Detroit Tigers
1968 Season Recap

Teams Detroit Tigers 1968 Season Recap

After 23 years of frustration, there would be no denying the Tigers, as they won 103 games and claimed the AL Pennant by 12 games over the Baltimore Orioles. The story of the Tigers season would be Denny McLain who would have a career year winning 31 games and claiming both the AL Cy Young, and MVP. The 31 wins by McLain will likely go down as the last player ever to win 30 games in a single season. In the World Series the Tigers would face the St. Louis Cardinals who were trying to claim their 2nd Consecutive World Championship. Game 1 would see Denny McLain face the Cards Bob Gibson who himself won both the Cy Young and MVP with a record low ERA of 1.12. However Gibson would grab all the headlines shutting out the Tigers, while striking out a World Series single game record 17. The Tigers would bounce back in Game 2 as Mickey Lolich pitched a complete game and helped himself at the plate with a HR. However the Tigers would find themselves in a 3-1 series hole after the Cards won Game 3 on Tim McCarver's 3-run Homer, and Game as Bob Gibson shut down the Tigers for the 2nd time in the Fall Classic. In Game 5 things would look even bleaker for the Tigers as the Cards took an early 3-0 lead. However, Mickey Lolich would not allow another run, and the Tigers would rally and would take the lead on Al Kaline's 7th Inning Bases Loaded Single. Despite the win the Tigers were still backed against the wall trailing 3-2 and heading to St. Louis. The Tigers would go on to win Game 6 thanks to 10 runs in the 3rd, as Denny McLain's won his first Series game after losing 2. Despite forcing a 7th and deciding game the Tigers still faced an uphill battle as the Cards sent Bob Gibson to the hill for his 8th straight Series win. To counter Gibson the Tigers sent Mickey Lolich to the mound who himself was seeking his 3rd win of the series. The game would be scoreless until the 7th, when Jim Northrup lined a ball over the head of the Cardinals Curt Flood to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. The 3 runs would be enough, as Lolich would allow just 1 run as the Tigers went on to claim their 3rd World Championship.

After 23 years of frustration, there would be no denying the Tigers, as they won 103 games and claimed the AL Pennant by 12 games over the Baltimore Orioles. The story of the Tigers season would be Denny McLain who would have a career year winning 31 games and claiming both the AL Cy Young, and MVP. The 31 wins by McLain will likely go down as the last player ever to win 30 games in a single season. In the World Series the Tigers would face the St. Louis Cardinals who were trying to claim their 2nd Consecutive World Championship. Game 1 would see Denny McLain face the Cards Bob Gibson who himself won both the Cy Young and MVP with a record low ERA of 1.12. However Gibson would grab all the headlines shutting out the Tigers, while striking out a World Series single game record 17. The Tigers would bounce back in Game 2 as Mickey Lolich pitched a complete game and helped himself at the plate with a HR. However the Tigers would find themselves in a 3-1 series hole after the Cards won Game 3 on Tim McCarver's 3-run Homer, and Game as Bob Gibson shut down the Tigers for the 2nd time in the Fall Classic. In Game 5 things would look even bleaker for the Tigers as the Cards took an early 3-0 lead. However, Mickey Lolich would not allow another run, and the Tigers would rally and would take the lead on Al Kaline's 7th Inning Bases Loaded Single. Despite the win the Tigers were still backed against the wall trailing 3-2 and heading to St. Louis. The Tigers would go on to win Game 6 thanks to 10 runs in the 3rd, as Denny McLain's won his first Series game after losing 2. Despite forcing a 7th and deciding game the Tigers still faced an uphill battle as the Cards sent Bob Gibson to the hill for his 8th straight Series win. To counter Gibson the Tigers sent Mickey Lolich to the mound who himself was seeking his 3rd win of the series. The game would be scoreless until the 7th, when Jim Northrup lined a ball over the head of the Cardinals Curt Flood to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. The 3 runs would be enough, as Lolich would allow just 1 run as the Tigers went on to claim their 3rd World Championship.

1968 Detroit Tigers season

1968 Detroit TigersTigers

Won World Series
1968 MLB Champions

103-59 (.636)

1st place in MLB AL

Manager

General Manager

President

Team Owner

Ballpark

Attendance

2,031,847 total
25,085 per game

1968 Draft Picks

Round Pick Player

1 18 Robert Robinson OF

2 38 Bob Molinaro OF

3 58 Raymond Blosse P

4 78 Thomas Castellar P

5 102 Thomas Miller OF

View All Tigers Draft Picks

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Stories, Photos, Videos, Podcasts, and Publications featuring Detroit Tigers 1968 Season

F i l t e r & S o r t

New York Yankees vs Detroit Tigers - Clincher - Radio Broadcast video clip

New York Yankees vs Detroit Tigers - Clincher - Radio Broadcast

2½ hours Sep 17, 1968Sep 17, 1968

On Tuesday, September 17, 1968, the Detroit Tigers hosted the New...

Detroit Tigers hosted the New York Yankees at Tiger Stadium. Stan Bahnsen took the mound for the Yankees, while Joe Sparma was the starting pitcher for the Tigers. At this point in the season, the Tigers were on the brink of clinching the pennant, leading the American League, while the Yankees were struggling, sitting in the middle of the pack. Mickey Mantle, a perennial star for the Yankees, was nearing the end of his illustrious career, and the 1968 season was notable for the "Year of the Pitcher," with pitchers dominating hitters to an extent not seen in decades.

Tigers Clinch the 1968 AL Pennant audio clip

Tigers Clinch the 1968 AL Pennant

2 minutes Sep 17, 1968

Ernie Harwell calls the final out of the regular season game against the Yankees as the Tigers clinch the 1068

Ernie Harwell Calls Denny McLain 30th Win video clip

Ernie Harwell Calls Denny McLain 30th Win

2 minutes Sep 14, 1968Sep 14, 1968

Ernie Harwell with the radio call as Detroit Tigers pitcher Denny McLain wins 30 for...

Ty Cobb and Commissioner

Ty Cobb and Commissioner

1920 · Executives · Fans · Uniforms