Kirk Harold Gibson was born on May 28,1957 and is an American former professional baseball player and manager.
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33 Facts About Kirk Gibson
2.
Kirk Gibson is currently a color commentator for the Detroit Tigers on Bally Sports Detroit and a special assistant for the Tigers.
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3.
Kirk Gibson spent most of his career with the Detroit Tigers, and played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
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4.
Kirk Gibson was named to the All-Star team twice, in 1985 and 1988, but declined the invitation both times.
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5.
Kirk Gibson served as the Diamondbacks' manager until September 26,2014.
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8.
Kirk Gibson played only one year of college baseball, but managed to hit.
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9.
Kirk Gibson was drafted by both his hometown Detroit Tigers baseball team and the St Louis Cardinals football team.
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10.
Kirk Gibson played as the regular right fielder for the Detroit Tigers from 1983 to 1987.
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11.
Kirk Gibson became a free agent after the 1985 season but received no significant offers because of what was later determined to be collusion among the owners of MLB teams.
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13.
Early in his career, Kirk Gibson was proclaimed by manager Sparky Anderson to be the next Mickey Mantle.
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14.
Kirk Gibson finished in the top 10 in home runs 3 times in his career and ranked in the top 10 in stolen bases 4 times.
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15.
Indeed, Gossage had struck out Gibson in his very first Major League at-bat in 1979 on 3 pitches, and Kirk had only managed one bunt-single against Gossage in 10 previous plate appearances.
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16.
Kirk Gibson granted several players, including Gibson, immediate free agency.
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17.
Kirk Gibson joined the Dodgers in 1988, and immediately brought a winning attitude after a publicized blow-up when pitcher Jesse Orosco put shoe black in his cap during a spring training prank.
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18.
Kirk Gibson openly criticized the team, which had finished fourth in the NL West the previous season, for its unprofessionalism.
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19.
Kirk Gibson became the team's de facto leader, and won a controversial NL MVP award after batting.
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20.
Kirk Gibson is perhaps best known for his one and only plate appearance in the 1988 World Series against the Oakland Athletics.
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21.
Kirk Gibson hobbled around the bases and pumped his right fist as his jubilant teammates stormed the field.
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22.
In 1991, Kirk Gibson signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals, and then in 1992 he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Neal Heaton.
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23.
Kirk Gibson retired from baseball temporarily, after being released by the Pirates on May 5,1992.
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24.
Kirk Gibson spent the final three years of his career back with the Tigers, including a renaissance season in 1994 when he hit 23 home runs in 98 games before the strike ended the season.
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25.
Kirk Gibson was a Detroit Tigers television analyst on FSN Detroit for five seasons, from 1998 to 2002.
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26.
On January 28,2019, Kirk Gibson was named a special assistant for the Detroit Tigers.
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27.
Kirk Gibson served in that position until the midway point of the 2005 season when he was moved from bench coach to hitting coach, swapping positions with Bruce Fields.
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28.
Shortly after the season, Kirk Gibson was named permanent manager and given a two-year contract.
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29.
Kirk Gibson was named NL Manager of the Year on November 16,2011.
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30.
Kirk Gibson married JoAnn Sklarski on December 22,1985, in a double ceremony where Tiger pitcher Dave Rozema married JoAnn's sister Sandy.
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31.
Kirk Gibson's son Kevin is a defenseman for the Fort Wayne Komets in the ECHL.
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33.
Kirk Gibson was nominated for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame multiple times before being elected in 2017.
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