Posted on 06/09/2011 3:33:34 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
Jim Northrup, a key part of the Detroit Tigers' 1968 World Series champion team, died Wednesday, the Detroit Free Press reported. He was 71.
Northrup hit a two-run triple off St. Louis Cardinals ace Bob Gibson in the seventh inning of Game 7 of that series, which the Tigers came back to win after trailing three games to one. It was the only triple Gibson gave up all season.
"He was big, tall and thin with a beautiful flowing swing, and he had real major power," former teammate Dick Tracewski told the Free Press. "He was a hell of a ballplayer, and he was a hell of a guy. I loved Jim Northrup."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.blogs.cnn.com ...
>>Jim Northrup, a key part of the Detroit Tigers’ 1968 World Series champion team, died Wednesday, the Detroit Free Press reported. He was 71.<<
Dang, so young. It is always sad when we lose living history.
Prayers for the family.
Lot of mighty fine ball players played in that ‘68 Series...
I saw the announcement during last night’s game.
I have an older brother who boosts a few Series from the 1960s as baseball’s best. My memory spans throughout the 1970s. Not a fan of the sport much these days.
He’s being managed by Sparky Anderson today and nobody but Ernie Harwell is worthy to call that game.
Did you know the Tigers traded a guy who led the Majors in slugging average for all players with 25 or more games between the 1967 and 1968 seasons? And that the next year, that same player led the Majors in ERA among all pitchers who pitched in 25 or more games? (Not enough innings in ‘68 to contest for Cy Young, but gave up 8 runs in 25 games, with only 3 earned. And Gibson had the lowest official ERA in memory that year.)
The top 11 official slugging average for 1967 read:
11. Frank Howard .511
10. Ron Santo .512
9. Orlando Cepada .524
8. Willie McCovey .535
7. Al Kaline .541
6. Roberto Clemente .554
5. Harmon Killebrew .558
4. Dick Allen .566
3. Hank Aaron .573
2. Frank Robinson .576
1. Carl Yastremski .622
Hank Aguirre 1.500
Story from the Tiger’s site.
Gibson didn’t “give up” that triple. Curt Flood misjudged a fly (broke in) and it went over his head. The scorers made it a triple because Flood didn’t touch it.
Was it the following season the mound was lowered? 1969?
I seem to remember Northup hitting two grand slams in one game. Anyone know for sure?
Life-long Tiger fan here. I listened to the 1968 World Series in my living room outside Yokohama on the Far East Network. I was walking on air for the next few days.
Condolences to family and friends of Jim Northrup. Thanks for the memories, Jim. R.I.P. sir.
Justin Verlander is on the mound tonight. He’s one of those pitchers that is a pleasure to watch even if he’s up against your home team.
Gibson was awesome that year. Denny McLain had more wins in the regular, but Gibson dominated in Games 1 and 4 of the Series.
But the star pitcher was Mickey Lolich. 27 innings, 5 runs, 3 wins. Northrup and Kaline, sharing right field (Kaline borke an arm early in the season) were the best bats, but McAuliffe was the surprise player for 1968, with great fielding (9 errors at second base) and ball contact skills better than Nellie Fox in 1959. McAuliffe hit into exactly zero double plays all year, without the advantage of following Hank Aguirre.
Two in one game and three total for the week, as I recall.
One in the World Series too!
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