DETROIT — Jim Northrup cemented a place in Tigers history with one clutch swing that clinched a World Series championship for a team that is Detroit's most beloved in at least the last half-century.
Northrup will be remembered as more than a one-hit, one-season wonder in a baseball career that lasted 12 seasons, including 11 as a versatile outfielder with the Tigers.
Northrup, a Michigan native and a star athlete at St. Louis High School and Alma College, died Wednesday after a lengthy illness. He was 71.
No hit in Northrup's career was bigger or made more impact than a two-out, bases-loaded triple in the top of the seventh off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson in the seventh game of the 1968 World Series. It broke a scoreless tie and propelled the Tigers to a 4-1 victory and the World Series championship.
When the game ended, Detroit erupted in joyous celebration as fans finally were able to release the frustration from finishing second by a game in 1967. They ended up one game behind the Red Sox after losing to the Angels in the second game of a doubleheader on the last day of the season.
The 1968 team was special, mainly because of the disappointment of its 1967 finish in a year when riots tore Detroit apart.
The Tigers were a bonding force as the city sought to repair buildings destroyed in the riots, along with relationships and a shattered civic image.
After the last out of the '68 Series, the city exploded again — this time in a display of unbridled joy as people from all over metro Detroit flocked downtown to party deep into the night.
Northrup's booming hit sailed over the outstretched glove of retreating Cardinals center fielder Curt Flood, who initially started in on the ball, then turned and chased it in vain. The play is still seen on highlight shows of great moments in baseball history.
Nicknamed "The Silver Fox" by his teammates for his long hair that was prematurely gray, Northrup was a star in his own right on a team of outstanding players and giant-sized personalities.
Pitcher Denny McLain led the majors with 31 wins in the regular season, and Mickey Lolich was voted the series MVP for winning all three of his starts — including a complete-game classic in the showdown with Gibson in Game 7.
"Jimmy didn't want to lose at anything," McLain told the Detroit Free Press. "He was even competitive at the postgame meal. He was the emotional backbone of our team that year. He'd get mad at you if he even saw you exchanging pleasantries with guys from the other team. Jimmy was a big reason why we were just a grind-it-out type of team."
Norm Cash, Al Kaline, Bill Freehan, Willie Horton, Gates Brown and Mickey Stanley were other stars on that team.
Northrup delivered in the clutch throughout the season.
Although the Tigers won the American League pennant by 12 games over second-place Baltimore with a record of 103-52, they faced the occasional crisis.
One defining moment came in a five-game series in Cleveland in late June. The Indians won the first three games.
Game 4 was the second game of a Sunday doubleheader, and Northrup hammered two grand slams to spark a 14-3 victory. That started a five-game winning streak and a 10-1 record over 11 games as the Tigers cemented their position atop the standings.
The 1968 season was one of Northrup's best. He hit 21 home runs, had a team-leading 90 runs batted in and had a batting average of .264.
Northrup signed with the Tigers as an amateur in 1961 and made the majors in 1964. He was traded to Montreal in 1974. He was later dealt to Baltimore in '74 and ended his career with the Orioles in 1975.
Northrup was a versatile college athlete. He played baseball and was the quarterback on Alma's football team. He had offers to sign with the New York Titans (later renamed the Jets) of the AFL and the NFL's Bears. He turned both down when the Tigers offered a contract with guaranteed money.
After leaving baseball as an active player, Northrup had numerous business interests. He also had a long stint as the color analyst on Tigers telecasts on the PASS cable network — the forerunner to FOX Sports Detroit.
Northrup is survived by his wife, Patty; children Kamil, Azaria, Jim, Paige and Kate; and seven grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were incomplete Wednesday night.
Northrup will be remembered as more than a one-hit, one-season wonder in a baseball career that lasted 12 seasons, including 11 as a versatile outfielder with the Tigers.
Northrup, a Michigan native and a star athlete at St. Louis High School and Alma College, died Wednesday after a lengthy illness. He was 71.
No hit in Northrup's career was bigger or made more impact than a two-out, bases-loaded triple in the top of the seventh off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson in the seventh game of the 1968 World Series. It broke a scoreless tie and propelled the Tigers to a 4-1 victory and the World Series championship.
When the game ended, Detroit erupted in joyous celebration as fans finally were able to release the frustration from finishing second by a game in 1967. They ended up one game behind the Red Sox after losing to the Angels in the second game of a doubleheader on the last day of the season.
The 1968 team was special, mainly because of the disappointment of its 1967 finish in a year when riots tore Detroit apart.
The Tigers were a bonding force as the city sought to repair buildings destroyed in the riots, along with relationships and a shattered civic image.
After the last out of the '68 Series, the city exploded again — this time in a display of unbridled joy as people from all over metro Detroit flocked downtown to party deep into the night.
Northrup's booming hit sailed over the outstretched glove of retreating Cardinals center fielder Curt Flood, who initially started in on the ball, then turned and chased it in vain. The play is still seen on highlight shows of great moments in baseball history.
Nicknamed "The Silver Fox" by his teammates for his long hair that was prematurely gray, Northrup was a star in his own right on a team of outstanding players and giant-sized personalities.
Pitcher Denny McLain led the majors with 31 wins in the regular season, and Mickey Lolich was voted the series MVP for winning all three of his starts — including a complete-game classic in the showdown with Gibson in Game 7.
"Jimmy didn't want to lose at anything," McLain told the Detroit Free Press. "He was even competitive at the postgame meal. He was the emotional backbone of our team that year. He'd get mad at you if he even saw you exchanging pleasantries with guys from the other team. Jimmy was a big reason why we were just a grind-it-out type of team."
Norm Cash, Al Kaline, Bill Freehan, Willie Horton, Gates Brown and Mickey Stanley were other stars on that team.
Northrup delivered in the clutch throughout the season.
Although the Tigers won the American League pennant by 12 games over second-place Baltimore with a record of 103-52, they faced the occasional crisis.
One defining moment came in a five-game series in Cleveland in late June. The Indians won the first three games.
Game 4 was the second game of a Sunday doubleheader, and Northrup hammered two grand slams to spark a 14-3 victory. That started a five-game winning streak and a 10-1 record over 11 games as the Tigers cemented their position atop the standings.
The 1968 season was one of Northrup's best. He hit 21 home runs, had a team-leading 90 runs batted in and had a batting average of .264.
Northrup signed with the Tigers as an amateur in 1961 and made the majors in 1964. He was traded to Montreal in 1974. He was later dealt to Baltimore in '74 and ended his career with the Orioles in 1975.
Northrup was a versatile college athlete. He played baseball and was the quarterback on Alma's football team. He had offers to sign with the New York Titans (later renamed the Jets) of the AFL and the NFL's Bears. He turned both down when the Tigers offered a contract with guaranteed money.
After leaving baseball as an active player, Northrup had numerous business interests. He also had a long stint as the color analyst on Tigers telecasts on the PASS cable network — the forerunner to FOX Sports Detroit.
Northrup is survived by his wife, Patty; children Kamil, Azaria, Jim, Paige and Kate; and seven grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were incomplete Wednesday night.
