1935 Detroit Tigers season
Encyclopedia
The Detroit Tigers
won the 1935 World Series
, defeating the Chicago Cubs
4 games to 2. The season was their 35th since they entered the American League
in 1901. It was the first World Series championship for the Tigers.
returned as the team's manager and catcher
. Known as "Black Mike," Cochrane is considered one of the greatest catchers of all time. In 1935, he hit .319 (9th in the AL) with a .452 on base percentage (3rd in the AL), 96 walks (4th in the AL), 93 runs scored, and 33 doubles. Aside from his contributions as a player, Cochrane was invaluable as a manager and leader. Charlie Gehringer
later said: "When Mickey was managing the Tigers from behind the plate I can't remember him ever fouling up anything. Seemed like he made snap judgments that always worked out well, especially in '34 and '35."
The Detroit infield of the 1934–1935 seasons was one of the best-hitting combinations in MLB history. With Hank Greenberg
at first
, Charlie Gehringer
at second
, Billy Rogell
at shortstop
, and Marv Owen
at third
, the 1934 Tigers infield collected 462 RBIs
(139 by Greenberg, 127 by Gehringer, 100 by Rogell, and 96 by Owen) and 179 double
s (63 by Greenberg, 50 by Gehringer, 34 by Owen and 32 by Rogell).
"Hammerin' Hank" Greenberg led the major leagues with 170 RBIs in 1935—the eighth highest single season total in major league history. The second highest RBI total in the AL that year was Lou Gehrig
's 119—51 fewer than Hank. Greenberg also led the major leagues in 1935 with 36 home run
s, 98 extra base hits, 389 total bases
, and 159 runs created
. He also hit for average, with a .328 batting average
(7th in the AL), .411 on base percentage
(6th in the AL), and .628 slugging percentage (2nd in the AL). Greenberg was named the American League's Most Valuable Player for 1935.
Charlie Gehringer also had a terrific season, hitting .330 for the year (5th best in the AL). He was also among the league leaders with 123 runs (2nd in the AL), 201 hits (5th in the AL), 125 runs created (5th in the AL), 306 total bases (6th in the AL), 19 home runs (8th in the AL), and 108 RBIs (9th in the AL). Gehringer also led AL second basemen with 489 assists and a .985 fielding percentage. Gehringer finished 6th in the AL MVP voting in 1935. Known for his consistency as a hitter and fielder, Gehringer was given the nickname "The Mechanical Man" by Yankee pitcher Lefty Gomez
. Mickey Cochrane
joked that "Charlie says `hello' on Opening Day, `goodbye' on closing day, and in between hits .350."
Shortstop Billy Rogell hit .275 and scored 88 runs in 1935 while drawing 80 walks. Rogell also led AL shortstops with 104 double plays and a .971 fielding percentage. Rogell and Gehringer played over 1,000 games together as the Tigers' double play combination. Rogell's fiery demeanor was a stark contrast to the calm, quiet demeanor of Gehringer. Once, after both failed to cover second on a steal attempt, Mickey Cochrane
charged out from behind the plate shouting at Rogell and Gehringer. As reported in The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract: "Rogell, astonished, looked at Gehringer to see if he was going to say anything. Gehringer, of course, had nothing to say. 'Goddamn you,' yelled Rogell. 'Don’t you come charging out here telling me how to play shortstop. You go back there and do the catching, and I’ll play shortstop. If I’m not good enough, you can find someone else.' Cochrane went back to his own position."
Marv Owen was the one Tiger starter whose performance dropped off significantly from 1934 to 1935. In 1934, Owen had batted .317 with 96 RBIs and finished 9th in the AL MVP voting. In 1935, his average dropped 54 points to .263, and his RBI production fell to 71. Owen is remembered for a famous incident in Game 7 of the 1934 World Series
. Joe Medwick
tripled in the 6th inning with the Cardinals ahead by 7 runs. He slid hard into Owen at third, knocking him down. The two fought, and Detroit fans pelted Medwick with fruit and garbage when he returned to left field. As the fan reaction escalated, Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis
ordered Medwick removed from the game. Owen batted just .069 (2–29) in the 1934 World Series and .050 (1–20) in the 1935 World Series. He set a post-season record for the most consecutive plate appearances between hits with 31.
Rounding out the infield was utility infielder Flea Clifton
. Clifton played in 43 games during the 1935 regular season, with a .255 batting average. However, when Hank Greenberg broke his wrist in Game 2 of the 1935 World Series
, Marv Owen
moved to first base, and Clifton stepped in as the starting third baseman. Clifton was 0-for-16 with 4 strikeout
s in the Series. Clifton had been teammates with Hank Greenberg
in the minor leagues, and the two became friends. In his autobiography, Greenberg joked about Clifton's unusual diet: "On the road, he used to eat nothing but doughnuts and bananas. He said they were cheap and filling and stretched his meal money. Flea was the only ballplayer who could show a profit on $1-a-day meal money."
played in left field. Pete Fox
played in right field. The speedy Jo-Jo White
and Gee Walker
shared responsibility for center field, with White playing in 98 games.
Pete Fox led the way among the outfielders, batting .321 with 116 runs scored, 38 doubles, and 15 home runs. Fox also had a 29-game hitting streak
in June and July. During the hitting streak, Fox drove in 10 runs in a double-header against the St. Louis Browns. During the six-game 1935 World Series
, Fox also led the team in hits (10), RBIs (4), and batting average (.385).
Goose Goslin had a good year with 109 RBIs, 172 hits, and 34 doubles. After leading the Washington Senators
to American League pennants in 1924, 1925, and 1933, owner Clark Griffith
traded Goslin to Detroit before the 1934 season. Griffith told Goose he simply couldn't afford to pay his salary. With stars Goslin, Gehringer and Greenberg, the 1934 and 1934 Tigers became known as the “G-Men.” Goslin was the hero of the 1935 World Series, as he drove in the winning run in Games 6. With the game tied 3-3, Goslin came to bat in the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs and Mickey Cochrane
on 2nd base. Goslin hit a walk-off single to right, scoring Cochrane, as the Tigers won the Series.
Center fielder Jo-Jo White led the team with 19 stolen bases and also contributed 12 triple
s. White's real first name was Joyner, but he was called "Jo-Jo" because of the way he pronounced his native state of Georgia. Hank Greenberg, who was raised in the Bronx was rommates with White, and according to Greenberg the two of them "used to fight the Civil War every night." Greenberg recalled a game in which White stole home with Greenberg at bat: "He deprived me of a good chance at an RBI, and he did it deliberately because he knew it would burn me up."
The Tigers fourth outfielder, Gee Walker played 45 games in center field but also covered 29 games in left and 11 games in right. Known as "The Madman from Mississippi," Walker was a fiery competitor and a clown. He hit over .300 for the 1935 Tigers, but his reputation for being inattentive and overzealous on the basepaths drew the ire of manager Mickey Cochrane. During the 1934 World Series, he was picked off first while arguing with the Cardinals' bench. On another occasion, he tried to steal a base while the batter was being given an intentional walk.
, Schoolboy Rowe
, Alvin Crowder
, and Elden Auker
.
Tommy Bridges was the only 20-game winner with a record of 21-10. In 34 starts, Bridges threw 23 complete games. He led the American League with 163 strikeouts, and his 3.51 ERA was 6th best in the league. He finished the season 11th in the American League MVP voting. In a nationwide poll, Bridges was named the No. 2 sports hero of 1935, behind Notre Dame football player Andy Pilney
.
Elden Auker, a 24-year-old underhand pitcher out of Kansas A&M, also had a big year for the 1935 Tigers. Auker led the American League in win percentage (.720) with a record of 18-7. During the 1935 World Series
, Auker was interviewed by a young Cubs broadcaster, Ronald Reagan
. When they met after Reagan had been elected Governor of California, Reagan told him, "You probably won't remember me, but I'll remember you as long as I live." The 1935 radio interview, Reagan said, "was my first big break."
After making a big splash in 1934 with an American League record 16 consecutive wins, Schoolboy Rowe had another big year in 1935. Schoolboy had become a fan favorite not only for his pitching performance in 1934 but for his nationally publicized romance. While appearing on the Eddie Cantor
radio show, Rowe famously asked his fiancee, "How'm I doing, Edna honey?" The line endeared Schoolboy to the nation, and also resulted in relentless teasing from opposing players and fans. Schoolboy and Edna married after the 1934 season and had their first child during the 1935 season. Schoolboy led the league in 1935 with six shutouts and finished the season with a 19-13 record in 34 starts. Despite a 2.51 ERA in the 1935 World Series, Rowe had a 1-2 record. He was the losing pitcher in Game 1, despite striking out 8 batters, pitching a complete game and allowing only 2 earned runs. In Game 3, Rowe got the win, pitching 4 innings in relief. But Game 5 was another tough loss, as Schoolboy threw a complete game and allowed 2 earned runs, but the Tigers scored only once.
The Tigers' #4 starter was 36-year-old Alvin Crowder, who served in the U.S. Army during its occupation of Siberia
after World War I. Crowder, known as "General," was 16-10 in his 32 starts. The General pitched a complete game in Game 4 of the 1935 World Series for a 2-1 victory. Crowder pitched in three World Series
consecutively (1933–1935), posting a record of 1-2 with 3.81 ERA
in 26 innings pitched
.
The Tigers' closer in 1935 was Chief Hogsett
, who appeared in 40 games, finishing 30, with an ERA of 3.54. When Hogsett would take the mound at Navin Field, Detroit fans greeted him with "war whoops." Hogsett later reported that, while he was "one-thirty-second Cherokee on my mother's side," he got the nickname in the minor leagues when he "roomed with a full-blooded Kiowa Indian and the nickname just kind of stuck."
. For the season, the 1935 Tigers outscored their opponents 919 to 665.
in a close seven-game series with the Gashouse Gang
from St. Louis
, the Detroit Tigers were determined to win the first baseball championship for the City of Detroit since the Detroit Wolverines
won the National League pennant in 1887.
The season started out poorly. Schoolboy Rowe
lost on Opening Day, and the Tigers were 2-9 after two weeks of play. At the end of April, the Tigers were in last place. By the end of May, the Tigers had started to turn things around but still had a mediocre 20-18 record.
On June 25, 1935, the Yankees were in first place, and the Tigers were still playing unexceptionally with a record of 33-28. However, the Tigers got red hot after that, going 35-10 between June 26 and August 15, 1935. During that period, they put together win streaks of 10 games (June 30 to July 7) and 9 games (July 31 to August 11). On July 26, 1935, the Tigers passed the Yankees and moved into first place.
The team remained hot through Labor Day, having a record of 85-44 on September 7, 1935. But the Tigers' bats went cold for the last three weeks of the season, as the team went 8-14 to end the season. Despite having a ten-game lead over the Yankees on September 8, 1935, the Tigers let the Yankees back into the race, eventually winning by three games.
On September 21, 1935, the Tigers clinched the American League
pennant by winning both games of a double-header against the St. Louis Browns
. Tommy Bridges
won the opener, 6-2, and Elden Auker pitched a complete game shutout to win the second game, 2-0. After clinching the pennant, the Tigers finished the season by losing 6 of their last 7 games.
Note: pitchers' batting statistics not included
featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs
, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five World Series appearances. They had lost in 1907
, 1908
, 1909
, and 1934
.
The Cubs had the better regular season record and had a 21-game win streak during the pennant stretch. The Tigers, on the other hand, went 8-14 in their last 22 games. Based on momentum, it appeared the Cubs would roll past the Tigers.
The Cubs won Game 1, 3-0, on 4-hit shutout by pitcher Lon Warneke
. Schoolboy Rowe
took the loss.
The Tigers evened the Series in Game 2, with an 8-3 win, but the Tigers lost Hank Greenberg
who fractured his left wrist when colliding with Cubs catcher Gabby Hartnett
. Greenberg had tried to score from first on a single. He finished the game, but he developed severe pain on the train ride to Chicago that night, and x-rays revealed fractures of two bones in his wrist. Greenberg was sidelined for the rest of the Series, and Mickey Cochrane
was left to decide who could replace Greenberg. Initially, Cochrane decided to play first base himself and have backup catcher Ray Hayworth
take over at catcher. But Tigers owner Frank Navin
ordered Cochrane to move third baseman Marv Owen
to first base and play utility infielder Flea Clifton
at third base. Cochrane disagreed, as Clifton was the weakest hitter on the team, and Owen was in a slump. Navin insisted, and Owen went one for twenty in the Series, while Flea went 0-for-16 in the Series.
In Game 3, the Cubs tied the game in the bottom of the 9th, but the Tigers won it with an unearned run in the 11th inning. In the 3rd inning, umpire George Moriarty
(who had played for the Tigers from 1909 to 1915) called Phil Cavarretta
out in a close play at second base. When the Cubs protested, Moriarty verbally abused the Cubs, and ejected Cubs' manager Charlie Grimm
and player Bill Jurges. After the game, Grimm said: "If a manager can't go out and make a decent kick, what the hell is the game coming to? I didn't swear at him but he swore at us." Coach Roy Johnson accused Moriarty of making improper reflections on the Cubs' ancestry. Judge Landis later levied $200 fines on Moriarty‚ Grimm‚ and Jurges for their conduct in the World Series.
In Game 4, Alvin Crowder
pitched a 2-1 complete game victory. The Tigers won on an unearned run in the 6th inning.
In Game 5, Cubs' pitcher Lon Warneke kept the Cubs alive with 6 innings of shutout ball for his 2nd win. The Cubs won 3-1 on a 2-run home run by Chuck Klein
off losing pitcher Schoolboy Rowe.
In Game 6, Tommy Bridges
pitched a complete game victory to win the Series for Detroit. With the score tied 3-3 in the top of the 9th inning, Bridges gave up a leadoff triple to Stan Hack
, but retired the next three batters without the runner on third scoring. In the bottom of the 9th, Goose Goslin
drove in the winning run with 2 outs. After the game, manager Mickey Cochrane said the following of Bridges' gutsy performance: "A hundred and fifty pounds of courage. If there ever is a payoff on courage this little 150- pound pitcher is the greatest World Series hero."
Delirious Detroit fans rushed onto Navin Field in celebration after Goslin's game-winning hit. The celebration spilled out onto Michigan Avenue and Trumbull. People from throughout Detroit flooded the central city in a celebration that newspapers reported went on until three in the morning. For a few hours, the worries of the Great Depression were gone and the only thing that mattered was the Tigers.
Detroit owner Frank Navin, then 64 years old, had been running the organization for 30 years and had seen four of his teams win American League pennants, only to lose four World Series. On November 13, 1935, five weeks after the Tigers finally won the World Series, Navin suffered a heart attack while riding a horse and died.
, the City of Detroit was mired in the Great Depression, which had hit Detroit and its industries particularly hard. But with the success of the Tigers and other Detroit athletes in 1935, Detroit's luck appeared to be changing, as the City was dubbed the "City of Champions."
Detroit's "champions" included Detroit's "Brown Bomber," Joe Louis
, the heavyweight boxing champion; native Detroiter Gar Wood who was the champion of unlimited powerboat racing
and the first man to go 100 miles per hour on water; Eddie "the Midnight Express" Tolan
, a black Detroiter who won gold medals in the 100- and 200-meter races at the 1932 Summer Olympics
. The Detroit Lions
also won the 1935 NFL Championship Game
, and the Detroit Red Wings
won the 1935–36 Stanley Cup championship, but the biggest celebration came when the Tigers won the World Series, as the "City of Champions" moniker took hold.
Baseball was hugely popular in Detroit during the Great Depression, as attendance at Navin Field in 1934 and 1935, accounted for nearly 25 percent of baseball's total paid attendance.
1935 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
in 2001:
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
won the 1935 World Series
1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
, defeating the Chicago Cubs
1935 Chicago Cubs season
- Regular season :Gabby Hartnett was the first National League catcher to win the MVP Award.- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in...
4 games to 2. The season was their 35th since they entered the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in 1901. It was the first World Series championship for the Tigers.
The players
As the 1934 Detroit Tigers won a club-record 101 games, the team made few changes in the off-season to alter their winning combination.Catcher/Manager: Mickey Cochrane
Hall of Famer Mickey CochraneMickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
returned as the team's manager and catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
. Known as "Black Mike," Cochrane is considered one of the greatest catchers of all time. In 1935, he hit .319 (9th in the AL) with a .452 on base percentage (3rd in the AL), 96 walks (4th in the AL), 93 runs scored, and 33 doubles. Aside from his contributions as a player, Cochrane was invaluable as a manager and leader. Charlie Gehringer
Charlie Gehringer
Charles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played 19 seasons for the Detroit Tigers...
later said: "When Mickey was managing the Tigers from behind the plate I can't remember him ever fouling up anything. Seemed like he made snap judgments that always worked out well, especially in '34 and '35."
Infield: Greenberg, Gehringer, Rogell, and Owen
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
at first
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, Charlie Gehringer
Charlie Gehringer
Charles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played 19 seasons for the Detroit Tigers...
at second
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
, Billy Rogell
Billy Rogell
William George "Billy" Rogell was an American baseball player who played 14 years in Major League Baseball, primarily as a shortstop for the Detroit Tigers. He made his major league debut on April 14, 1925 and played his last game August 25, 1940...
at shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
, and Marv Owen
Marv Owen
Marvin James Owen was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played nine seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers , Chicago White Sox , and Boston Red Sox ....
at third
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, the 1934 Tigers infield collected 462 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
(139 by Greenberg, 127 by Gehringer, 100 by Rogell, and 96 by Owen) and 179 double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s (63 by Greenberg, 50 by Gehringer, 34 by Owen and 32 by Rogell).
"Hammerin' Hank" Greenberg led the major leagues with 170 RBIs in 1935—the eighth highest single season total in major league history. The second highest RBI total in the AL that year was Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
's 119—51 fewer than Hank. Greenberg also led the major leagues in 1935 with 36 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, 98 extra base hits, 389 total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
, and 159 runs created
Runs created
Runs created is a baseball statistic invented by Bill James to estimate the number of runs a hitter contributes to his team.-Purpose:James explains in his book, The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, why he believes runs created is an essential thing to measure:With regard to an offensive...
. He also hit for average, with a .328 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
(7th in the AL), .411 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
(6th in the AL), and .628 slugging percentage (2nd in the AL). Greenberg was named the American League's Most Valuable Player for 1935.
Charlie Gehringer also had a terrific season, hitting .330 for the year (5th best in the AL). He was also among the league leaders with 123 runs (2nd in the AL), 201 hits (5th in the AL), 125 runs created (5th in the AL), 306 total bases (6th in the AL), 19 home runs (8th in the AL), and 108 RBIs (9th in the AL). Gehringer also led AL second basemen with 489 assists and a .985 fielding percentage. Gehringer finished 6th in the AL MVP voting in 1935. Known for his consistency as a hitter and fielder, Gehringer was given the nickname "The Mechanical Man" by Yankee pitcher Lefty Gomez
Lefty Gómez
Vernon Louis "Lefty" Gomez was an American left-handed major league pitcher who played in the American League for the New York Yankees between 1930 and 1942. Considered one of the great pitchers of the day, Gomez was a seven-time All-Star and a five-time World Series Champion with the Yankees...
. Mickey Cochrane
Mickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
joked that "Charlie says `hello' on Opening Day, `goodbye' on closing day, and in between hits .350."
Shortstop Billy Rogell hit .275 and scored 88 runs in 1935 while drawing 80 walks. Rogell also led AL shortstops with 104 double plays and a .971 fielding percentage. Rogell and Gehringer played over 1,000 games together as the Tigers' double play combination. Rogell's fiery demeanor was a stark contrast to the calm, quiet demeanor of Gehringer. Once, after both failed to cover second on a steal attempt, Mickey Cochrane
Mickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
charged out from behind the plate shouting at Rogell and Gehringer. As reported in The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract: "Rogell, astonished, looked at Gehringer to see if he was going to say anything. Gehringer, of course, had nothing to say. 'Goddamn you,' yelled Rogell. 'Don’t you come charging out here telling me how to play shortstop. You go back there and do the catching, and I’ll play shortstop. If I’m not good enough, you can find someone else.' Cochrane went back to his own position."
Marv Owen was the one Tiger starter whose performance dropped off significantly from 1934 to 1935. In 1934, Owen had batted .317 with 96 RBIs and finished 9th in the AL MVP voting. In 1935, his average dropped 54 points to .263, and his RBI production fell to 71. Owen is remembered for a famous incident in Game 7 of the 1934 World Series
1934 World Series
The 1934 World Series matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang" winning in seven games for their third championship in nine years....
. Joe Medwick
Joe Medwick
Joseph Michael Medwick , nicknamed "Ducky", was an American Major League Baseball player. A left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals during the "Gashouse Gang" era of the 1930s, he also played for the Brooklyn Dodgers , New York Giants , and Boston Braves...
tripled in the 6th inning with the Cardinals ahead by 7 runs. He slid hard into Owen at third, knocking him down. The two fought, and Detroit fans pelted Medwick with fruit and garbage when he returned to left field. As the fan reaction escalated, Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...
ordered Medwick removed from the game. Owen batted just .069 (2–29) in the 1934 World Series and .050 (1–20) in the 1935 World Series. He set a post-season record for the most consecutive plate appearances between hits with 31.
Rounding out the infield was utility infielder Flea Clifton
Flea Clifton
Herman Earl "Flea" Clifton , was a Major League Baseball infielder who played four seasons with the Detroit Tigers from 1934 to 1937.Clifton was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on December 12, 1909...
. Clifton played in 43 games during the 1935 regular season, with a .255 batting average. However, when Hank Greenberg broke his wrist in Game 2 of the 1935 World Series
1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
, Marv Owen
Marv Owen
Marvin James Owen was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played nine seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers , Chicago White Sox , and Boston Red Sox ....
moved to first base, and Clifton stepped in as the starting third baseman. Clifton was 0-for-16 with 4 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s in the Series. Clifton had been teammates with Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
in the minor leagues, and the two became friends. In his autobiography, Greenberg joked about Clifton's unusual diet: "On the road, he used to eat nothing but doughnuts and bananas. He said they were cheap and filling and stretched his meal money. Flea was the only ballplayer who could show a profit on $1-a-day meal money."
Outfield: Goslin, Fox, White and Walker
In the outfield, Hall of Famer Goose GoslinGoose Goslin
Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
played in left field. Pete Fox
Pete Fox
Ervin "Pete" Fox was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played thirteen seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox ....
played in right field. The speedy Jo-Jo White
Jo-Jo White
Joyner Clifford "Jo-Jo" White was an American center fielder in professional baseball. He played nine seasons with the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Athletics , and Cincinnati Reds...
and Gee Walker
Gee Walker
Gerald Holmes "Gee" Walker was a Major League Baseball outfielder. During his fifteen year career, he played with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Cincinnati Reds...
shared responsibility for center field, with White playing in 98 games.
Pete Fox led the way among the outfielders, batting .321 with 116 runs scored, 38 doubles, and 15 home runs. Fox also had a 29-game hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
in June and July. During the hitting streak, Fox drove in 10 runs in a double-header against the St. Louis Browns. During the six-game 1935 World Series
1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
, Fox also led the team in hits (10), RBIs (4), and batting average (.385).
Goose Goslin had a good year with 109 RBIs, 172 hits, and 34 doubles. After leading the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
to American League pennants in 1924, 1925, and 1933, owner Clark Griffith
Clark Griffith
Clark Calvin Griffith , nicknamed "the Old Fox", was a Major League Baseball pitcher, manager and team owner.-Biography:...
traded Goslin to Detroit before the 1934 season. Griffith told Goose he simply couldn't afford to pay his salary. With stars Goslin, Gehringer and Greenberg, the 1934 and 1934 Tigers became known as the “G-Men.” Goslin was the hero of the 1935 World Series, as he drove in the winning run in Games 6. With the game tied 3-3, Goslin came to bat in the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs and Mickey Cochrane
Mickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
on 2nd base. Goslin hit a walk-off single to right, scoring Cochrane, as the Tigers won the Series.
Center fielder Jo-Jo White led the team with 19 stolen bases and also contributed 12 triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s. White's real first name was Joyner, but he was called "Jo-Jo" because of the way he pronounced his native state of Georgia. Hank Greenberg, who was raised in the Bronx was rommates with White, and according to Greenberg the two of them "used to fight the Civil War every night." Greenberg recalled a game in which White stole home with Greenberg at bat: "He deprived me of a good chance at an RBI, and he did it deliberately because he knew it would burn me up."
The Tigers fourth outfielder, Gee Walker played 45 games in center field but also covered 29 games in left and 11 games in right. Known as "The Madman from Mississippi," Walker was a fiery competitor and a clown. He hit over .300 for the 1935 Tigers, but his reputation for being inattentive and overzealous on the basepaths drew the ire of manager Mickey Cochrane. During the 1934 World Series, he was picked off first while arguing with the Cardinals' bench. On another occasion, he tried to steal a base while the batter was being given an intentional walk.
Pitching: Bridges, Rowe, Auker and Crowder
The pitching staff was led by starters Tommy BridgesTommy Bridges
Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946...
, Schoolboy Rowe
Schoolboy Rowe
Lynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies...
, Alvin Crowder
Alvin Crowder
Alvin Floyd Crowder , nicknamed "General," was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played eleven seasons in the American League with the Washington Senators, the St. Louis Browns, and the Detroit Tigers...
, and Elden Auker
Elden Auker
Elden le Roy Auker was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball noted for his submarine pitching style....
.
Tommy Bridges was the only 20-game winner with a record of 21-10. In 34 starts, Bridges threw 23 complete games. He led the American League with 163 strikeouts, and his 3.51 ERA was 6th best in the league. He finished the season 11th in the American League MVP voting. In a nationwide poll, Bridges was named the No. 2 sports hero of 1935, behind Notre Dame football player Andy Pilney
Andy Pilney
-External links:...
.
Elden Auker, a 24-year-old underhand pitcher out of Kansas A&M, also had a big year for the 1935 Tigers. Auker led the American League in win percentage (.720) with a record of 18-7. During the 1935 World Series
1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
, Auker was interviewed by a young Cubs broadcaster, Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. When they met after Reagan had been elected Governor of California, Reagan told him, "You probably won't remember me, but I'll remember you as long as I live." The 1935 radio interview, Reagan said, "was my first big break."
After making a big splash in 1934 with an American League record 16 consecutive wins, Schoolboy Rowe had another big year in 1935. Schoolboy had become a fan favorite not only for his pitching performance in 1934 but for his nationally publicized romance. While appearing on the Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor was an American "illustrated song" performer, comedian, dancer, singer, actor and songwriter...
radio show, Rowe famously asked his fiancee, "How'm I doing, Edna honey?" The line endeared Schoolboy to the nation, and also resulted in relentless teasing from opposing players and fans. Schoolboy and Edna married after the 1934 season and had their first child during the 1935 season. Schoolboy led the league in 1935 with six shutouts and finished the season with a 19-13 record in 34 starts. Despite a 2.51 ERA in the 1935 World Series, Rowe had a 1-2 record. He was the losing pitcher in Game 1, despite striking out 8 batters, pitching a complete game and allowing only 2 earned runs. In Game 3, Rowe got the win, pitching 4 innings in relief. But Game 5 was another tough loss, as Schoolboy threw a complete game and allowed 2 earned runs, but the Tigers scored only once.
The Tigers' #4 starter was 36-year-old Alvin Crowder, who served in the U.S. Army during its occupation of Siberia
American Expeditionary Force Siberia
The American Expeditionary Force Siberia was a United States Army force that was involved in the Russian Civil War in Vladivostok, Russian Empire, during the tail end of World War I after the October Revolution, from 1918 to 1920....
after World War I. Crowder, known as "General," was 16-10 in his 32 starts. The General pitched a complete game in Game 4 of the 1935 World Series for a 2-1 victory. Crowder pitched in three World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
consecutively (1933–1935), posting a record of 1-2 with 3.81 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 26 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
.
The Tigers' closer in 1935 was Chief Hogsett
Chief Hogsett
Elon Chester "Chief" Hogsett was a sub-marining left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played 11 seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers , St...
, who appeared in 40 games, finishing 30, with an ERA of 3.54. When Hogsett would take the mound at Navin Field, Detroit fans greeted him with "war whoops." Hogsett later reported that, while he was "one-thirty-second Cherokee on my mother's side," he got the nickname in the minor leagues when he "roomed with a full-blooded Kiowa Indian and the nickname just kind of stuck."
Regular season
Detroit's final regular season record was 93-58, placing them three games ahead of the second place New York Yankees1935 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the team's 33rd season in New York and its 35th season overall. The team finished with a record of 89-60, finishing 3 games behind the Detroit Tigers. New York was managed by Joe McCarthy. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium....
. For the season, the 1935 Tigers outscored their opponents 919 to 665.
Season summary
After losing the 1934 World Series1934 World Series
The 1934 World Series matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang" winning in seven games for their third championship in nine years....
in a close seven-game series with the Gashouse Gang
Gashouse Gang
The Gashouse Gang was a nickname applied to the St. Louis Cardinals Major League Baseball team of .The Cardinals, by most accounts, earned this nickname from the team's generally very shabby appearance and rough-and-tumble tactics...
from St. Louis
1934 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 53rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 43rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 95-58 during the season and finished first in the National League...
, the Detroit Tigers were determined to win the first baseball championship for the City of Detroit since the Detroit Wolverines
Detroit Wolverines
The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th century baseball team that played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan. In total, they won 426 games and lost 437, taking their lone pennant in 1887. The team was disbanded following the 1888 season.-Franchise...
won the National League pennant in 1887.
The season started out poorly. Schoolboy Rowe
Schoolboy Rowe
Lynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies...
lost on Opening Day, and the Tigers were 2-9 after two weeks of play. At the end of April, the Tigers were in last place. By the end of May, the Tigers had started to turn things around but still had a mediocre 20-18 record.
On June 25, 1935, the Yankees were in first place, and the Tigers were still playing unexceptionally with a record of 33-28. However, the Tigers got red hot after that, going 35-10 between June 26 and August 15, 1935. During that period, they put together win streaks of 10 games (June 30 to July 7) and 9 games (July 31 to August 11). On July 26, 1935, the Tigers passed the Yankees and moved into first place.
The team remained hot through Labor Day, having a record of 85-44 on September 7, 1935. But the Tigers' bats went cold for the last three weeks of the season, as the team went 8-14 to end the season. Despite having a ten-game lead over the Yankees on September 8, 1935, the Tigers let the Yankees back into the race, eventually winning by three games.
On September 21, 1935, the Tigers clinched the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
pennant by winning both games of a double-header against the St. Louis Browns
1935 St. Louis Browns season
The St. Louis Browns season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Browns finishing 7th in the American League with a record of 65 wins and 87 losses.- Notable transactions :* June 30, 1935: Heinie Mueller was released by the Browns.- Roster :...
. Tommy Bridges
Tommy Bridges
Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946...
won the opener, 6-2, and Elden Auker pitched a complete game shutout to win the second game, 2-0. After clinching the pennant, the Tigers finished the season by losing 6 of their last 7 games.
Roster
| 1935 Detroit Tigers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
valign="top" | Manager Coaches |
||||||
Season highlights
- April 17, 1935: The Tigers lost on Opening DayOpening DayOpening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
against the Chicago White Sox1935 Chicago White Sox seasonThe 1935 Chicago White Sox season was the team's 35th season in the major leagues, and its 36th season overall. They finished with a record 74-78, good enough for 5th place in the American League, 19.5 games behind the first place Detroit Tigers.- Offseason :...
by a score of 7-6. Schoolboy RoweSchoolboy RoweLynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies...
was the losing pitcher. - April 18, 1935: Jo-Jo WhiteJo-Jo WhiteJoyner Clifford "Jo-Jo" White was an American center fielder in professional baseball. He played nine seasons with the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Athletics , and Cincinnati Reds...
tied an AL record with 5 walks off White Sox pitchers. The last walk forced in the winning run in the 9th as the Tigers win‚ 5-4. - April 29, 1935: The Tigers bats finally broke loose, as the Tigers crushed the St. Louis Browns1935 St. Louis Browns seasonThe St. Louis Browns season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Browns finishing 7th in the American League with a record of 65 wins and 87 losses.- Notable transactions :* June 30, 1935: Heinie Mueller was released by the Browns.- Roster :...
18-0. Tommy BridgesTommy BridgesThomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946...
was the winning pitcher over Bobo NewsomBobo NewsomLouis Norman Newsom was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Also known as "Buck", Newsom played for a number of teams from 1929 through 1953...
. Bobo would later help the Tigers win a pennant in . - May 13, 1935: Schoolboy Rowe shut out the New York Yankees 3-0. Lefty GomezLefty GómezVernon Louis "Lefty" Gomez was an American left-handed major league pitcher who played in the American League for the New York Yankees between 1930 and 1942. Considered one of the great pitchers of the day, Gomez was a seven-time All-Star and a five-time World Series Champion with the Yankees...
was the losing pitcher for the Yankees. - May 14, 1935: The Tigers took their second straight victory over the Yankees, as Alvin CrowderAlvin CrowderAlvin Floyd Crowder , nicknamed "General," was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played eleven seasons in the American League with the Washington Senators, the St. Louis Browns, and the Detroit Tigers...
won 10-4. - May 15, 1935: Lou GehrigLou GehrigHenry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
stole home in a 4-0 Yankees win over the Tigers. - May 19, 1935: The Tigers scored 16 runs to beat the Washington Senators1935 Washington Senators seasonThe Washington Senators won 67 games, lost 86, and finished in sixth place in the American League. They were managed by Bucky Harris and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
16-6. - May 20, 1935: A's pitcher George CasterGeorge CasterGeorge Jasper Caster nicknamed "Ug," was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball with the Philadelphia Athletics , St. Louis Browns , and Detroit Tigers . Born in Colton, California, Ug appeared in 376 major league games and compiled a record of 76-100 in 1377-2/3 innings pitched...
‚ following the advice of Jimmie FoxxJimmie FoxxJames Emory "Jimmie" Foxx , nicknamed "Double X" and "The Beast", was a right-handed American Major League Baseball first baseman and noted power hitter....
‚ walked Charlie GehringerCharlie GehringerCharles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played 19 seasons for the Detroit Tigers...
in the 11th inning to pitch to Hank GreenbergHank GreenbergHenry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
. Greenberg proceeded to knock in 2 runs as the Tigers defeated the A's, 8-6. - May 25, 1935: The Tigers defeated the Red Sox 3-2 on a 2-run home run by Hank GreenbergHank GreenbergHenry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
in the 6th inning. In the 4th inning, Greenberg hit a line driveLine driveIn baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
at pitcher Fritz OstermuellerFritz OstermuellerFrederick Raymond Ostermueller , was a pitcher in major league baseball from 1934–1948, for the Boston Red Sox, Brooklyn Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Browns....
, breaking his cheekbone and several teeth and sending him to the hospital. - May 26, 1935: The Tigers were shut out by the Yankees 2-0.
- June 16, 1935: The Tigers completed a three-game sweep over the Philadelphia Athletics1935 Philadelphia Athletics seasonThe Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 58 wins and 91 losses.Before 1935, 20th Street residents could see games for free over the 12-foot right-field fence of Shibe Park and fans could see the laundry lines on the roofs of 20th...
. The combined score of the three games was 34-7. - June 21, 1935: After 3 straight losses to the Yankees, Schoolboy Rowe shut out the Yankees, 7-0, for the second time in 1935. Rowe's wife, Edna, had just given birth to their first child.
- June 24, 1935: Tommy Bridges pitched 13 innings for the Tigers and left the game tied 8-8. Elden AukerElden AukerElden le Roy Auker was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball noted for his submarine pitching style....
pitched in relief and knocked in the winning run as the Tigers win 9-8. - June 30, 1935: Pete FoxPete FoxErvin "Pete" Fox was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played thirteen seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox ....
, in the midst of a 29-game hitting streak, led the Tigers to victories in both games of a double-header against the Browns. The Tigers won the opener 18-1 and then won the second game 11-6. Fox drove in 10 runs‚ six of them in the opener when he hit his second grand slam of the month. Fox had 8 hits and scored 4 runs in each game. Schoolboy Rowe and Alvin CrowderAlvin CrowderAlvin Floyd Crowder , nicknamed "General," was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played eleven seasons in the American League with the Washington Senators, the St. Louis Browns, and the Detroit Tigers...
were the winning pitchers. - July 5, 1935: The Tigers beat the St. Louis Browns‚ 16-1 as Hank Greenberg had 4 hits, 4 RBIs, scores 4 runs, and hit 2 home runs.
- July 7, 1935: The Tigers defeated the Browns‚ 12-5‚ for their 10th straight win. Detroit scored 11 runs in the first three innings. Hank Greenberg had a double, a triple and three RBIs to give him 100 RBIs at the All-Star break.
- July 10, 1935: In the first game after the All Star Game, the Tigers' win streak ended at 10 games‚ despite a record-tying 10 doubles, in a 12-11 loss to the Senators.
- July 11, 1935: The Tigers defeated the Senators in 10 innings, 7-6, but Pete FoxPete FoxErvin "Pete" Fox was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played thirteen seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox ....
failed to get a hit, as his hitting streak came to an end at 29 games. Charlie Gehringer hit a home run and a triple, and Goose GoslinGoose GoslinLeon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
had 3 hits including a home run. - July 13, 1935: Doc CramerDoc CramerRoger Maxwell Cramer [Doc] was an American center fielder and left-handed batter in Major League Baseball who played for four American League teams from 1929 to 1948.-Career:...
went 6-for-6 for the Athletics in the opening game of a double-header against Elden Auker. Jimmie FoxxJimmie FoxxJames Emory "Jimmie" Foxx , nicknamed "Double X" and "The Beast", was a right-handed American Major League Baseball first baseman and noted power hitter....
also went 3-for-3 as the A's crushed the Tigers, 18-5. The Tigers won the second game, as Hank Greenberg hit his 26th home run, helping Tommy Bridges win his 12th game. - July 16, 1935: The A's beat the Tigers‚ 8-2, and the Yankees defeated the White Sox to take a 2½-game lead over Detroit.
- July 21, 1935: The Tigers scored 3 runs in the 9th inning against Lefty GroveLefty GroveRobert Moses "Lefty" Grove was a professional baseball pitcher. After having success in the minor leagues during the early 1920s, Grove became a star in Major League Baseball with the American League's Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox, winning 300 games in his 17-year MLB career...
and the Red Sox. In the bottom of the 9th, Red Sox pitcher Wes FerrellWes FerrellWesley Cheek Ferrell was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball from 1927 through 1941. Primarily a starting pitcher, Ferrell played for the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators , New York Yankees , Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves...
pinch hit for Grove and hit a home run with 2 outs and 2 men on to give Boston a 7-6 win. - July 24, 1935: The Tigers beat the Yankees 4-0 as Alvin Crowder pitched a shutout. The Tigers were a fraction of a percentage point behind the Yankees. Jo-Jo White led off the game with his first major league home run‚ off Red RuffingRed RuffingCharles Herbert "Red" Ruffing was a Major League Baseball pitcher most remembered for his time with the highly successful New York Yankees teams of the 1930s and 1940s...
. - July 26, 1935: Washington beat the Yankees, knocking them out of first for the first time since May 30.
- August 14, 1935: Schoolboy Rowe got the win over the Senators 18-2 and also went 5-for-5 at the plate. Schoolboy had a double, a triple, scores 3 runs, and collected three RBIs. With the Yankees losing, the Tigers had built a 6-game lead. This marked the second time in 1935 that the Tigers scored 18 runs in a game.
- August 18, 1935: Schoolboy Rowe is hit on the hand by a line drive in the 3rd inning. After a 12-minute delay‚ Rowe returned and allows just one more hit. Detroit beat the Yankees‚ 6-0. The victory was Schoolboy's third shutout of the Yankees in 1935.
- September 8, 1935: In the second game of a double header, Elden Auker made it into the 8th inning with a no-hitter. A's slugger Jimmie FoxxJimmie FoxxJames Emory "Jimmie" Foxx , nicknamed "Double X" and "The Beast", was a right-handed American Major League Baseball first baseman and noted power hitter....
doubled in the 8th, but Auker got the win, 15-1, as the Tigers collected 20 hits. Cochrane had 3 hits in each game for Detroit. The sweep increased the Tigers' AL lead to 10 games. - September 10, 1935: The Tigers were shut out 6-0 by the Senators. Schoolboy Rowe was the losing pitcher.
- September 13, 1935: The Tigers beat the Yankees‚ 13-5, and Schoolboy Rowe got the win. Hank Greenberg had 3 hits including a home run. Lou GehrigLou GehrigHenry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
hit two home runs in the game. - September 14, 1935: The Tigers split a double-header with the Yankees. Alvin Crowder lost the opener 2-1, and Roxie LawsonRoxie LawsonAlfred Voyle "Roxie" Lawson was a Major League Baseball player.After attending Iowa Wesleyan College, Roxie Lawson played nine Major League seasons as a right-handed pitcher with the Cleveland Indians , Detroit Tigers , and St. Louis Browns...
held the Yankees to 1 run in the second game. Hank Greenberg‚ leading the league in hitting at .346‚ was hitless in both games, and struck out five times. The New York American reported afterward: "The hooting and jeering which some of the fans turned loose against Hank wasn't much of a tribute to the sportsmanship of his home town." - September 21, 1935: The Tigers clinched the American League pennant by winning both games of a double-header against the Browns. Tommy Bridges won the opener, 6-2, and Elden Auker pitched a complete game shutout to win the second game, 2-0. The Tigers went 1-6 after clinching the pennant.
- September 22, 1935: Schoolboy Rowe lost a 1-0 game to the Browns. Schoolboy committed an error in the 6th inning that allowed the only run to score. This was only the fifth time in 1935 that the Tigers were shut out.
- September 25, 1935: The Tigers lost to the Indians, 3-2. Chief HogsettChief HogsettElon Chester "Chief" Hogsett was a sub-marining left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played 11 seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers , St...
took over in the 1st inning when starter Elden Auker was hit on the wrist by a line drive off the bat of Joe VosmikJoe VosmikJoseph Franklin Vosmik born in Cleveland, Ohio was an Outfielder for the Cleveland Indians , St. Louis Browns , Boston Red Sox , Brooklyn Dodgers and Washington Senators . He helped the Dodgers win the 1941 National League Pennant.He was voted to the 1935 American League All-Star Team as a Right...
. Hogsett hit a solo home run over the right field wall in the 6th inning. - September 29, 1935: The White Sox swept the Tigers in a double-header on the last day of the regular season. The Sox hit an AL record 10 singles in the 2nd inning of game 2 off Elden Auker. The Sox won 14-2. Firpo MarberryFirpo MarberryFrederick "Firpo" Marberry was an American right-handed starting and relief pitcher in Major League Baseball from to , most notably with the Washington Senators...
, who had been released by the Tigers in June‚ was the umpire. Firpo worked as an umpire for the second half of the 1935 season. - October 7, 1935: The Tigers won the World Series with a 4-3 victory in Game 6. The celebration in the streets of Detroit lasted until three in the morning.
- October 20, 1935: By a unanimous vote‚ Hank Greenberg was named the American League's Most Valuable Player.
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 115 | 411 | 131 | .319 | 5 | 47 | |
| 1B | 152 | 619 | 203 | .328 | 36 | 170 | |
| 2B | 150 | 610 | 201 | .330 | 19 | 108 | |
| 3B | 134 | 483 | 127 | .263 | 2 | 71 | |
| SS | 150 | 560 | 154 | .275 | 6 | 71 | |
| OF | 147 | 590 | 172 | .292 | 9 | 109 | |
| OF | 131 | 517 | 166 | .321 | 15 | 73 | |
| OF | 114 | 412 | 99 | .240 | 2 | 32 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98 | 362 | 109 | .301 | 7 | 53 | |
| 51 | 175 | 54 | .309 | 0 | 22 | |
| 43 | 110 | 28 | .255 | 0 | 9 | |
| 9 | 25 | 4 | .160 | 0 | 1 | |
| 11 | 8 | 2 | .250 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | 8 | 2 | .250 | 0 | 1 |
Note: pitchers' batting statistics not included
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 274.3 | 21 | 10 | 3.51 | 163 | |
| 42 | 275.7 | 19 | 13 | 3.69 | 140 | |
| 33 | 241 | 16 | 10 | 4.26 | 59 | |
| 36 | 195 | 18 | 7 | 3.83 | 63 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 125.7 | 6 | 6 | 3.51 | 53 | |
| 12 | 51.3 | 4 | 3 | 4.03 | 22 | |
| 7 | 40 | 3 | 1 | 1.58 | 16 | |
| 8 | 33.1 | 3 | 1 | 1.58 | 16 | |
| 5 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 4.26 | 7 | |
| 3 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 6.00 | 7 |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | GF | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 30 | 3.54 | 39 |
1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs
1935 Chicago Cubs season
- Regular season :Gabby Hartnett was the first National League catcher to win the MVP Award.- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in...
, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five World Series appearances. They had lost in 1907
1907 World Series
The 1907 World Series featured the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers, with the Cubs winning the Series four games to none for their first championship....
, 1908
1908 World Series
The 1908 World Series matched the defending champion Chicago Cubs against the Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 Series. In this first-ever rematch of this young event, the Cubs won in five games for their second consecutive title....
, 1909
1909 World Series
The 1909 World Series featured the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers. The Pirates won the Series in seven games to capture their first championship of the modern Major League Baseball era and the second championship in the club's history....
, and 1934
1934 World Series
The 1934 World Series matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang" winning in seven games for their third championship in nine years....
.
The Cubs had the better regular season record and had a 21-game win streak during the pennant stretch. The Tigers, on the other hand, went 8-14 in their last 22 games. Based on momentum, it appeared the Cubs would roll past the Tigers.
The Cubs won Game 1, 3-0, on 4-hit shutout by pitcher Lon Warneke
Lon Warneke
Lonnie Warneke , nicknamed the "The Arkansas Hummingbird," was a Major League Baseball player, Major League umpire, county judge, U.S. Military serviceman, and businessman from Montgomery County, Arkansas whose career won-loss record as a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and St...
. Schoolboy Rowe
Schoolboy Rowe
Lynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies...
took the loss.
The Tigers evened the Series in Game 2, with an 8-3 win, but the Tigers lost Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
who fractured his left wrist when colliding with Cubs catcher Gabby Hartnett
Gabby Hartnett
Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Chicago Cubs. Until the career of Johnny Bench, Hartnett was considered the greatest catcher in the history of the National League...
. Greenberg had tried to score from first on a single. He finished the game, but he developed severe pain on the train ride to Chicago that night, and x-rays revealed fractures of two bones in his wrist. Greenberg was sidelined for the rest of the Series, and Mickey Cochrane
Mickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
was left to decide who could replace Greenberg. Initially, Cochrane decided to play first base himself and have backup catcher Ray Hayworth
Ray Hayworth
Raymond Hall Hayworth was a catcher in Major League Baseball. From 1926 through 1945, Hayworth played for the Detroit Tigers, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants and St. Louis Browns. He batted and threw right-handed....
take over at catcher. But Tigers owner Frank Navin
Frank Navin
Francis Joseph Navin was the principal owner of the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball for 27 years, from 1909 to 1935. He also served as vice president and acting president of the American League....
ordered Cochrane to move third baseman Marv Owen
Marv Owen
Marvin James Owen was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played nine seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers , Chicago White Sox , and Boston Red Sox ....
to first base and play utility infielder Flea Clifton
Flea Clifton
Herman Earl "Flea" Clifton , was a Major League Baseball infielder who played four seasons with the Detroit Tigers from 1934 to 1937.Clifton was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on December 12, 1909...
at third base. Cochrane disagreed, as Clifton was the weakest hitter on the team, and Owen was in a slump. Navin insisted, and Owen went one for twenty in the Series, while Flea went 0-for-16 in the Series.
In Game 3, the Cubs tied the game in the bottom of the 9th, but the Tigers won it with an unearned run in the 11th inning. In the 3rd inning, umpire George Moriarty
George Moriarty
George Joseph Moriarty was an American third baseman, umpire and manager in Major League Baseball from 1903 to 1940. He played for the Chicago Cubs, New York Highlanders, Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox from 1903 to 1916.Moriarty was born in Chicago, Illinois, where he grew up near the Union...
(who had played for the Tigers from 1909 to 1915) called Phil Cavarretta
Phil Cavarretta
Philip Joseph Cavarretta was an American Major League Baseball first baseman, outfielder, and manager.Cavarretta spent almost his entire baseball career with the Chicago Cubs. He was voted the National League Most Valuable Player after leading the Cubs to the pennant while winning the batting...
out in a close play at second base. When the Cubs protested, Moriarty verbally abused the Cubs, and ejected Cubs' manager Charlie Grimm
Charlie Grimm
Charles John Grimm , nicknamed "Jolly Cholly", was a first baseman and manager in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Chicago Cubs; he was also a sometime radio broadcaster, and a popular goodwill ambassador for baseball...
and player Bill Jurges. After the game, Grimm said: "If a manager can't go out and make a decent kick, what the hell is the game coming to? I didn't swear at him but he swore at us." Coach Roy Johnson accused Moriarty of making improper reflections on the Cubs' ancestry. Judge Landis later levied $200 fines on Moriarty‚ Grimm‚ and Jurges for their conduct in the World Series.
In Game 4, Alvin Crowder
Alvin Crowder
Alvin Floyd Crowder , nicknamed "General," was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played eleven seasons in the American League with the Washington Senators, the St. Louis Browns, and the Detroit Tigers...
pitched a 2-1 complete game victory. The Tigers won on an unearned run in the 6th inning.
In Game 5, Cubs' pitcher Lon Warneke kept the Cubs alive with 6 innings of shutout ball for his 2nd win. The Cubs won 3-1 on a 2-run home run by Chuck Klein
Chuck Klein
Charles Herbert "Chuck" Klein was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates ....
off losing pitcher Schoolboy Rowe.
In Game 6, Tommy Bridges
Tommy Bridges
Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946...
pitched a complete game victory to win the Series for Detroit. With the score tied 3-3 in the top of the 9th inning, Bridges gave up a leadoff triple to Stan Hack
Stan Hack
Stanley Camfield Hack , nicknamed "Smiling Stan," was an American third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Chicago Cubs and was the National League's top third baseman in the late 1930s and early 1940s...
, but retired the next three batters without the runner on third scoring. In the bottom of the 9th, Goose Goslin
Goose Goslin
Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
drove in the winning run with 2 outs. After the game, manager Mickey Cochrane said the following of Bridges' gutsy performance: "A hundred and fifty pounds of courage. If there ever is a payoff on courage this little 150- pound pitcher is the greatest World Series hero."
Delirious Detroit fans rushed onto Navin Field in celebration after Goslin's game-winning hit. The celebration spilled out onto Michigan Avenue and Trumbull. People from throughout Detroit flooded the central city in a celebration that newspapers reported went on until three in the morning. For a few hours, the worries of the Great Depression were gone and the only thing that mattered was the Tigers.
Detroit owner Frank Navin, then 64 years old, had been running the organization for 30 years and had seen four of his teams win American League pennants, only to lose four World Series. On November 13, 1935, five weeks after the Tigers finally won the World Series, Navin suffered a heart attack while riding a horse and died.
| Game | Score | Date | Location | Attendance | Winning Pitcher | Losing Pitcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cubs – 3, Tigers – 0 | October 2 | Navin Field | 47,391 | Lon Warneke Lon Warneke Lonnie Warneke , nicknamed the "The Arkansas Hummingbird," was a Major League Baseball player, Major League umpire, county judge, U.S. Military serviceman, and businessman from Montgomery County, Arkansas whose career won-loss record as a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and St... |
Schoolboy Rowe Schoolboy Rowe Lynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies... |
| 2 | Cubs – 3, Tigers – 8 | October 3 | Navin Field | 46,742 | Tommy Bridges Tommy Bridges Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946... |
Charlie Root Charlie Root Charles Henry Root was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs for sixteen seasons from 1926 through 1941. He holds the club record for games, innings pitched, and career wins with 201.... |
| 3 | Tigers – 6, Cubs – 5 (11 innings) | October 4 | Wrigley Field Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales... |
45,532 | Schoolboy Rowe Schoolboy Rowe Lynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies... |
Larry French Larry French Lawrence Herbert French was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers . A knuckleball specialist, French batted right-handed and threw left-handed... |
| 4 | Tigers – 2, Cubs – 1 | October 5 | Wrigley Field Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales... |
49,350 | Alvin Crowder Alvin Crowder Alvin Floyd Crowder , nicknamed "General," was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played eleven seasons in the American League with the Washington Senators, the St. Louis Browns, and the Detroit Tigers... |
Tex Carleton Tex Carleton James Otto "Tex" Carleton was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1932 to 1940 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, and Brooklyn Dodgers. Carleton threw a no-hitter on April 30, 1940 when he was with the Dodgers. Only a year earlier he had been sold down to the minors and released... |
| 5 | Tigers – 1, Cubs – 3 | October 6 | Wrigley Field Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales... |
49,237 | Lon Warneke Lon Warneke Lonnie Warneke , nicknamed the "The Arkansas Hummingbird," was a Major League Baseball player, Major League umpire, county judge, U.S. Military serviceman, and businessman from Montgomery County, Arkansas whose career won-loss record as a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and St... |
Schoolboy Rowe Schoolboy Rowe Lynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies... |
| 6 | Cubs – 3, Tigers – 4 | October 7 | Navin Field | 48,420 | Tommy Bridges Tommy Bridges Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946... |
Larry French Larry French Lawrence Herbert French was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers . A knuckleball specialist, French batted right-handed and threw left-handed... |
Detroit: "City of Champions"
When the Tigers won the 1935 World Series1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
, the City of Detroit was mired in the Great Depression, which had hit Detroit and its industries particularly hard. But with the success of the Tigers and other Detroit athletes in 1935, Detroit's luck appeared to be changing, as the City was dubbed the "City of Champions."
Detroit's "champions" included Detroit's "Brown Bomber," Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
, the heavyweight boxing champion; native Detroiter Gar Wood who was the champion of unlimited powerboat racing
Hydroplane racing
Hydroplane racing is a sport involving racing hydroplanes on lakes and rivers. It is a popular spectator sport in several countries.-International Professional Outboard Hydroplane Racing:...
and the first man to go 100 miles per hour on water; Eddie "the Midnight Express" Tolan
Eddie Tolan
Thomas Edward "Eddie" Tolan , nicknamed the "Midnight Express", was an American track and field athlete who compete in the Sprints. He set world records in the 100 yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events...
, a black Detroiter who won gold medals in the 100- and 200-meter races at the 1932 Summer Olympics
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
. The Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
also won the 1935 NFL Championship Game
NFL Championship Game, 1935
The 1935 National Football League Championship game was held on December 15, 1935 at University of Detroit Stadium in Detroit. It was the 3rd annual title game for the NFL...
, and the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
won the 1935–36 Stanley Cup championship, but the biggest celebration came when the Tigers won the World Series, as the "City of Champions" moniker took hold.
Baseball was hugely popular in Detroit during the Great Depression, as attendance at Navin Field in 1934 and 1935, accounted for nearly 25 percent of baseball's total paid attendance.
Batting
Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flea Clifton Flea Clifton Herman Earl "Flea" Clifton , was a Major League Baseball infielder who played four seasons with the Detroit Tigers from 1934 to 1937.Clifton was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on December 12, 1909... |
4 | 16 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
| Mickey Cochrane Mickey Cochrane Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers... |
6 | 24 | 7 | .292 | 0 | 1 |
| Pete Fox Pete Fox Ervin "Pete" Fox was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played thirteen seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox .... |
6 | 26 | 10 | .385 | 0 | 4 |
| Charlie Gehringer Charlie Gehringer Charles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played 19 seasons for the Detroit Tigers... |
6 | 24 | 9 | .375 | 0 | 4 |
| Goose Goslin Goose Goslin Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until... |
6 | 22 | 6 | .273 | 0 | 3 |
| Hank Greenberg Hank Greenberg Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation... |
2 | 6 | 1 | .167 | 1 | 2 |
| Marv Owen Marv Owen Marvin James Owen was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played nine seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers , Chicago White Sox , and Boston Red Sox .... |
6 | 20 | 1 | .050 | 0 | 1 |
| Billy Rogell Billy Rogell William George "Billy" Rogell was an American baseball player who played 14 years in Major League Baseball, primarily as a shortstop for the Detroit Tigers. He made his major league debut on April 14, 1925 and played his last game August 25, 1940... |
6 | 24 | 7 | .292 | 0 | 1 |
| Gee Walker Gee Walker Gerald Holmes "Gee" Walker was a Major League Baseball outfielder. During his fifteen year career, he played with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Cincinnati Reds... |
3 | 4 | 1 | .250 | 0 | 0 |
| Jo-Jo White Jo-Jo White Joyner Clifford "Jo-Jo" White was an American center fielder in professional baseball. He played nine seasons with the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Athletics , and Cincinnati Reds... |
5 | 19 | 5 | .263 | 0 | 1 |
Pitching
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schoolboy Rowe Schoolboy Rowe Lynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies... |
3 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 2.57 | 14 |
| Tommy Bridges Tommy Bridges Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946... |
2 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 2.50 | 9 |
| Alvin Crowder Alvin Crowder Alvin Floyd Crowder , nicknamed "General," was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played eleven seasons in the American League with the Washington Senators, the St. Louis Browns, and the Detroit Tigers... |
1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1.00 | 5 |
| Elden Auker Elden Auker Elden le Roy Auker was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball noted for his submarine pitching style.... |
1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3.00 | 1 |
| Chief Hogsett Chief Hogsett Elon Chester "Chief" Hogsett was a sub-marining left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played 11 seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers , St... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
Awards and honors
- Hank GreenbergHank GreenbergHenry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
, 1B, American League Most Valuable Player
1935 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
1935 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1935 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 3rd playing of the mid-summer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 8, 1935 at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio the home of the...
- Charlie GehringerCharlie GehringerCharles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played 19 seasons for the Detroit Tigers...
, 2B, Starter - Tommy BridgesTommy BridgesThomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946...
, P - Schoolboy RoweSchoolboy RoweLynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies...
, P - Mickey CochraneMickey CochraneGordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
, C
League leaders
- Elden AukerElden AukerElden le Roy Auker was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball noted for his submarine pitching style....
: American League win percentage leader (.720) - Elden Auker: American League leader in fielding percentage at pitcher (1.000)
- Tommy BridgesTommy BridgesThomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946...
: American League strikeouts leader (163) - Tommy Bridges: American League home runs allowed leader (22)
- Charlie GehringerCharlie GehringerCharles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played 19 seasons for the Detroit Tigers...
: American League leader in assists at second base (489) - Charlie Gehringer: American League leader in fielding percentage at second base (.985)
- Hank GreenbergHank GreenbergHenry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
: American League home run leader (36) - Hank Greenberg: American League RBI leader (170)
- Hank Greenberg: American League total bases leader (389)
- Hank Greenberg: American League extra base hits leader (98)
- Hank Greenberg: American League leader in assists at first base (99)
- Chief HogsettChief HogsettElon Chester "Chief" Hogsett was a sub-marining left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played 11 seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers , St...
: American League games finished leader (30) - Billy RogellBilly RogellWilliam George "Billy" Rogell was an American baseball player who played 14 years in Major League Baseball, primarily as a shortstop for the Detroit Tigers. He made his major league debut on April 14, 1925 and played his last game August 25, 1940...
: American League leader in double plays at shortstop (104) - Billy Rogell: American League leader in fielding percentage at shortstop (.971)
- Schoolboy RoweSchoolboy RoweLynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies...
: American League shutouts leader (6) - Schoolboy Rowe: American League strikeout to walk ratio leader (2.06)
Players ranking among top 100 all time at position
The following members of the 1934 Detroit Tigers are among the Top 100 of all time at their position, as ranked by The New Bill James Historical Baseball AbstractThe Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is a reference-type book written by Bill James featuring an overview of baseball decade by decade, along with rankings of the top 100 players at each position. The original edition was published in 1985 by Villard Books, followed by The New Bill James...
in 2001:
- Mickey CochraneMickey CochraneGordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
: 4th best catcher of all time - Hank GreenbergHank GreenbergHenry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
: 8th best first baseman of all time - Charlie GehringerCharlie GehringerCharles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played 19 seasons for the Detroit Tigers...
: 8th best second baseman of all time - Billy RogellBilly RogellWilliam George "Billy" Rogell was an American baseball player who played 14 years in Major League Baseball, primarily as a shortstop for the Detroit Tigers. He made his major league debut on April 14, 1925 and played his last game August 25, 1940...
: 49th best shortstop of all time - Goose GoslinGoose GoslinLeon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
: 16th best left fielder of all time - Gee WalkerGee WalkerGerald Holmes "Gee" Walker was a Major League Baseball outfielder. During his fifteen year career, he played with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Cincinnati Reds...
: 92nd best left fielder of all time - Pete FoxPete FoxErvin "Pete" Fox was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played thirteen seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox ....
: 96th best right fielder of all time - Tommy BridgesTommy BridgesThomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946...
: 77th best pitcher of all time