Remembering Mr. Tiger

A look at the life and legacy of Tigers Hall of Famer Al Kaline, who died April 6, 2020, at age 85.

[@RobertVincentMusic]

Al Kaline was my sports idol growing up. I caught the end of his career. I went to my first game in 1971. It was a birthday present for me when I turned 9 years old. We played the Cleveland Indians. The Tigers lost 3-1.. but I went home a happy kid.. because Al hit a homerun. I was convinced he hit it for me on my birthday. I'll never forget it. Thank you for sharing this. Brings back a lot of memories.

[@joeyv47]

Al Kaline, George Kell, and Ernie Harwell will forever be the voice of summer for me! I miss them all very deeply. God bless these boys

[@JamesSmith-nr2mg]

AL KALINE FIRST CLASS PERSON , BALL PLAYER , HALL OF FAMER A REAL LEDGEN !!!!!!!!!

[@mikewynne7131]

I wish I could like this video 1 million times. I loved Baseball back then. Not just the Tigers. All of Baseball.

[@bridgebum826]

When my father taught me about baseball around 1970, his favorite player was Al Kaline so he became my favorite too. In the summer of 2019, I was able to repay my father by taking him to a dinner at Comerica Park where Al Kaline was the guest of honor. My father got to meet Al and have his picture taken with him. Al Kaline was a classy individual.

[@kenlauerer3376]

I grew up watching Al play and he was my HERO. I had a Kaline bat, glove, you name it. I now am older and have his auto graphed picture, ball, HOF card and still remember him as always being my hero. I still to this day remember going to my 1st game at then Briggs Stadium to see him in person. I will always remember him.

[@onetimer13541]

I learned more about the game from listening to Al Kaline and george kell then all of the coaches I've had combined. He always preached basic fundamentals along with respecting the game. Listening to the 84 season was the highlight of my youth. Of course I didnt make it as far but my love of the game started by listening to those 2.

[@samuelmoulds1016]

yeah, there are sooooh many "Al Kaline" moments!! two I remember distinctly 1) when Al was young, he played centerfield and our seats were 10 rows up and the batter hit one deep. Kaline raced to the wall, jumped on the wall with both feet, and hanging on to the chain link fence with his right arm, watched the ball go 10 rows higher. I will never forget the look of determination on his face! he NEVER GAVE UP! 2) at little league practice on a ground ball hit to me, I got perpendicular to the infield and got on one knee and fielded the ball and threw it back to the infield. coach HOLLERED to me, "What are you doing out there!!!!!" I said, "That's the way Al Kaline does it." coach hollered back, "Well you're not Al Kaline!"

[@user-cv1vk9hb5d]

I have always tried to live my life with honor. Kaline was there to inspire that when I was a kid growing up.

[@rickyb8636]

Thanks so much for posting this tribute to Al Kaline. I watched Al play at Tiger Stadium for many years. He was by boyhood idol growing up and whenever I played right field in baseball in the house leagues around Windsor I always wore number 6. I cannot think of a better role model than Al Kaline. He was the best all around player I ever saw. Rest in peace, Al. You will never be forgotten.

[@RRaquello]

I call Al Kaline "Clemente without the drama". We constantly hear about what a great player Clemente was, but he wasn't one bit better than Kaline. It's because he had a more dramatic life story and a dramatic death that Clemente is a higher rated player. It was nothing to do with actual play on the field. Clemente had a higher lifetime batting average, but Kaline had better power, numbers which balances it out or, possibly, considering the way new-age analytics have emphasized power, Kaline's power numbers made him more valuable than Clemente. Everything else in their games evens out--fielding, throwing arm, base running, etc. And one other thing we hear about Clemente was his great World Series in 1971, but Kaline's 1968 World Series was as good or better than Clemente's in 71: a lower batting average and one less hit (12 for Clemente, 11 for Kaline) but more runs scored and more RBIs for Kaline. I'm not putting down Clemente, but just saying that Kaline deserves as much credit and attention for his career as Clemente gets for his.

[@kool-aidcorncrap7880]

He will always be the face of the Tigers and he will always be MR Tiger 🐯⚾

[@jerryw4600]

Growing up playing baseball I would watch Al Kaline play and try to be like him. Baseball needs people like him today, he loved baseball not money.

[@jamessparling8896]

Maybe the most UNDERRATED 1st ballot HOFer that has ever breathed, in any sport! 5 tool. TRUE 5 tool. And then, if that wasn't enough, just an incredible human being! Rest In Peace MR. TIGER!!!

[@pikebishop215]

Not only was Al Kaline a great baseball player, he was highly ethical and moral and a great American.

[@midnightcabbage5475]

Loved this.....but a couple big mistakes - Al wasn't the youngest to win a batting title since Ty Cobb. Al was younger, the youngest to ever lead the league. And his lifetime average was .297, not .287. I'm being a nerd, but Al Kaline is my all time favorite athlete, and was a great man

[@ronachten2902]

Not being a nerd, just being correct. These guys toil for years to perfect their craft and .297 is way different than .287

[@onetimer13541]

I grew up thinking he also had a battery company. Im like wow. Alkaline batteries. I was one of his biggest fans. I would play as a youngster and think did I do it the way al said too. Yep big loss for the tigers

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

No that's correct. Cobb was the youngest to win a batting title and then Kaline beat it by one day. Thus Kaline became the youngest to win a batting title since Ty Cobb.

[@midnightcabbage5475]

Splitting hairs but I see where you are going. I disagree that that was Keaton's intent though. He also said Al's lifetime BA was .287.

[@ajk]

I noticed too.....Kell's time with Kaline was said to have ended in 1995, but they stated a bit after that Kell left the broadcast booth in 1996. I didn't connect at the time that 95 was wrong, but realized after 96 was said that it was. Kinda odd no one noticed the oversight in editing given the differences.

[@chashambley5649]

Great tribute, to a great player! Had the privilege of watching him in 67' and 68'.

[@GordHerrema-rs1rj]

What a great swing he had. He had no hitch in his swing, never bailed out. Great stance, fluid swing.

[@the_console-girl-9778]

I dont play anymore, but as Im wrapping up my senior year of hs, I used to play ball. Growing up and playing the outfield, I took pride in my glove and bat, thougg I never moved too well. I used to watch videos of Kaline and how much of a god he was in right field, which is what make me work twice as hard to be at the top of my game when I played center. RIP to my hero, please do rest peacefully

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

At 18:43 his career batting average was .297

[@samuelmoulds1016]

YEAH!!!!

[@kenlang1070]

batting averages were really low overall when he played. .237 was the average across the league in 1968. so that would be like .310-.320 today. but yeah it being below .300 is strange.

[@asiantorange7770]

When your greatest stat is the legacy you left. Thank you Mr. Kaline for all of your contributions to this great city. You will always be Mr. Tiger

[@WilliamJohnson-pm7np]

Rest in peace Mr. Tiger....A total class act through and through

[@joeward117]

Great player but GREATER man!

[@richstrobel]

One of some great baseball players who grew up in Maryland. Babe Ruth, Jimmie Fox, Al Kaline and Cal Ripken Jr.

[@michaeljackson7361]

Had a AL Kaline 33 bat when I was a kid in the 60's. Loved that bat

[@starsfromheaven7382]

The best player of all time! No, he didn’t have the most of any one thing, but he didn’t let the amazing feats that he accomplished go to his head. He was loyal most of all! Players of all sports could take a lesson from this man.

[@randyhibbs2491]

As a kid, I grew up in Detroit. Al Kaline was my hero. I always wore #6 because of him. Al and Roberto Clemente where both born in 1934 and both were great right fielders. Whenever I went to Kmart and needed batteries, I made my mom buy Alkaline because I thought he made them. 22 years on one team. That's why we call him Mr. Tiger.

[@your_royal_highness]

I used to go to games at Tiger Stadium in the early 60’s. Kaline had a rocket arm. Great player. Glad he got a ring, unlike Mr Cub.

[@DavidMChampeau]

A beautiful tribute. Thank you for putting that together. Brought back a lot of memories.

[@andyreed498]

If you were a kid with a bat and a glove in Michigan, you wanted to be be Al Kaline. So True

[@lightningfisher8177]

CLASS.

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

The best I ever saw in a Tiger uniform. Does anyone know what year it was at the 10:16 mark?

[@michealsullivan4205]

I always wished that Al had been chosen by Duracell or some other battery company to promote Al Kaline (alkaline) batteries. The commercials would have been a hoot! RIP Al Kaline.

[@bobma6342]

Al Kaline, Gordie Howe.....2 Detroit sports icons.

[@kevinpantera4429]

#9 Detroit Red Wings!

[@CraigPrice-zq5wz]

I really didn't see kaline play on tv just couldn't get tigers on tv. Except all star game. I was young.

[@jimkelley5812]

Sometime back around 1957 or 1958, a rumor made the rounds in Detroit about a possible trade between the Tigers and the Yankees that would have sent Al to New York. Supposedly the Yankees would have dealt such players as Jerry Lumpy, Norm Sebern, Elston Howard, and several other 2ed and 3ed string players in order to acquire Kaline. However, the Yankees quickly put these rumors to rest, stating they had no intention of making such a trade.

[@Mister8224]

So, Filet Mignon for a pile of hamburg. Wow, we're lucky NY declined!

[@stephenkammerling9479]

​@@Mister8224Kaline would have gone to many World Series if that deal were made.

[@gargould7186]

He had a.297 career batting average

[@chashambley5649]

My favorite hands down!

[@JamesSmith-nr2mg]

A REAL LEGEND AL KALINE

[@BENFRANK11267]

I styled my hitting stance on Mr.Tiger

[@curtgottler9961]

Strangely, he died right around the time of covid, so his death was kind of ignored at the time, even in Detroit.

[@kevinpantera4429]

When they tore down Tiger Stadium, was just the worst!

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

@ 15:50 is from 1972

[@wambie7773]

Great video tribute of a classy guy, too bad it had to be narrated by that cheesefest John Keating.

[@KenWesaw-up5wf]

They don't make them like al kaline anymore

[@johnallegra7667]

.297.. not 287 lifetime BA.

[@klompsauce]

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