Page 187 - 1975 BoSox

180 ’75—THE RED SOX TEAM THAT SAVED BASEBALL
catchers in the NL, and he was saying, “How the hell does a guy like McAuli e hit with that type of stance?’ And no sooner was it out of his mouth than I hit the ball over his head [for a two-run homer]. ... [A]nd Freehan just turned to him and said, ‘Just like that!’”
McAuli e’s numbers fell o a bit in 1965, due in part to a broken hand that limited him to 113 games. Still, he hit .260, slugged 15 home runs, and drove in 54 runs. He began a transition into the leado spot that year, batting rst in 48 games. “I was the type of guy who had a pretty good eye at the plate and got a fair amount of walks,” McAuli e said of his leado hitting. “My on-base percentage was always good, so therefore if I’m on base quite often it gives a chance for the number two, three, and four hitters to drive me in.” He had a career .343 on-base percentage. He hit quite a few leado home runs in his time as well — 19 of them.
Dick and JoAnne’s second child, John Michael, was born in February 1966. at season, illness and injury again a ected McAuli e. He was limited to 124 games, but was again voted the starting shortstop in the All-Star Game. He went hitless, and struck out against Juan Marichal. at season he connected for 23 home runs, drove in 56 runs, and brought his average up to a career-best .274.
In 1967 McAuli e replaced the fading Jerry Lumpe at second base. at season the All-Star Game starters were chosen by the players, and Rod Carew was tapped to start at second. McAuli e came in in the seventh. He ied to right in the eighth, again in the 11th, and once again in the 14th inning — his nal career All-Star at-bat. ( e AL lost, 2-1 on a Tony Perez home run in the top of the 14th.) McAuli e had another ne o ensive year in 1967, hitting in the top third of the order.Twenty-twohomeruns,acareer-high105walks, and 65 RBIs helped the Tigers to a 91-71 record and an epic battle down to the nal out of the season with the “Impossible Dream“ Boston Red Sox. In fact, it was McAuli e’s 4-6-3 double-play grounder in Detroit against the California Angels in the season’s nale that kicked o a pennant celebration in Boston. It was only the second GIDP for McAuli e that season, both in the last ve games. He set a major-league
record the next season when he didn’t ground into a double play all season. “I wasn’t quick. ... I wasn’t fast,” McAuli e told interviewer Peter Zanardi in the early 1990s. “I could get down to rst base, being left-handed and had a quick start at home plate. But one thing that helped me ... was leading o so many times with nobody on base.”
e 1968 Detroit Tigers ran away with the American League pennant, nishing 103-59, 12 games ahead of runner-up Cleveland.“[We were] absolutely phenom- enal for that particular year,” McAuli e remembered. “I mean, when you think a guy like Denny McLain won 31 ballgames ... but it was more than that. We averaged ve plus runs for Denny throughout that year. Mickey Lolich was a great pitcher for our team, won [17] ballgames, but the key factor I think is that everybody contributed at the right time. I’d have to say that 1968 was the highlight of my life.”
Al Kaline was in the out eld, “ e best right elder you’d ever want to see,” McAuli e said. “Never [made] a mistake in the out eld, never drop a ball, always throw to the right base. Quick release, not only a strong arm, but very accurate.” Norm Cash, “the comic of our ballclub,” slugged 25 home runs. Willie Horton led the team with 36, and out elder Jim Northrup drove in 90 runs. Bill Freehan was “a good catcher, excellent with knowing how to pitch teams. ... [A] good, solid man behind the plate. Knew how to call a ballgame, knew the pitchers that he had. ...”
Of manager Mayo Smith, McAuli e said, “I don’t call him a great manager, but ... I think the biggest plus that he asserted to the club was that ... he would have everybody moving on the bases. No matter who was on base. If a guy was on rst and second and the count was3-and-1or3-and-2,you’dberunning.Wewereso successful with it that it was unbelievable. We’d stay out of double plays, we’d put the bat on the ball, we got base hits, and it really created a spark.”
Some sparks ew at Tiger Stadium with the Chicago White Sox in town on the night of August 22, 1968. “[Al Lopez] was managing the White Sox,” McAuli e said, “and they were not that far out of the race at the