Lou Whitaker helped the Tigers win the 1984 World Series, was selected as an American League All-Star five consecutive years and won four Silver Slugger Awards and three Gold Glove Awards.
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39 Facts About Lou Whitaker
2.
Lou Whitaker spent three years in the minor leagues and was selected in 1976 as the most valuable player in the Florida State League.
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3.
Lou Whitaker made his Major League Baseball debut in September 1977 and won the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1978.
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5.
Lou Whitaker repeated as Tiger of the Year in 1989 when he hit a career-high 28 home runs.
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6.
Lou Whitaker was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
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8.
Lou Whitaker was raised in Martinsville by his mother and grandmother.
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9.
Lou Whitaker played for the school's baseball team as a middle infielder and pitcher.
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10.
Lou Whitaker graduated in 1975 and committed to play college baseball for Ferrum College.
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12.
Lou Whitaker was the starting third baseman in 1976 for the Lakeland Tigers of the Class A Florida State League.
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13.
Lou Whitaker went three-for-five with a stolen base, hit a double off the Green Monster at Fenway Park, and a run batted in against the Baltimore Orioles.
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14.
You saw Lou Whitaker make a play very few second basemen in the league would have made.
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15.
Lou Whitaker recalled that he initially thought the crowd was booing him.
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16.
Lou Whitaker received 21 of the 28 first-place votes, easily defeating Paul Molitor, Carney Lansford, Trammell, and Rich Gale.
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17.
In 1980, Lou Whitaker slumped at the plate, his batting average dropping 53 points from.
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18.
Lou Whitaker was selected for the first of five times to the American League All-Star team.
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19.
Lou Whitaker was selected as a reserve and entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning.
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20.
Lou Whitaker hit a triple that landed at the base of the 401-foot marker and collected a run batted in as Ron Kittle scored on the play.
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21.
Lou Whitaker finished eighth in the voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
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22.
Lou Whitaker was the team's leadoff hitter and starting second baseman.
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23.
Lou Whitaker hit a double and scored in the first inning of Game 1 of the World Series.
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24.
Lou Whitaker's second daughter, Sarah, was born on October 14,1984, the same day Detroit won the fifth and final game of the World Series.
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25.
In 1985, Lou Whitaker set a record for Detroit second basemen with 21 home runs, while topping 100 runs scored for the first time in his career.
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26.
Lou Whitaker was selected to play in the All-Star game for the third consecutive year, but forgot to pack his uniform.
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27.
Lou Whitaker obtained an adjustable mesh hat and a blank jersey.
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28.
Lou Whitaker finished off his outfit by scrawling his number on the back in magic marker.
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29.
Lou Whitaker reached career highs with 28 homers and 85 RBI in 1989, one of four times he reached the 20-HR plateau, upping his record for the most homers in a season by a Tiger second baseman.
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30.
Lou Whitaker reached three career milestones in 1992, recording his 2,000th game, 2,000th hit, and his 200th home run.
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31.
Lou Whitaker finished his career with three seasons of strong offensive production.
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32.
In May 1995, on his 38th birthday, and after missing the first 14 games of the season with a sore shoulder, Lou Whitaker announced his intention to retire at the end of the season.
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33.
Lou Whitaker played his final game on October 1,1995, at Camden Yards in Baltimore.
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34.
Lou Whitaker, it was an honor and a pleasure to have played alongside you for all those years, and my hope is someday you'll be up here as well.
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35.
Lou Whitaker was an effective leadoff man, adept at drawing walks, quick on the bases, and able to drive the ball with power to all fields.
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36.
Lou Whitaker is one of only 19 players ever to hit a ball over the roof of Tiger Stadium.
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37.
Lou Whitaker appeared in 2,390 games for the Detroit Tigers, third most in franchise history behind Ty Cobb and Al Kaline.
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38.
In 2000, Lou Whitaker was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
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39.
Lou Whitaker married Crystal McCreary in November 1979 at Detroit's Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
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