Bill Freehan 1941-2021

[byco42]

Tigers posted on Instagram that Bill Freehan has passed away.

May he Rest in Peace and may his soul swiftly enter Heaven.

EDIT: Also appeared in umichbaseball Instagram feed.

 

[tinselwolverine]

That Alzheimer?s is awful.

I?m relieved for his family.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Bill Freehan what so good. Fished 2nd in the MVP one year behind Mclain, wasn't going to win then) and 3rd the year earlier, should have been second.

May your mind be at peace.

 

[Rebbiv]

While Al Kaline, Denny McLain and Mickey Lolich were the stars of the 1968 World Series champions, Freehan was the cornerstone. The former University of Michigan star was the best catcher in the American League in his time, earning 11 All-Star selections in a 12-year span. He finished third and second in AL MVP voting in 1967 and 1968, respectively, batting .263 with 25 home runs, 84 RBIs and a 145 OPS+ for the 1968 champs. Freehan?s 44.7 bWAR ranks 14th all-time among catchers; 10 of the 13 catchers ahead of him are in the Hall of Fame.

 

[Superfanned]

A hall of famer in my opinion. RIP Bill Freehan. When I was a boy, I was a catcher with the same first name. I worshipped that man.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Right now Jim Price is talking about Freehan?s ailment. It really is an awful awful thing. He saying some of the same things you guys have been thinking in this thread ? the guy is at peace now.

 

[kalinecountry]

One by one the members of that great group of Tigers from the 1960's are leaving us.
I posted this back in June.
https://www.vintagedetroit.com/members-of-the-1968-world-champions-are-starting-to-leave-us/
Members of the 1968 World Champions are starting to leave us.

Freehan as stated here by several and in other forums was the best catcher in the American League with all due respect to Elston Howard, another 11 time all-star who also deserves enshrinement.

While Kaline was the unquestioned leader of the Tigers of that era, Al led by example and everyone followed his lead, Freehan was the one player who was going to speak out if he saw a teammate not going all out.

Bill was the rah rah guy on the team and the Block of Granite with a Chiseled Football physique, a bull behind home plate. an excellent game caller.

In the second pitcher's era he still had some excellent offensive numbers and at the time he retired held several Catcher's records, since broken.

That is quite a team they are assembling in heaven now. RIP Bill.

 

[kalinecountry]

https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/bill-freehan-obituary
Legendary Tigers catcher Bill Freehan dies at 79.
Tigers official site

From the Tigers official site:
https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/t_16x9/t_w1536/mlb/wa5uefqnsd5dih4nnj3p.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9KNfydUUBAN2kQ?format=jpg&name=900x900

A statement from Bill Freehan's former teammate and lifelong friend Willie Horton:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9KWQbEXIAAtVKo?format=jpg&name=medium

https://www.blessyouboys.com/2021/8...tigers-legend-catcher-bill-freehan-dies-at-79
In memoriam: Bill Freehan passes at age 79.
The iconic Tigers catcher gave his all, and more, to the team.
BYBTB

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/s...8-champion-detroit-tigers-dies-79/8192888002/
Bill Freehan, catcher for 1968 World Series-champion Tigers, dies at 79.
Detnews

https://www.detroitnews.com/picture...ries-champion-catcher-dead-age-79/8199357002/
Bill Freehan, Tigers' perennial All-Star catcher: 1941-2021. 16 PHOTOS
Detnews

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...oit-tigers-dies-alzheimers-disease/511651001/
Detroit Tigers great Bill Freehan dies at age 79 after long battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Freep

When Freehan retired following the 1976 season, he held the major league records for chances (10,714), putouts (9,941) and fielding average for a catcher (.993). The records were broken respectively in 1987 (Bob Boone), 1988 (Gary Carter) and 2002 (Dan Wilson).

https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2021/0...atcher-for-1968-champions-dies-at-age-79.html
Tigers great Bill Freehan, catcher for 1968 championship team, dies at age 79.
Mlive

 

[biggunsbob]

RIP Bill.

 

[kalinecountry]

29 combined All-Star game selections!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9QWtP-VUAAJKfp?format=png&name=small

This 1969 groovy cover with a star-spangled Bill Freehan is an all-time great.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9QRL6VVIAAvcKv?format=jpg&name=medium

?What makes [Freehan] so extraordinary is that he plants his two big feet firmly in the ground, doesn?t bother giving the base runner barreling down on him from third base so much as a sidelong glance and plain refuses to budge..."
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9QTgSlUUAcBCTV?format=png&name=small

 

[kalinecountry]

https://www.vintagedetroit.com/free...ored-with-a-new-1968-statue-at-comerica-park/
Freehan?s legacy should be honored with a new 1968 statue at Comerica Park.
Vintage Detroit

 

[kalinecountry]

https://thegregger63.wordpress.com/...n-man-as-one-could-get-in-more-ways-than-one/
Bill Freehan was as much of a ?Michigan Man? as one could get?in more ways than one.
TheGregger63

 

[kalinecountry]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/remembering-bill-freehan-the-thinking-mans-catcher-1941-2021/
Remembering Bill Freehan, the Thinking Man?s Catcher (1941?2021).
Fangraphs

 

[byco42]

Behind the Mask is in no way the literary and expository classic as was Ball Four, but it is a worthwhile read that compares the 1969 season to the previous 1968 championship year.

 

[biggunsbob]

I need to find that book.

Found this by Mike Matheny


https://youtu.be/mtarYfjbcrs

 

[kalinecountry]

https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2021/08/24/watercooler-wednesday-2/
WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY.
Totally Tigers

 

[Mitchrapp]

I need to find that book.

Found this by Mike Matheny


https://youtu.be/mtarYfjbcrs

That was good stuff, thank you. Matheny won 4 GG which is hard to do in any era. No doubt Mr. Freehan taught him well.

 

[kalinecountry]

A lovely tribute to the late Detroit Tiger Bill Freehan this morning on MLB Radio. We all know what a wonderful, generous and thoughtful man he was, as well as his elite skills behind the plate. Those eulogizing him pointed out 2 things we didn't know....

Bill trained Lance Parrish behind the plate and returned to Detroit in 2002 as a catching instructor for 3 years. He retired after a meeting with Mike Ilitch.

It had become apparent that Freehan was showing the first signs of his medical issue. Ilitch said that the Tigers would continue to pay his medical benefits but would eliminate his salary. They wanted him to continue his coaching job but would only reimburse his travel expenses.

Totally Tigers

 

[kalinecountry]

Detroit Tigers legend Bill Freehan instructs a group during a 1982 baseball camp (U of Michigan).
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E_SXBBUVcAEn4H2?format=jpg&name=medium

 

[kalinecountry]

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/freehbi01.shtml
Bill Freehan Career Stats.
Baseball Reference