Al Kaline

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Kaline's journey began with significant physical adversity; at age eight, osteomyelitis required the removal of two inches of bone from his left foot, leaving permanent deformity. Despite this, he became an outstanding youth pitcher before moving to the outfield in high school due to roster constraints. His professional rise was meteoric: at twenty years old in 1955, he became the youngest player ever to win an American League batting title with a .340 average. That season also saw him hit three home runs in one game at age 20 years, 119 days, and lead the American League with 200 hits. He led the league in outfield assists multiple times, including 18 in 1956, and notched 23 assists in 1958 to lead the league. His resilience was tested repeatedly; a broken collarbone in 1962 cost him 57 games, while chronic foot pain plagued his 1964 campaign until corrective shoes provided relief by June 1965.

In Their Own Story

The defining moment of Kaline's career occurred during the 1968 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. After losing three of the first four games, the Tigers trailed Game 5 by a score of 3–2 in the seventh inning with the bases loaded. Kaline stepped up and hit a single that drove in two runs, shifting momentum to Detroit. They won that game and dominated Game 6, where he recorded two hits, two runs scored, and three RBIs in a historic 10-run third inning. The team secured their first championship since 1945 by winning Game 7. In his only World Series appearance, Kaline finished with a .379 batting average, two home runs, and eight RBIs across seven games, earning a $10,000 bonus check alongside his teammates when his regular salary was approximately $70,000.

Reader's Guide

Kaline's career was not without near-fatal scares. On May 30, 1970, at Milwaukee's County Stadium, he collided with center fielder Jim Northrup while chasing a fly ball. The impact locked his jaw and obstructed his airway; left fielder Willie Horton pried Kaline's mouth open to clear the blockage, saving his life. Later in his career, near the end of his playing days, he served as a first baseman and designated hitter. He retired shortly after reaching 3,000 hits late in the 1974 season. Following retirement, he became the Tigers' TV color commentator from 1975 to 2002 before serving as a front office assistant until his death on April 6, 2020. He wore number 6 for all but his rookie year, having requested it from teammate Pat Mullin.

Did You Know?

• Kaline played 30 games in the minor leagues in 1953 before being called up; his $15,000 signing bonus required him to stay on the active roster for two full seasons, but he did not bypass the minors entirely.
• In 1955, at age 20, he became the youngest player ever to win an American League batting title, a feat not seen since Ty Cobb in 1907.
• A childhood bout with osteomyelitis left his left foot permanently deformed, with toes overlapping and shortened, yet he remained a Gold Glove winner.
• In Game 6 of the 1968 World Series, Kaline contributed to a historic 10-run third inning for the Tigers.
• He worked as the Tigers' TV color commentator for 27 years (1976–2002) before joining the front office until his death in 2020.