THE FANS * Roly Poly Mickey Lolich * OCTOBER 1968
TIGERS ARE THE CHAMPS!A MCRFB Note: Bob Babbitt, future ‘Funk Brother’ and part-time bassist for Motown Records in 1968, was the name used by Robert Kreiner, who co-wrote this song. Bob Babbitt is playing on drums in this recording. Production arranged by Bob Babbitt.
A tribute to 1968 World Series 3 game winner Mickey Lolich, the single was released by Marquee Records in Detroit, late-October, 1968.
The Detroit Tigers Win The American League Pennant
___
The Year of the Tiger — 1968? Well, yes. But it was more than that. Far more. It was the year of Detroit . . . when an entire community, an entire city, was caught up in the frenzy of a baseball team trying to win a pennant. Not just any team. Not just any pennant. This was special. This was a stricken city, a worried citizenry, which finally found itself bound together in a common goal.
Corny? Maybe so. We can be pretty cynical. We newspapermen, but there was no doubting the fervor or the fever of the people of our city as they tried mightily to pull the Tigers along to the American League pennant . . . their first pennant in 23 years. That’s a long time, 23 years. You can raise families and send them through college in 23 years. Some can go to war. Some can start raising families of their own. All this happened since the last time the Tigers won the American League pennant.
The mood of our city was anything but gay in the spring of 1968. The summer loomed ominously. The newspaper strike droned on and on . . . but something happened in the middle of 1968. You would pull up to the light at Woodward and Clairmount and the guy in the next car would have his radio tuned up. ” . . . Horton stepping in. Willie’s had two hits tonight.” Or you would pick your way through the mobs at Metropolitan Beach and even though you wouldn’t have a radio, you wouldn’t miss a pitch. ” . . . Stanley leading off second. Northrup off first — here’s the pitch from Katt.” Rouge Park . . . Belle Isle . . . the kitchens of the poshest restaurants in town . . . and those awful moments at the bottom of the Windsor Tunnel when you couldn’t pick up Ernie or Ray — and just when Bill Freehan got around to third base with the tying run. The stirring strains of “Go Get ‘Em, Tigers” everywhere.
A baseball team trying to win a pennant. Men playing a boy’ game. Well, yes. That’s the way it was in The Year of the Tiger — 1968. But it was a year I will never forget. It was a year when an entire community, an entire city, was caught up in the frenzy of a baseball team trying to win a pennant. For a moment I even forgot some of my worries.
Authored by Joe Falls, his commentary (as worded verbatim in its entirety here) was printed on the B-side of the LP cover, “The Year Of The Tiger ’68”. The album was presented by the National Bank of Detroit and offered exclusively through their NBD outlets in the Detroit area.
“The Year Of The Tiger ’68” was officially released to the public, Friday, October 11, 1968, the day after the Detroit Tigers won the 1968 World Series.
Note: For the game’s complete stats (10/10/1968) click on the Baseball Reference (highlighted) link above.
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All seven games of the 1968 World Series aired on Detroit radio NBC affiliate WWJ-AM 950 and also on Detroit CBS affiliate WJR-AM 760.
WJR was the flagship station for the Detroit Tigers baseball broadcasts with Ernie Harwell and Ray Lane calling the games.
The 1968 World Series games was telecast on Detroit CBS WJBK TV (Channel 2) and also on Detroit NBC WWJ TV (Channel 4).
*****
Motor City Radio Flashbacks features Game 7 of the 1968 World Series — today — the represented date the game actually aired 50 years ago, October 1968.
Above articles courtesy freep.com newspapers archives. Copyright 2018; Newspapers.com
The above featured news prints was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
A MCRFB Viewing Tip: On your PC? For a larger detailed read CLICK ON ALL IMAGES 2x and open to second window. Click image to return to NORMAL image size.
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A SPECIAL THANK YOU! Above CKLW audio (10/10/68) courtesy of Charlie O’Brien (CKLW)
Note: For the game’s complete stats (10/09/1968) click on the Baseball Reference (highlighted) link above.
*****
All seven games of the 1968 World Series aired on Detroit radio NBC affiliate WWJ-AM 950 and also on Detroit CBS affiliate WJR-AM 760.
WJR was the flagship station for the Detroit Tigers baseball broadcasts with Ernie Harwell and Ray Lane calling the games.
The 1968 World Series games was telecast on Detroit CBS WJBK TV (Channel 2) and also on Detroit NBC WWJ TV (Channel 4).
*****
Motor City Radio Flashbacks features Game 6 of the 1968 World Series — today — the represented date the game actually aired 50 years ago, October 1968.
Above articles courtesy freep.com newspapers archives. Copyright 2018; Newspapers.com
The above featured news prints was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
A MCRFB Viewing Tip: On your PC? For a larger detailed read CLICK ON ALL IMAGES 2x and open to second window. Click image to return to NORMAL image size.
Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB home page.
On your mobile device? Tap on images. Open to second window. “Stretch” across the featured article(s) to magnify largest print view.
*****
Besides the voice of Ernie Harwell, the various narratives you will hear throughout the entire audio book is by Raleigh, N.C. sports broadcaster Gordon Miller. Occasional questions you will also hear is by veteran Duke University sports broadcaster Bob Harris.
*****
Ernie Harwell passed away on May 4, 2010. He was known as “the voice of the Detroit Tigers” for over 40 years. He called his last Tiger game in Toronto, on September 29, 2002. In 1981, Harwell was awarded baseball’s most prestigious Ford C. Frick Award.
He became only the fifth baseball broadcaster enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
(CD audio set availability, link: Ernie Harwell’s Audio Scrapbook 2009
Note: For the game’s complete stats (10/07/1968) click on the Baseball Reference (highlighted) link above.
*****
All seven games of the 1968 World Series aired on Detroit radio NBC affiliate WWJ-AM 950 and also on Detroit CBS affiliate WJR-AM 760.
WJR was the flagship station for the Detroit Tigers baseball broadcasts with Ernie Harwell and Ray Lane calling the games.
The 1968 World Series games was telecast on Detroit CBS WJBK TV (Channel 2) and also on Detroit NBC WWJ TV (Channel 4).
Note: In this Game 5 feature only — Motor City Radio Flashbacks preempts the NBC Radio broadcast (with NBC Radio Jack Buck and Pee Wee Reese; poor audio) for the NBC Sports televised play-by-play for best audio quality.
NBC Sports (TV) Curt Gowdy and George Kell called the televised play-by-plays during the 3 game home-stand at Tiger Stadium, October 5, 6, 7.
*****
Motor City Radio Flashbacks features Game 5 of the 1968 World Series — today — the represented date the game actually aired 50 years ago, October 1968.
Above articles courtesy freep.com newspapers archives. Copyright 2018; Newspapers.com
The above featured news prints was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
A MCRFB Viewing Tip: On your PC? For a larger detailed read CLICK ON ALL IMAGES 2x and open to second window. Click image to return to NORMAL image size.
Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB home page.
On your mobile device? Tap on images. Open to second window. “Stretch” across the featured article(s) to magnify largest print view.
Note: For the game’s complete stats (10/06/1968) click on the Baseball Reference (highlighted) link above.
*****
All seven games of the 1968 World Series was aired on Detroit radio NBC affiliate WWJ-AM 950 and also on Detroit CBS affiliate WJR-AM 760.
WJR was the flagship station for the Detroit Tigers baseball broadcasts with Ernie Harwell and Ray Lane calling the games.
The 1968 World Series games was telecast on Detroit CBS WJBK TV (Channel 2) and also on Detroit NBC WWJ TV (Channel 4).
*****
Motor City Radio Flashbacks features Game 4 of the 1968 World Series — today — the represented date the game actually aired 50 years ago, October 1968.
Above article courtesy freep.com newspapers archives. Copyright 2018; Newspapers.com
The above featured news prints was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
A MCRFB Viewing Tip: On your PC? For a larger detailed read CLICK ON ALL IMAGES 2x and open to second window. Click image to return to NORMAL image size.
Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB home page.
On your mobile device? Tap on image. Open to second window. “Stretch” across the featured article to magnify largest print view.
Note: For the game’s complete stats (10/05/1968) click on the Baseball Reference (highlighted) link above.
*****
All seven games of the 1968 World Series aired on Detroit radio NBC affiliate WWJ-AM 950 and also on Detroit CBS affiliate WJR-AM 760.
WJR was the flagship station for the Detroit Tigers baseball broadcasts with Ernie Harwell and Ray Lane calling the games.
The 1968 World Series games was telecast on Detroit CBS WJBK TV (Channel 2) and also on Detroit NBC WWJ TV (Channel 4).
*****
Motor City Radio Flashbacks features Game 3 of the 1968 World Series — today — the represented date the game actually aired 50 years ago, October 1968.
Above article courtesy freep.com newspapers archives. Copyright 2018; Newspapers.com
The above featured news prints was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
A MCRFB Viewing Tip: On your PC? For a larger detailed read CLICK ON ALL IMAGES 2x and open to second window. Click image to return to NORMAL image size.
Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB home page.
On your mobile device? Tap on image. Open to second window. “Stretch” across the featured article to magnify largest print view.
*****
Besides the voice of Ernie Harwell, the various narratives you will hear throughout the entire audio book is by Raleigh, N.C. sports broadcaster Gordon Miller. Occasional questions you will also hear is by veteran Duke University sports broadcaster Bob Harris.
*****
Ernie Harwell passed away on May 4, 2010. He was known as “the voice of the Detroit Tigers” for over 40 years. He called his last Tiger game in Toronto, on September 29, 2002. In 1981, Harwell was awarded baseball’s most prestigious Ford C. Frick Award.
He became only the fifth baseball broadcaster enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
(CD audio set availability, link: Ernie Harwell’s Audio Scrapbook 2009)
Note: For the game’s complete stats (10/03/1968) click on the Baseball Reference (highlighted) link above.
*****
All seven games of the 1968 World Series aired on Detroit radio NBC affiliate WWJ-AM 950 and also on Detroit CBS affiliate WJR-AM 760.
WJR was the flagship station for the Detroit Tigers baseball broadcasts with Ernie Harwell and Ray Lane calling the games.
The 1968 World Series games was telecast on Detroit CBS WJBK TV (Channel 2) and also on Detroit NBC WWJ TV (Channel 4).
*****
Motor City Radio Flashbacks features Game 2 of the 1968 World Series — today — the represented date the game actually aired 50 years ago, October 1968.
Above article courtesy freep.com newspapers archives. Copyright 2018; Newspapers.com
The above featured news prints was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
A MCRFB Viewing Tip: On your PC? For a larger detailed read CLICK ON ALL IMAGES 2x and open to second window. Click image to return to NORMAL image size.
Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB home page.
On your mobile device? Tap on image. Open to second window. “Stretch” across the featured article to magnify largest print view.
