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 ...
Thanks for the info! My memory works once in a while.lol
CS, Baseball Almanac is a great site, got it bookmarked.
Mayo Smith playing Centerfielder Mickey Stanley at shortstop so he could get more bats in the line up was the historic anomaly of the series. Who sat? not Wert, right? he was 3 rd base, wasn’t he? (before Aurelio Rodriguez moved in there in the seventies). The ‘72 playoffs against the rising dynasty Oakland A’s was the last hurrah for that bunch and it was great.
It was Ray Oyler who sat for Mickey Stanley. I mix up him and Wert too!
I believe the two in one game happened in consecutive innings.
Ray Oyler ? That’s absolutely gone out of the memory banks. Thanks!
I do believe you’re right! Had forgotten that! I was 12! I remember visiting my grandfather in the hospital that week and talking about Northrup’s feat!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.