LAKELAND, FL – FEBRUARY 25: Former Detroit Tigers outfielder Al Kaline looks on prior to the spring training game against the Florida Southern College Moccasins at Joker Marchant Stadium on February 25, 2014 in Lakeland, Florida. The Tigers defeated the Moccasins 12-0. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The Detroit Tigers honored one of their own on Monday night
The Tigers lost the face of their franchise this past April, as the appropriately named ‘Mr. Tiger’ died at the age of 85. Kaline was a giant in the game and especially in MoTown, where he held a prominent role in the organization for the better part of six decades. While Ty Cobb was arguably the most accomplished player to ever wear the old English D, Kaline was in the eyes of many the first man to come to mind in association with the Tigers franchise.
On Monday, in their first home game of the season in front of an empty stadium, the Tigers and Kansas City Royals honored a baseball great in Kaline with a moment of silence, video tribute and national anthem sung by an old friend.
Al Kaline was a Detroit sports icon
Kaline spent the majority of his 22 seasons patrolling right field at Tiger Stadium. The Baltimore native came from humble beginnings, only to reach his ultimate goals with the help of a stable family life.
“They’d always helped me,” he said, per the Detroit Free Press. “They knew I wanted to be a major leaguer, and they did everything they could to give me time for baseball. I never had to take a paper route or work in a drugstore or anything. I just played ball.”
Kaline played in more games and hit more home runs than any player in Tigers history, to this point. On Monday, they honored their great one final time, in fitting fashion.