Happy Birthday Al Kaline

[kalinecountry]

Al Kaline is 77 years old today. He is without a doubt the best Tigers' player of the post WWII era. Those of us who watched him play his whole career know he is an All Time Great. His numbers speak for him, and would be even greater if he had not missed 400 games to so many injuries that kept him from having 30 plus homer and more 100 runs and 100 rbi seasons. More to the point is that Kaline is the embodiment of everything good on and off the field. Kaline during his career and since has never said how great a player he was, he always said he wasn't in the same class as an Aaron, Mantle, or Mays, few players have. Kaline just went out and played at a Consistent High Level of Excellence to Greatness year in and year out.
Some Tigers players have hit more homeruns, had more rbi, and hit for a higher average in a season than Al. Some have made great catches or thrown out a runner advancing here and there, but no one Tigers player made those type of plays as regularly year in and year out as "The Six".
Kaline to this day, is humbled by all the love Tigers' fans still give to him... and why not?
His honesty, integrity, and humility as a player and a person is something few if any SuperStars from any era in any sport have.
Tigers Nation should be proud of having a Living Legend that not only was a Great Player, but also an even Greater Person. Forever a Tiger. Happy 77th Birthday Al.

and today would have been Bobby Layne's 85th. Two Detroit icons with the same birthdate.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Happy birthday Al.

 

[biggunsbob]

Happy Birthday # 6...

 

[hellifino]

Class guy, on or off the field.

 

[tycobb420]

Bobby Layne and Al Kaline born on the same day. So much for astrology determining personality, eh? I am considering looking up Layne's grave and sacrificing a 6-pack to break the curse.

Happy bday to both!

PS: Yesterday was Ty Cobb's bday

 

[kalinecountry]

Bobby Layne and Al Kaline born on the same day. So much for astrology determining personality, eh? I am considering looking up Layne's grave and sacrificing a 6-pack to break the curse.

Happy bday to both!

PS: Yesterday was Ty Cobb's bday

http://www.findagrave.com/php/famous.php?page=gSearch&page=gSearch&globalSearchCriteria=bobby+layne
Layne is buried in Lubbock, Texas.
Nice story on Ty yesterdays Tigers notes thread from Detroit Athletic. Today a nice one on Al.

 

[tycobb420]

KalineCountry[/color]]

Bobby Layne and Al Kaline born on the same day. So much for astrology determining personality, eh? I am considering looking up Layne's grave and sacrificing a 6-pack to break the curse.

Happy bday to both!

PS: Yesterday was Ty Cobb's bday

http://www.findagrave.com/php/famous.php?page=gSearch&page=gSearch&globalSearchCriteria=bobby+layne
Layne is buried in Lubbock, Texas.
Nice story on Ty yesterdays Tigers notes thread from Detroit Athletic. Today a nice one on Al.

Layne is 5 hours from me...not sure I want to make a drive to dump a 6-pack onto his grave! lol

Here's a HOF Video Tribute to Al:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBaseballHall?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/LyyyvUvWuM8

 

[turok]

Happy Birthday to Mr. Al Kaline, I feel truly blessed to have watched/listened to him play live @ Tiger Stadium, on TV, and on the radio... the last describing his performances at the plate, on the base-paths, and in the OF, so vividly and perfectly by the late HOF announcer Ernie Harwell, during some of the peak years of his HOF career. I was just waay too young during the late 50s-early 60s, to be able to remember the early part of his Tigers' career and rapid ascension into MLB stardom. I do remember some of the Tigers' and Kaline's exciting '61 pennant race/chase season, and also had attended some games with my father as a young child, in the mid-60s, but did not really understand much of the game of baseball and become a "real" Tigers fan until '67.