OT It is Willie Horton day!
My mom's favorite Tiger.
Freehan was my favorite.
October 18th, 2021 at 9:06 AM ^
How random.
October 18th, 2021 at 11:03 AM ^
Thank you, OP. I wasn't aware that it is, indeed, Willie Horton Day. What an amazing man -- not just for his accomplishments on the field, but what he has done for Detroit and our community. And we can't forget how he ventured out into the 1967 riots wearing his Tigers uniform to try and calm the situation. Those of you who think this post is "random" really need to study your history. Long live Willie Horton and long may he be remembered!
October 18th, 2021 at 11:14 AM ^
Perhaps your post should have been in the OP? I would neg the OP again, if I could, for his complete and utter disregard of anything newsworthy.
'Willie Horton - he's my mom's favorite player!'
That is the OP. And it's worth all the negs it gets.
October 18th, 2021 at 12:09 PM ^
I canceled out your neg.
October 18th, 2021 at 1:54 PM ^
I canceled your cancel.
October 18th, 2021 at 5:43 PM ^
A little salty today aren’t you?! His OP was better than 50% of the recent posts. Unless the mods changed the title (no indication they did) he told us it was “Willie Horton Day”. That in itself is news. I didn’t realize it either.
And he labelled it OT.
And he also told us Bill Freehan was his favorite so there’s that!
Not the best OP ever but not the shit post you make it out to be either!
October 18th, 2021 at 9:31 PM ^
I met Willie at an Erie Seawolves game years ago. My wife and I were sitting behind the plate next to a group of Tiger execs and scouts when he walked in with his grandson. I stood as he approached, put out my hand and introduced myself. As we shook hands, with a giant grin he said, "My name is Willie Horton"as if I wasn't sure who he was. My wife sat next next to Willie for the rest of the evening. A liitle small talk. As he was leaving, she turned to me and said, Willie just told me his birthday..October 18th." (That last part is not quite true). Still have a signed baseball (true).
October 18th, 2021 at 3:15 PM ^
Sorry you feel that way about Willie Horton.
October 18th, 2021 at 9:08 AM ^
I'm curious who your next door neighbors favorite tiger was
October 18th, 2021 at 2:22 PM ^
Well at least he didn’t title the post as just “Willie Horton”
October 18th, 2021 at 9:10 AM ^
I remember Willie! He was pretty popular back in the day!
October 18th, 2021 at 12:12 PM ^
October 18th, 2021 at 9:13 AM ^
Tom Brookin's and Pat Underwood were my favorite Tigers.
October 18th, 2021 at 11:04 AM ^
I was hoping Brookens would succeed Leyland as manager, instead of Ausmus. Dude loved the franchise.
I still remember waking up one morning and my dad told me he was traded for Charlie Hudson. I rooted against the Tigers the entire 1989 season (59-103 record). And of course ol' Charlie drunk drove himself into a telephone pole in August and ended his career.
October 18th, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
The Pennsylvania Poker
October 18th, 2021 at 9:15 AM ^
Let's keep politics off the board.
October 18th, 2021 at 9:32 AM ^
ah yes, the argument about the designated hitter will never be settled. i do think willie would've flourished in the DH era.
love the old style uni's.
October 18th, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
there was a very contentious commercial in the 1988 presidential race about a man named willie horton. there was also a baseball player named willie horton. this thread is about the baseball player. surely this community can handle two people with the same name, without the discussion going off the rails, right?
October 18th, 2021 at 10:35 AM ^
In the summer of '72 I worked on the assembly line in the old, rotting Chrysler Jefferson Assembly plant. My foreman's name was Willie Horton and he was the spitting image of Flip Wilson.
October 18th, 2021 at 11:15 AM ^
With, or without the dress?
October 18th, 2021 at 7:36 PM ^
I wonder if you are confusing Flip Wilson with Geraldine?
October 18th, 2021 at 11:08 AM ^
I was hoping this was about legendary Days of Our Lives patriarch Bill Horton.
October 18th, 2021 at 5:25 PM ^
That's the, albeit unfunny, joke.
October 18th, 2021 at 9:16 AM ^
Freehan, Lolich and Whitaker should be in the HOF!
loved Horton at bat. A pure hitter.
October 18th, 2021 at 2:52 PM ^
Agree 100%
October 18th, 2021 at 9:17 AM ^
Me? I was a Tom Veryzer fan. Cannon for an arm.
October 18th, 2021 at 9:31 AM ^
Willie took big swings.
October 18th, 2021 at 12:23 PM ^
He certainly did.
I swear Willie Horton split atoms, his swing was so powerful and violent!
My brother Jim (he's worked at West Michigan Whitecaps baseball games for over a dozen seasons) had the good fortune of meeting Willie and talking with him for a few minutes after Willie finished his autograph session there this summer. Jim said Horton was about the warmest and friendliest of all the former Tigers who have shown up at Whitecaps games over the years, a true gentleman in every sense of the word.
He sent me a photo of himself and Willie, I'll see if I can figure out how to post it from my phone.
October 18th, 2021 at 1:48 PM ^
My buddy worked for the Tigers and I was able to meet Willie briefly. What a big smile and genuine good personality the dude had, yet in the batters box he scared the hell out of the pitchers.
October 18th, 2021 at 2:57 PM ^
I'm surprised that most sports fans on a sports blog don't know about Willie Horton. I thought it was understood about his importance to the area. I know he is older but history can be a most rewarding topic to read and learn.
October 18th, 2021 at 9:46 AM ^
I'm starting to think he just posts things to get negged.
October 18th, 2021 at 9:54 AM ^
yikes. what the hell is even happening right now?
October 18th, 2021 at 9:59 AM ^
Some members of the board have taken a trip to dumbassville. We're hoping they return soon
October 18th, 2021 at 10:01 AM ^
I'd be okay if a few of them made a side visit to Bolivia while on their trip.
October 18th, 2021 at 10:11 AM ^
Am I BuckCherry?
Because I love the cocaine
October 18th, 2021 at 10:00 AM ^
By way of background, October 18 is officially Willie Horton Day in the state of Michigan. I get that people are negging the OP for a goofball post, but I upvoted because Willie has been a great ambassador for Detroit and the Tigers for many, many years. Great guy, joy to watch play baseball. So an upvote for Willie.
October 18th, 2021 at 10:22 AM ^
More background: it's Willie Horton Day because it's his birthday. I know that because I share a birthday with Willie! I was delighted to discover this as a child when reading the back of his baseball card. :-)
October 18th, 2021 at 10:25 AM ^
I just asked the googles and learned the same. I was wondering if he hit a World Series clinching walk off dinger or something baseballish.
Happy "Blue in Katy" Day! (mines tomorrow).
October 18th, 2021 at 2:00 PM ^
The baseballish thing that stands out would be his throw to Freehan in game 5 of the 1968 World Series. That play turned the Series from a 5 game St. Louis victory into a Tiger 7 game World Series win.
October 19th, 2021 at 11:36 PM ^
Cards fans are still salty about that play.
Screw'em.
October 18th, 2021 at 2:01 PM ^
The baseballish thing that stands out would be his throw to Freehan in game 5 of the 1968 World Series. That play turned the Series from a 5 game St. Louis victory into a Tiger 7 game World Series win.
October 18th, 2021 at 2:31 PM ^
It was maybe the best throw of his career. People forget that Willie was also instrumental in the big inning of Game 7 that won the Series for the Tigers. With two outs, Norm Cash singled to right, and Willie hit a ground ball with eyes between short and third. Jim Northrup hit the triple that Curt Flood misjudged, Bill Freehan followed with double, and that's all the Tigers needed.
Met Willie at Tigers Fantasy Camp many years ago. Real nice guy.
October 18th, 2021 at 2:40 PM ^
That single for Willie was placed perfectly between 3B / SS.
October 18th, 2021 at 10:19 AM ^
I still have my Willie Horton bat from Bat Day !
October 18th, 2021 at 3:18 PM ^
I have a Bill Freehan bat from 1968 bat day.
October 18th, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
This has been a long bye week. Weeks. That hockey post on the main board has been there forever.
I'd really like a post or diary on home improvement projects. At least then I might learn something while doing nothing.
October 18th, 2021 at 3:22 PM ^
.I thought people on a Michigan sports blog would know about Willie Horton. I didn't know how many would be aware that today is his day. Just a reminder to think about a memory you have about Willie either through seeing him or reading about him. Learning is always a good thing.
October 18th, 2021 at 6:15 PM ^
I know who Willie Horton is.
October 18th, 2021 at 9:24 PM ^
Yes. And today was his day.
October 18th, 2021 at 10:33 AM ^
If you're going to post at all, post some actual information. Otherwise, don't bother us.