by the great Ty Cobb.

John Thorn's avatarOur Game

This may be my favorite ballgame of all. It is not baseball’s greatest (think Game 3 of the 1951 NL playoff, or June 14, 1870, when the Cincinnati Red Stockings finally lost a game), but it is the one I wish I had attended in person. I included it in my book Baseball’s Ten Greatest Games, more than thirty years ago. But instead of my reprising that piece for you now, why not let Ty Cobb tell you all about it? He was there, on that 30th day of September in 1907.

If I were asked to reassess my ten greatest games today, some of those games I chose for that book would  drop off the list–how else to work in Kirk Gibson and Jack Morris and David Freese?

But not this one. Come along with me now: the Tigers of Crawford and Cobb are about to do battle with…

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Did You know?

Did you know that Bill Freehan played baseball and football at the University of Michigan?

Freehan hit a Big Ten baseball record .585 (batting average), in 1961, and signed later that year to play for the Detroit Tigers.

 

See if you can find the young Freehan in the ’61 team photo.

 

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