1972 ALCS Game 4 - Tigers 4 A's 3 (10 innings)

A repeat of the pitching matchup from Game 1 (Hunter vs. Lolich), this one really hurt. After the A's scored 2 in the top of the 10th and were 3 outs away from the pennant, the Tigers scored 3 in the bottom half and forced a decisive game 5......and the A's never got an out! The A's would routinely pinch-hit for their second baseman, and when Dick Green got hurt they put Gene Tenace (who would be a hero in 2 weeks time) there, to disastrous effect. A classic game to be sure.

[@Jleed989]

Anytime I see Tiger Stadium and hear George Kell, it’s a good day!

[@kenlucas7025]

An even better day with Ernie Harwell! 🌞

[@thereilneid2868]

Hell yeah.

[@lloydkline1518]

❤️ Watching the 🍩 donut man Mickey logic pitch at tiger stadium

[@jamesbowen8960]

" Thanks Larry and Good Afternoon everyone!"

[@williamsnyder5616]

This was the Last Hurrah for my 1968 championship heroes. They won it all in '68 and nearly won the pennant four years later, but were beaten in the First Hurrah by a magnificent Oakland team. Two years they started the first two last place finishes, but in the process started drafting players like Whitaker, Trammell, Parrish, Morris, Petry, Gibson and oneguy they didn't sign (unfortunately), Ozzie Smith. In 1984, they won the World Series. We're back in the baseball desert (in 2019), but come back in 2024. We may have some good news again.

[@grantstevens4633]

last place teams under ralph houk. i watched a lot of those games. watched them lose 19 in a row.....go 35 some innings without scoring. but, the rebuild was something to behold. it didn't take much. every kid they had was better than every guy they were using. jack pearce, john knox and many other triple-a players. ohh...and don't forget john hiller (post cancer) getting drilled every night in short relief. the stadium lights reflected off his bald head.... and his fastball???.. went flying all over old tiger stadium. usually landing where the fielders weren't

[@johntucker7063]

I went to games 6 and 7 of the 1968 World Series. After game 7, I went to Tony's restaurant in St. Louis and by incredible luck got to spend dinner talking to Ernie Harwell - one of the nicest people I've ever met.

[@berniecioffoletti3398]

The announcers sound very professional, unlike the primadonnas of today and most of the last couple of decades.

[@Mryrhodesian]

Bernie Cioffoletti: Thank You. Excellent and also a very true observation.

[@nancymckivens1576]

I've only watched 13 seconds so far I can tell this is the greatest KZbin video of my life

[@thomasbeaudry8730]

What a time... Seventh grade math class and I can guarantee that no math got done. I would give anything to go back to those days, when the game was playing over the school intercom and the teachers decided one day off, and another day, and another day, wouldn't hurt us too much... Sparta Middle School, Sparta, MI if anyone wants to know...

[@josephbologna2120]

LOVE the camera work in those days. So much better than now.

[@Lumpy63]

I remember watching this game after school growing up in Detroit, as soon as Northrup delivered the game winning smash to win it, all my friends on my street all came running out of our houses and we were all celebrating and jumping around in the street going crazy,...it was awesome, although short lived,...the A's took Game 5 in a nail biting squeaker.

[@pep590]

I like you, watched this after school and our TV was an old black and white with poor reception. Never saw it so clear as I have now. I was a big KC Royals fan, so loved seeing the A's lose.

[@owenburnett2718]

That is an awesome memory your shared. I was a Tiger fan in south FL during this game and most certainly the only Tiger fan among the kids I knew.

[@daveconleyportfolio5192]

Worth it just to see Dick McAuliffe's batting stance again.

[@loyaldude10]

I don't know how he was able to hit with that stance, but he was a very good player.

[@o.n.riderchristianauthor.303]

So true. His last check was just before the pitcher threw. Lol.

[@owenburnett2718]

Who is the Tiger who drove in the winning run?

[@robertflowers6621]

@@owenburnett2718 That was Jim Northrup. What a great clutch hitter the Tigers had in Northrup! The bigger the moment, the better Northrup was.

[@owenburnett2718]

@@robertflowers6621 Thank you Robert.

[@rklewis2]

I remember watching this series in school, and at home. Last hurrah of the 68 nucleus. So long ago, yet it feels like it wasn't all that long ago as well. Tiger Stadium. It was a great ball park, and a favorite to play in for both the home team, and, in many cases, the visiting players, as well!

[@roscoefoofoo]

It was a beautiful ballpark in blue. It's even prettier all green like this. The real Field of Dreams.....

[@roscoefoofoo]

@MANCHESTER UNITED Carbon is pretty common, too.

[@jamesbowen8960]

Ray Lane was born in 1930, the same year as my mother. Ray is a terrific guy also as well as an outstanding and underrated announcer. What I have always found somewhat odd is before Ray Lane Ernie's radio partner was a guy named Gene Osborne (1965-66). Neither Ernie nor George Kell make any mention of him in either one of their books. Nothing. They could've at least mentioned him,but neither one of them did. Very odd!

[@tramlou1]

this is a treasure. i wasn't sure if these tapes even existed. they look great. i wasn't born until 76 so all i could do was read about these games. nice to see lolich and kaline and cash as young men instead of old guys.

[@OPESingers]

Kaline wasn't so young at this time. This was the end of the '68 Tigers run, really. By three years after this set, the Tigers were in full rebuild mode which wasn't completed until the Series win in '84.

[@jasonrfoss248]

The real bonus of this is that it's the local Detroit coverage instead of the national broadcast.

[@roseandbench]

What a great grand ballpark Tiger Stadium certainly was. You knew when you entered that stadium you were in the Big Leagues. It's a shame they tore it down despite it's location and parking. All these new ballparks have over-done red brick and corporate sterilization.

[@loyaldude10]

was the best hitters park, according to the players

[@JamieSmith-fz2mz]

So what are you doing here, then? Commenting on people who have a passion for something? And judging them for it?

[@JamieSmith-fz2mz]

The best part is the organ playing in the background as Hiller is warming up. Also notice how much more creative the camera work is. Like @:57 when McCauliffe is batting. I'd watch more baseball today if they showed the beauty of the game.

[@craigshafer5855]

Amen randy 👍 All the new Ball Parks are made the same way like a cookie cutter

[@kyokogodai-ir6hy]

Tiger Stadium was a joy to watch a ballgame in. Even an obstructed view seat (behind a girder) wasn't all that bad, most of the time. Loved sitting in the upper deck, either along the rail or in the right field seats by the foul poll. Miss it very much.

[@tracejohnson5519]

Great quality!

[@generalbullmoose]

McAuliffe's home run was one of those Tiger Stadium rarities - the right fielder thought he had it, then watched it hit the overhang.

[@tveyeonyou]

Yup. Looked like Epstein's homer was practically the same spot?

[@lemmiwinks09]

Wow, great quality! It's a shame so many games were wiped during this era! '72 Tigers so lucky MLB didn't allow the Red Sox to play an extra game, I don't think that would happen in today's era.

[@derekobrien5481]

That is quite surprising! I just looked at the standings, and I'm surprised a team could win a division by half a game. I thought they always made up games if they had an impact on a playoff spot.

[@GOOD-oc9kk]

@@derekobrien5481 It was a strike season so they could not make the game up. Tigers had one more game during the season that was not in the strike period.

[@derekobrien5481]

@@GOOD-oc9kk Hmm, well even if something like that happened nowadays I think they would have made adjustments to the schedule to make sure that each team played an equal number of games -- either by adding a game in somewhere on an off day or making a doubleheader or whatnot.

[@GGE47]

@@derekobrien5481 Doubleheaders back then is when you saw both games for the price of one. They already had doubleheaders on the schedule and then had makeup games the same. Today you have two single games on the same day. One in the afternoon and one at night. No such thing as a doubleheader anymore.

[@JamieSmith-fz2mz]

Look at the camera angle @1:00 when McAuliffe hits the homer. Why can't we see that in today's coverage? It's gorgeous!

[@tomloft2000]

that must have been the only home run he ever hit.lol

[@JohnSmith-op1tc]

@@tomloft2000 Since you could look it up, and counting his WS homer, McAuliffe had 198 others. 11 or more each season for a decade, '62 to '71. A hard case with a wild batting stance who captivated Michigan kids throughout his career.

[@brileyvandyke5792]

Great to see old Tiger Stadium and some awesome sideburns!

[@michaelfitzgerald3467]

Sideburns of the early '70's!

[@grantstevens4633]

i was 16 years old when this series was played. these two teams really were closely matched and they went at it. i was on the high school golf team and our match was supposed to start. but, absolutely NO ONE wanted to stop watching the game......so, we didn't. instead, we just played as many holes as we could when the game was over....until the darkness swallowed us up. george kell and larry osterman did the play-by-play on tv. ernie harwell was on the radio. don't remember his broadcast partner, though. i don't think paul carey was there, yet. what a good memory. i am old......... thank you for posting this.

[@raym1788]

I was at this game, 50 years ago today!

[@OPESingers]

This was the playoff series of my youth. After seeing the replay of the dramatic way they won this game I realize now why I was so depressed about game 5. I remembered being crushed. Great video to see. Thank you!

[@davanmani556]

Bad call at 1st.

[@buffuzo4201]

Gates Brown. One of my favorite players.

[@markremund7678]

Wow the long lost 72 ALCS tapes - were have these been sitting for 42 years. Great to see highlights of any kind of this game for the first time. Where did these come from??!

[@MyRobertallen]

Lolich belongs in Cooperstown. Best AL lefty of late 60s-70s. 250+ Ws. 3 wins in '68 WS, last on 2 days rest. Nasty stuff.

[@mikeaustin1323]

I agree

[@generalbullmoose]

The strikeout pitch to Tenace...Lolich knew it before the pitch even got there. Love it.

[@nancymckivens1576]

Oh my God that's Gates Brown

[@josephbologna2120]

Loved this series as a kid and was really disappointed to see my Tigers lose out. But today, I see a team of old school athletes- experienced, older men vs. a team of young, buff, modern day athletes. Loved my Tigers, but the A’s were exciting to watch.

[@johnhealy9238]

I would have loved to see a ballgame at old Tiger Stadium. Upper deck bleachers in center field! Miss the old ball parks.

[@melite78]

I was in high School during the last season. Went to one game as a kid saw Mandela speaking 1991. They're 97-98 Kagle won 8-4 I forget against who. Last game I was there was against Boston and former player n Former tiger manager Brad awsmus hit a homerun they won the game one nothing during the final season. Why miss about that place is the way it should when the Roar of the crowd just reverberated back and forth because of it was in close felt like a train going by. Just was a great Roar of excitement.

[@melite78]

*what I miss

[@NicanTlacaWarrior1]

Interesting to see John Hiller, heart attack survivor and strikeout machine.

[@lloydkline1518]

❤️ the oldies detroit John hiller: Mickey lolich

[@anton1483]

Great to see some previous very happy memories! A Sincere Thank you, from just 1 of many🥰 old Tigger fans.👍

[@charleyshack]

thanks very much for posting. A great memory

[@daffyslooney2867]

I sure love the view of old Tiger Stadium. I was rooting for them to beat the A's that year.

[@zacharycat]

Best game I was ever at. Stayed until the end while fans all around were leaving (too bad for them) and cheered the Tigs to victory. We tried to get in for game 5 but the scalpers has all the tickets and were charging way too much for poor students like us.

[@dmac3551]

zacharycat was there behind the A’s dugout... one of the most exciting games ever!

[@rpc717]

A shell of the '68 Tigers and the beginning of the A's dynasty. Great stuff!

[@beaurm]

I was in the front row in right field upper deck, just where Northrup hit the winner. Got the seats from my friend's boss at Checker Cab. I almost saw myself in the video. Want to slow it down. What a win for Detroit, and what a slide for the Gator!

[@nocynic]

Thanks so much for this! It is great to see McAuliffe's stance. I've often tried to describe it, but you have to see it. For some reason there are no photos of it that I can find.

[@kvernon1]

I could never figure out how he managed to hit the ball! I never saw a batting stance like that before, or since!

[@GK-ev5rd]

That Ball Park Rocked...what a game this was! The next day it was all over and I felt terrible in Detroit. Damn A's and those softball uniforms!

[@sportshistorybuff]

Thanks for posting. Do you have the 1973 and 1974 ALCS' between the A's and Orioles?

[@balrog322]

Just subscribed after thoroughly enjoying three or four of these highlights from a great divisional series. I was 17 at this time, grew up in Oakland and was more a Giants fan but the A’s were the first Bay Area team to win a title. Great to see Dick McAuliffe and that unique stance, also to see Ike Brown, a man who paid his dues if anyone ever did, have a big moment in the twilight of his career. Best of all, sentimentalist that I am, is none of the games were scheduled at night, so far as I can recall. Miss watching postseason baseball in that autumn light.

[@trewsdetroit5]

Long live George Kell

[@JamieSmith-fz2mz]

No kidding. His lilt - Like Vin Scully's - was just perfect for baseball. Nothing comes close today.

[@jamesbowen8960]

"Thanks Larry and Good Afternoon everyone!"

[@williamsnyder5616]

@@jamesbowen8960 Going back to my days as a college journalist at Western Michigan University, I got to know Larry. Really nice man.

[@jamesbowen8960]

William Snyder You are a better man for that! George & Larry on the TV & Ray Lane- Ernie on the radio. I'm so glad I grew up when I did! So blessed!

[@jimmyReesby]

There's a loooong Belt!!!!!He hit it a myal!!

[@ronmyers2317]

Thanks for this. Full of great memories.

[@dantheman5745]

Loved these Tigers as a kid. Had every one of their baseball cards. Wish it had been a Tigers-Reds World Series.

[@ibbetn1]

What a memorable game that was. I recently bought the original A’s radio broadcast from the Miley Collection. The A’s painted themselves into a corner and had to use Gene Tenace at second base in the 10th inning. I think that was the only time in his career that he played that position.

[@faithman48]

Absolutely GREAT Memories of those days... Thanks for posting. I am from Detroit... Seeing the field, and hearing George Kell… Priceless.. I spent a lot of weekends at Tiger Stadium when they were in town. I was Ten years old during this series; I remember Bert Campaneris threw a bat at a Tigers pitcher in this series.

[@kvernon1]

I remember that. The pitcher was named Larin LeGrow (the spelling may not be correct). The game was played in Oakland. Campaneris was hit by a pitch in the lower leg. After it happened, he went down, then struggled to his feet, and then to everyone's surprise, heaved his bat towards the pitcher's mound. Order was quickly restored after it happened, and if I remember correctly, Campaneris wasn't even rejected from the game. That to me was an even bigger surprise.

[@ronmackinnon9374]

@@kvernon1 But after that game (I think it was game 2), he was suspended for the remainder of the series, by AL president Joe Cronin.

[@tomgriffith8032]

Gates Brown or somebody broke the bat over his own knee.

[@gargould7186]

I have a picture of a painting of Tiger Stadium and Michigan Avenue going into downtown that I bought in Traverse City back in about 1983 hanging in my office, so I will always have Tiger Stadium to look at any time of the day 🤓.

[@nicholasgiordano9155]

This series was a good one the game's the score & the out come where closer than what we think to bad the tigers fell just short.

[@bobo44donemilking51]

Lolish was a stud

[@jimmyqjones7122]

man THAT BALL would fly out of this place !! like coors field ,...

[@generalbullmoose]

03:54 - Gator was a pretty husky guy; Hondo makes him look downright tiny.

[@loyaldude10]

Gates could hit too---will never forget the 68 season, when pitchers totally dominated, and he batted about .450 as a pinch hitter

[@dace938]

Kell, Tigers, The Corner. Never could get better.

[@freethinkerrr2897]

I never went to Tiger Stadium, but it seems like it was such a magnificent old baseball cathedral from the past century. I am a real sucker for these classic old ballparks, it’s criminal to think that the city of Detroit didn’t preserve it as a landmark (a la Wrigley or Fenway in Boston). Such a shame

[@DavidFobare]

Quite a bit of work went into the smuggling of transistor radios into elementary school desks during this series.

[@Gl6619]

The A’s had some of the most unique batting stances I ever seen

[@kvernon1]

Perhaps, but no one's stance was more unusual than the Tigers' Dick McAuliffe. I remember as a child watching him very intensely when he batted, wondering how in the world he hit the ball. And in this game, he even hit a home run!

[@generalbullmoose]

Whoa...Norm Cash in a batting helmet?

[@BobJ1979]

He would wear a helmet only when facing a left handed pitcher.

[@jollyjoe9281]

Mickey Lolich was the best post season pitcher ever; check the numbers...

[@buffuzo4201]

I spent many, many great days at that park.

[@alexanderestrada2499]

I wish the whole game could be available.

[@gabriel-1957]

I watched this game in 1972 in the 10th grade my science teacher at Fraser high school. Let us watch the Game, a day I'll never forget🥲

[@boomerpo]

great video great stuff

[@charleswoodhouse4754]

This was as close as a series could be

[@wheelinthesky300]

People forget how great a pitcher Mickey Lolich was. If they remember him for anything it's for being fat. And doughnuts.

[@40intrepid]

He should be in the Hall.

[@kevaninthe4135]

@@40intrepid He is much more hall worthy than Jack Morris.

[@ntibbs100]

he wasn't that great for the Mets

[@daveconleyportfolio5192]

Reggie Jackson and Bob Gibson authored a book called "Sixty Feet, Six Inches" about the battles between pitchers and catchers. They didn't praise many of their opponents, but both brought up Lolich.

[@motorcitymanman7711]

Lolich struck out over 300 batters in 71 when he went 25-4......won 20 games twice and 19 and 18 game seasons. One of only a handful of pitchers to win 3 games in a world series (68)...over 200 career wins....over 2,800 career strikeouts.....yeah he Should be in the HOF!!

[@bobo44donemilking51]

What was Northrup batting average with the bases loaded

[@Jleed989]

basil ervin yes, 1968 comes to mind

[@Jiltedin2007]

R.I.P.: Tiger Stadium

[@Mryrhodesian]

That Lolich was a pretty damn good and durable pitcher.

[@daveconleyportfolio5192]

Reggie Jackson and Bob Gibson did a book together, "Sixty feet, six inches," discussing pitchers and batters they'd faced. Lolich comes up for praise surprisingly often compared to better-known guys. Today Lolich would be a medical miracle with his indestructible pitching arm. And he's not even left-handed. He learned to pitch that way because of an old injury.

[@Mryrhodesian]

Oh yes, I read book. Any book that Bob Gibson is a part of I'm reading. You also might wanna include Wibur Wood and Fergie Jenkins who just ate up innings.Different era. Better era. IMO

[@keithbramstedt4511]

I noticed that Reggie Jackson played center field in this series. I was an A's fan in the early 70's and had no memory of him playing center field. I don't think he could've played center even a few years later in his career because he didn't have the range to cover center.

[@loyaldude10]

yeah just look at the 68 WS to remind how good Mickey Lolich was. esp the 7th gm when he outpitched Bob Gibson

[@Mryrhodesian]

And in the early 70's I know he pitched over 300 innings at least once or twice.

[@Philtration]

What is with all the empty seats?

[@sandyboggs8099]

howard was acquired to late for postseason

[@craigc2101]

Was Brinkman hurt? Taylor at second, McAuliffe short? I don't remember that. Maybe because I was in fourth grade in Livonia, Michigan.

[@generalbullmoose]

Brinkman got hurt in game one...his back, I think. Whatever happened, he didn't play after that.

[@jojogunn7077]

Ed Brinkman was hurt after he attempted to deep throat Gates Browns 13 inch hotdog.

[@h2ofield]

JoJoGunn You need help.

[@motorcitymanman7711]

@@jojogunn7077 😄😄😄

[@bobo44donemilking51]

The silver fox northrup

[@Mont1.]

Anyone know where I can find this full game at?

[@1959markie1]

George Kell and Larry Osterman on the broadcast, which leads me to my question. They were the Tigers local tv announcers, was this game nationally televised? If it was, and being the ALCS, I assume that would be the case, then why was Curt Gowdy or Jim Simpson of NBC not calling the game? Anyway, INCREDIBLE "lost treasure" that I didn't know existed. Thanx for posting!

[@chrispress7565]

The lcs were able to be broadcast locally as well from 1969-83. Some loophole was the cause. In 1982 the Braves made the playoffs and planned on airing the nlcs gms on WTBS which if you had cable you get anywhere in country making a defacto national broadcast. Abc went to court to fight this and in the end when the new TV deal was setup that began in 1984 the ability to do playoff gms locally was stopped

[@epaddon]

+1959markie1 From 1969 to 1983 the local teams were allowed to do their own separate telecast of the LCS. Prior to 1976, LCS games were not necessarily shown start to finish nationwide by NBC (they would sometimes stagger-start both games so you had regionalization of them) so this was a way for the local markets to see the whole games uncut. The rise of cable superstations led MLB to ban local LCS telecasts starting in 1984 but as a tradeoff the teams could now do their own local radio broadcast of the World Series which wasn't allowed before.

[@rabbi173]

daniel anderson WJBK channel 2

[@1313otto]

Jim Simpson & Sandy Koufax called the game on NBC. Here are the same clips with the NBC broadcasters: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqqVeIdjlNWZe7c

[@whocares6283]

I miss baseball

[@wheelinthesky300]

Do I see empty seats in Tiger Stadium? During a playoff game?

[@robertturak7547]

I was thinking the same thing. These days the stadium would be sold out for every playoff game.

[@pep590]

Yea, they were played in the middle of a weekday, so I guess many didn't take off work. Ha.

[@bluv6]

The LCS was still relatively new, and wasn't taken all that seriously for a number of years. There were a lot of LCS games that didn't sell out in the early years. Especially since they were mostly played on weekday afternoons. I attended Game 3 in this series the afternoon before, and it was far from sold out too. In fact I got stuck with an extra ticket my dad couldn't use because something important came up at his work.

[@boomerpo]

lolich was a good pitcher

[@sandyboggs8099]

frank howard tigers 1st base coach was still an active player

[@BobJ1979]

He was filling in for Dick Tracewski who was absent to attend his Father's funeral.

[@steveaustin7214]

Bob Jalving I believe he was ineligible to play because the tigers picked him up very late in September of 1972 I'm not positive the Frank Howard was not allowed to play in the series

[@JohnSmith-op1tc]

@@steveaustin7214 baseball-reference.com says Frank was purchased on 8/31/72 from the Texas Rangers. That, of course is deadline day for transactions, who can say who's right. Ike Brown played some first along with Cash in this series, Ike was a Billy Martin favorite with fielding skills.

[@rafaelramirez1507]

Wow ... second baseman Dick McKauliff had a strange batting stance 👌🏻

[@michaelleroy9281]

His name is spelled Mc Auliffe

[@pmsfar-outgrooviness8025]

I wonder why Dick Williams didn't put Bando at 2B instead of Tenace in Game 4

[@brando7266]

Was billy martin the tigers manager?

[@smacktalk4u]

And Oakland would go on to win the series and the World Championship! Detroit got the participation trophy!

[@MrRtms24]

That infield hit by jackson was probably the last time he ever hustled to first like that

[@gilireland-ashley5449]

You don't know what you're talkin about. He was an excellent all-around player his entire tenure in Oakland.

[@charleyshack]

@@gilireland-ashley5449 yes she was

[@gilireland-ashley5449]

@@charleyshack LOL what a blunder

[@roscocostco8586]

How is Mickey Lolich not in HOF?

[@dougbrowne9890]

Gates Brown was a big man, but he is a shrimp, standing next to Frank Howard 3:55

[@jerome2022]

Tigers won their last 6 playoff games in Tiger stadium.

[@garyrentschler1023]

I can't believe all the empty seats in center.

[@davemiller7633]

That first pitch was no strike!

[@wolfiethedog76]

It would've been awesome if Detroit won this series...

[@rickirubio3973]

Gee's man did anyone notice that the top deck at tiger stadium was empty even in the 1971 alcs?

[@Jleed989]

Ricki Rubio 1972

[@Jiltedin2007]

What game was it when Reggie got injured?

[@TallTallDaddy1]

Game 5

[@michaeljoyner6470]

Tigers good teams 1962-1967-1968-1972. W.S. champs-1968. East Div. Champs-1972

[@brianfergus839]

4:19 - my captions say “cows wanna know”

[@Ynalaw]

Groin-tastic!

[@sandyboggs8099]

brinkman got hurt in game 1

[@davewilson3113]

Real baseball.

[@sandyboggs8099]

Epstein crushes it

[@Jleed989]

Sandy Boggs I remember him with the Washington Senators too

[@sandyboggs8099]

@@Jleed989 i was a big nats fan when i was a kid howard and epstein

[@jasonmichael3676]

Lots of sloppy plays. Dropped balls and base-running mistakes.

[@andrewyoung2796]

Epstein homered