Indian Pharmacy News

Mickey Lolich death draws memories from Detroit Tigers greats

· Yahoo Sports

Detroit Tigers great Mickey Lolich died on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at the age of 85.

The lefty from Oregon pitched 13 seasons for the Tigers as part of a 16-year MLB career that included three All-Star nods as well as a 1968 World Series championship that saw Lolich throw three complete-game wins. No pitcher has matched his feat in the Fall Classic since.

Visit chickenroad.qpon for more information.

Lolich remains the Tigers' all-time leader in strikeouts (2,679), starts (459) and shutouts (39). He threw 195 complete games and, perhaps most astoundingly, missed just one start to injury.

HISTORY LESSON: Mickey Lolich's greatest games for Tigers: Whiffs, wins and a huge HR

Lolich is also the franchise's all-time leader in strikeouts and starts. His death brought a wealth of reactions from his teammates and the baseball world at large:

The Tigers

"The Tigers are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mickey Lolich and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.

"One of the finest pitchers in franchise history, Lolich was a three-time All-Star who pitched for Detroit for 13 seasons and holds several Tigers team records. He was a member of the 1968 World Series Champion Tigers team, earning World Series MVP honors after posting a 3-0 record with a 1.67 ERA. Lolich will be remembered as one of the most durable and dominant left-handed pitchers of his era and a cornerstone of Detroit’s pitching staff for more than a decade."

Willie Horton

"Lolich was a great pitcher, teammate and champion, but he was more than that to me. He was like a brother for over 60 years. I will keep the memories close to my heart and will never forget the close bond we shared. My condolences to Joyce and their family and to everyone who loved him."

Mickey Stanley

Tigers center fielder (1964-78): “Mickey [Lolich] was a good person, a great teammate, and we depended on him. We will certainly miss him. I guess there are only six of us left from that championship team.”

The six still-living members of the 1968 Tigers as of Feb. 4, 2026: Mickey Stanley, Willie Horton, Denny McLain, John Hiller, Dick Tracewski and Jon Warden.

"You looked at his physique and you’d think, ‘That’s not a guy pitching nine innings,’ but he was a bulldog. He wanted to go nine every game and didn’t want the bullpen to touch the ball. Mickey had a rubber arm, and I don’t ever remember him having a sore one.

"The first couple of years I played with him I didn’t have that much confidence in him. The way he pitched in the seventh game of the World Series, on two days' rest, was unbelievable. He became a real pitcher in that Series and from then on, it was like night and day. It was great to play behind him because he threw strikes and was a great competitor.

"I remember he told me would eat breakfast on the day he pitched but he wouldn’t eat lunch – he wanted to go to the mound on an empty stomach, he wanted to be hungry.

"He didn’t mind pitching inside and only one time did I see him intentionally hit a batter and that was Cesar Tovar, who had stolen home plate on him. He drilled him in the left thigh. He would never throw at the head.

"We used to ride motorcycles together and became good friends”.

John Hiller

Left-handed Tigers relief pitcher (1965-80): “Mickey was respected by I think everybody in baseball, the fans, and his teammates. He was blessed with a great arm and he completed almost all of his games. I don’t know where we would have been without Mickey. He was so dependable and his stuff was so good. He had a heavy fastball that moved and that sharp slider. If I came in after him the other side would say, ‘Oh good, we got Lolich out of there, its only Hiller.’ Believe it or not, I never got a save for him. I went in a few times and blew them and he used to remind me of that at Fantasy Camp.

"We were always told to ice your arm after you pitched but one of his secrets that he passed on to me that I ended up using was to shower as hot as you could, put a towel on your shoulder and let it sit there for 10 or 15 minutes. It worked for both of us.”

Jon Warden

Left-handed Tigers relief pitcher (1968): “Mickey was a guy our whole team looked up to. He took that ’68 Series and put it under his left arm and said, ‘Let’s go.’ As good as he was though, I always thought Mickey didn’t realize himself how good he really was. [Catcher] Bill Freehan told me ‘I could catch [Denny] McLain with my bare hand but Lolich killed me. I had to wear a rubber glove and a wrap around my hand because it was swollen after every time I caught him.’

"Some people didn’t know it but Mickey had a good sense of humor and would sometimes pull a few pranks. He would have fun with people asking him for an autograph.”

Lolich is survived by Joyce, his wife of 61 years; daughters Kimberly, Stacy, and Jody; and three grandsons, Michael, Justin and Danny.

Lolich's passing also brought tributes from around Michigan and the sports world:

John Keating

Bob Nightingale

Want more Tigers news? Download our free app for the latest news, alerts, eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mickey Lolich death draws memories from Detroit Tigers greats

Read full story at source