Tigers Fans Pay Tribute to Alan Trammell

My childhood is officially over. Being a baseball fan, specifically a Detroit Tigers fan, I associate most of my life with the exploits of the Tigers throughout my life. I became a fan when I was about eight years old. Now, 16 years later, the last active player from the glory days of the 1980s has retired.

Alan Trammell was not my favorite player when I first got into baseball. Kirk Gibson was. Part of that was that he was the favorite of one of the neighborhood girls who babysat my sister and me. Linda liked Gibby, so I liked Gibby. Linda's sister, Connie had a thing for Lance Parrish and his muscles, but I liked Linda better. Tram was always just kind of in the background, playing steady defense with Lou Whitaker to his left. Gibby had the moustache and the speed and power and just enough attitude to let you know he wasn't someone to mess with. I'm naturally right-handed, but I learned to bat left-handed so I could be Gibby. But when I batted right-handed, I'd turn my shoulders toward first like Tram because I'd heard how Gates Brown, when he was the Tigers' hitting coach, suggested that to Tram to help him generate more bat speed and more power. I figured since I'm not real big that it couldn't hurt, and I can drive the ball pretty well when I play softball now.

Gibby was my stand-alone favorite until 1987 when Tram had one of the greatest offensive years ever by a shortstop. I was in the stands on Oct. 3, 1987, when Tram drove that grounder through Manny Lee's legs to beat the Blue Jays in 12 innings to move the Tigers into first place in the AL East. I have to admit I was a bit bummed that Gibby, who walked to load the bases for Tram, hadn't won the game, but the memory of Tram coming to bat and the crowd chanting "M-V-P!" will last with me forever. And Tram should've been MVP, but there isn't much point in arguing about the past now, is there?

I'll remember Tram hitting grand slams, like the time when I had the game on in the back yard and he victimized the Blue Jays. I remember thinking, "Trammell hit a grand slam?! No way!" You see, he wasn't really known as a power hitter in the early '80s. Then there's the remarkable slam he hit in 1988 with the Tigers losing to the Yankees by three in the bottom of the ninth with a 3-2 count on him and two out. The circumstances alone make that homer memorable, but the fact that he did it with a broken elbow make it even more amazing. You see, a few days before in a game against the Jays, he had been hit in the elbow by a Todd Stottlemyre fastball which caused a hairline fracture which was not noticed until the pain caused Tram to get x-rays taken. What's suspicious about that HBP is the year before, some of the Jays threatened retribution for what they thought was a dirty slide in the midst of a pennant race. When the Tigers were in Toronto for the next to last weekend of the year, Bill Madlock had slid hard into second to break up a double play. In doing so, he up-ended the Jays' All-Star shortstop, Tony Fernandez, who broke his elbow when he landed on a board under the Astroturf of Exhibition Stadium. Because Fernandez was out of the line-up, Lee had to play short, and he was there on that Saturday afternoon when he was faced with a rifle-shot grounder off Tram's bat which began the end of the Jays' season.

I'll remember being at Tiger Stadium in 1991 for a doubleheader against the White Sox. In the first game, Cecil Fielder hit two of the longest homers I've ever seen, and Tram started game two in his first game since suffering a sprained ankle. He hit the ball well, but I don't think he got a hit. It didn't really matter because the Tigers won both games, but the ovation he got when the line-up for the second game was announced was probably the best part of the night.

Then there's the entire second half of 1993 when Sparky moved Tram into the starting line-up at short while moving Travis Fryman to third. That was too cool, watching the old master practicing his craft. It was almost 1987 all over again.

I was at the last home game of the year last year to see Lou, Sparky and (maybe) Tram off. That was one cold day, and the Orioles didn't help any. Yeah, the Tigers lost, but it was nice to see those three great baseball men honored, even if it was by a too-small crowd.

And I was there on Sept. 29, 1996, when Tram said good-bye to his playing days. That last hit was great, as was the first hit and the sac fly. That was Alan Trammell baseball. It would've been even more fitting if he'd hit a double to left-center, but, oh well. Heck, in batting practice he even knocked a couple balls into the leftfield lower deck. Then again, Buddy Bell was throwing batting practice, not Mike Mussina. And it was his last batting practice. Why not hit a couple more long balls?

Now we get to see what kind of coach Tram is. His role is undefined right now, but the Tigers don't have a roving hitting instructor right now. You'd think the guys in AA and A might listen to a player with over 2000 hits in The Show.

Ah, let's savor the memory for now. Let's remember the smooth, quick, over-the-shoulder throws from the hole, and the ballet-like footwork on the double-play pivot and those lightning quick wrists whipping the bat though the hitting zone and lashing a liner to left and the perfectly laid sac bunt and the perfectly anticipated steal opportunity - he was six for six this year - and the, aw, shucks, manner in which he carried himself to six All-Star Games, four Gold Gloves, three Tiger of the Year awards and the 1984 World Series Most Valuable Player award.

The worst thing about Tram's retirement is that those of us who grew up with him are truly no longer 12, like in '84, or 15, like in '87. Now we have to face reality - we're the same age as many of the current Tigers - and we're now have to work for a living. So much for the Never-Neverland of baseball. Where's that 1984 World Series video?

David Panian

You know, I really don't have any Trammell memories. He wasn't, in that sense, a "memorable" player, like, say, Gibson or Morris or McLain or even many lesser ballplayers. Heck, I have more "memories" of guys like Milt Wilcox or Doyle Alexander. Take the '84 series, for example: Tram was the MVP, and he deserved it, yet nothing he did was as memorable as Gibson's HR off Gossage in game 5, or Lopez mowing them down in game 5, or Herndon's game winner in game 1.

Take '87, Tram's best year, when he should have won the league MVP. He was great, but the moments I remember are Alexander shutting down the Jays in the crucial Sunday game to prevent a Toronto sweep; Gibby tying that same game with a HR in the 9th; Tanana clinching it a week later.

This is not to say that I don't have a strong image of Tram. He carries a very strong image, as a smooth, textbook fielder, a dependable bat and baserunner. I can picture him effortlessly gliding across the infield, hands positioned perfectly, making the plays so easily, etc. But there is very little in the way of "memorable" moments, at least for me.

BTW, as I've argued here before, Tram ought to go in the Hall without much trouble. His stats alone certainly put him up there: they are quite clearly better than a majority of SSs in the Hall. Couple to that is the simple fact that he was a class player for a long time, played his whole career with one team, etc. There are only two reasons I would have doubts about his eventual selection: the first is the failure to induct Niekro and Sutton so far (and some people questioning whether or not Eddie Murray deserves to go in). If those three don't make it, then clearly at some point in the last decade the standards for selection to the Hall have gone *WAY* up. The second potential problem for Tram is that the current offensive explosion may last a while. If so, voters may forget how good Tram's offensive stats are when he is up for consideration. I guess a third concern would be that he played in an era of great SSs -- Yount, Ripken, Smith, plus superb but lesser players like Larkin, Franco, etc. This may also cause some voters not to realize how well he stacks up when measured against SSs over history. As I noted in a long post early this year, only three or four SSs -- Banks, Wagner, Cronin, now Ripken -- were clearly better offensive players.

Brad Smith

Back in the 80s I always felt Alan Trammell didn't get enough respect in the media, and when Tram finished 2nd to Taco Bell in the '87 MVP vote, I was even more perturbed. This was probably because of my bias as a Tigers fan and my dislike of the Blue Jays. However, today I notice Tram gets a lot of respect from the national baseball press, more than I would ever have thought 10 years ago.

As has been mentioned before, Tram was probably the "victim" of playing at a time when there were other great (and arguably better) shortstops, mainly Cal Ripken, Ozzie Smith, and (in the early 80s) Robin Yount. But, even a guy like Tony Fernandez (as a youngster) seemed to get more publicity than Trammell. Ripken and Yount would generally have better offensive numbers; Smith's amazing defensive play would overshadow his offensive shortcomings compared to Trammell; and the flashy Fernandez would make more highlight appearances. Still, despite my knee-jerk resentment of the media, in retrospect I think most in the media recognized Trammell as one hell of an all-around shortstop.

Unfortunately, another memory I have of Trammell is all the injuries that plagued him. It's hard to say for sure, but it's possible the Tigers of the mid- and late 80s might have won a couple of more pennants had Trammell been healthier. Tram has some great career numbers for a shortstop, but he'd be a Cooperstown shoo-in with a healthier career...Nevertheless, he should eventually make the Hall.

As for actual game memories of Trammell, the only one that sticks out in my mind is a game in June of 1988: Tram capped off a big ninth-inning comeback with a 2-out game-winning grand slam against the Yankees. If there was a guy I wanted up in the 9th inning, it was Alan Trammell.

Like a lot of veterans nearing the end, Trammell probably played a year too many, and it was painful to watch him this year, but I don't blame him one bit for wanting to keep doing what he loves. It's just too bad that Tram's finale was on such a sorry excuse of a baseball team.

I'm sure we'll see Trammell in the Detroit organization in some capacity; he might even become an announcer. How about bringing Ernie Harwell back to the radio booth and teaming him up with Tram?....Sorry for being so nostalgiac.

Peter Welch

What I remember most about Alan Trammell didn't have to do with his exploits on the field. It concerned his relationship with Lou Whitaker. They both come up together, full of potential and promise. They were friends and roommates off the field, and on, were to blossom into the best double-play combination in the game at the time. They had a respect for the game, and each other. And in turn, the great city of Detroit had a respect for them. Tram and Lou always conducted themselves with the utmost of class and demure. They never did anything that caused the Tiger fans, and the citizens of Detroit, any shame - unlike some athelets of today. Alan Trammell possessed a timless quality that the game will miss. Good bye, live long, and thanks for the exquisite memories.

Michael Locke

Two memories:

1. The two 2-run homers in the '84 series. Two swings, Morris on the mound, game over. It took me years to finally get to Tiger Stadium, and when I did for the first time in 1993, when I looked at the left field fence, what came into my mind was, "Here's where Trammel hit those two homers in the '84 series." I've been back twice since, and that thought still comes to mind whenever I look at that fence.

2. In that first game I saw back in 1993, Trammel was at short (Whitaker at 2nd). He took a ground ball and with one smooth motion came up and got the ball off to first. No hesitation, no break in the motion, just one unbroken circle from the ground to the release of the ball. Complete economy of motion. If I had known earlier that he could do that, I might have moved to Detroit just to watch it.

3. Whenever the Tigers were on television, the announcers would mention that while he is not the flashiest shortstop in the game, he is the most sound fundamentally, and if you want to lean how to play the position, watch HIM.

That was three, wasn't it? Sorry, I got carried away.

Bob Jones

On Sunday, Frank interviewed Alan before the game, and he made the interesting observation that he and Sweet Lou had always been thought of more as a team rather than two seperate individuals. It seemed like it was always Tram and Lou, Lou and Tram. Alan agreed, and it is with this in mind that I offer my memory . . .

I have always loved Trammell -- he was really the first Tiger I ever really identified with and called my "favourite". When I was in elementary school, I had a doll of a Tiger that had a jersey that said "Tram 3" on the back. Like some others on this list, as I grew up, Tram was always there. However, for some strange reason, the first thing that popped into my head was the time that Lou Whitaker had to miss a couple of games because he hurt himself dancing. I remember thinking how ridiculous and irresponsible (although amusing) that was. I recall thinking, "why can't he be more like Trammell? Why can't he learn from his partner?" . . .

Second is when Sparky was having champagne poured over his head in '84, standing next to everyone's favourite TV man -- Bob Costas ;-) . . . when he said, "I've said it all along and I don't care who disagrees, Alan Trammell is the best player in the game today."

He may have been right.

Kev Bulmer

I don't have a specific *game* memory of Tram, but I remember back in 1993 at the annual Clubhouse Openhouse, Trammell was one of the players you could meet in the locker room. I remember he had a really good season that year & told him I thought he did really great. His response...?

"Well, it's amazing what you can do when you're healthy."

I couldn't have said it better myself. I've had the opportunity to meet Alan quite a few times over they past 4-5 years & he's been really nice every time. I even got his autograph one last time today before the game. He signed my ticket...which I think is really cool, 'cos it's got the date of his final game on it. An added bonus was that he signed it on the *face* of the ticket (alot of players will flip it over & sign the back).

**Amy in GR**

Peter W put out the query for highlight Alan T moments. I have thought about this for a bit and guess I fall in the category with Dan and a couple of others (thus far). It was not a moment, or even a bunch of moments, but rather a career. He has been one of the very few looonnnnggggg threads in the Tiger tapestry over the decades and that, by itself, makes him very special. If I take ~20 years as a really full-up major league career and then capture it with but one team, this player is truly part of the fabric of that club's history. Since WWII the Tigers have had but three players in this category: Kaline, Trammell, and Whitaker. I have been privileged to have been a fan for the full careers of all three and, while they had obvious differences, they were really the same - they were the "best" of what the Detroit Tigers are all about.

If I absolutely had to pick an "event" for Alan, it would only be tangentially associated with moments on the field. It was when he put on those stupid platform boots as part of a Frankenstein (I think) outfit for Halloween with the kids, fell down the steps in the dark, and screwed up his ankle (I think) so bad that he was distinctly limited for at least the next full playing season.

John the elder

My favorite Alan Trammell memory is a small one. On St. Patrick's Day in 1984 my wife and I went to see the Tigers play the Dodgers at Vero Beach. The Dodgers wore green caps and after the game, my wife and a friend of hers went to get some autographs after the game. Gibson ignored them - and even though he was a classmate of ours at MSU - refused to acknowledge that she was there. Trammell came over, graciaously signed hers and several other requests. He got some of the other players to come over and sign for my wife and her friend.

When he went to get on the bus, my wife yelled to him to win the World Series. He turned and said, "I think we will this year." And of course, they did.

I hate to see him go. For me, he and Al Kaline are the face of the Tigers.

Dale S. Rogers

My favorite Trammel memory is when he hit a two out grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Yankees 7-6 in a rather meaningless mid June game from the 80s. I believe it is one of only 10-12 times in history a major league game has ended on a grand slam that won the game by one run (for what it's worth). Anyway, the point is that Trammel is the best clutch hitter I've seen on the Tigers in 13 years of watching them, and that homerun really showed that.

Runner-up moments: The two homerun game in the '84 World Series. The home opener this year when Tram homered in his first Tiger Stadium at bat of the year (his only homer this season). An opening day game in the 80s when Tram ruined Lee Smith's American League debut with a game winning homer in the tenth to beat the Red Sox.

Paul Meloche

I'd just like to say that I moved to Kitchener, Ontario, Canada from Detroit at the age of 9 in September of 1977--the month Tram (and Whitaker) made his debut. So, I've been in Canada the exact length of Tram's career. I am now 1 week away from my 28th birthday and can't remember what it's like to follow the Tigers without Tram. It won't be the same.

We love you Tram!!!!!

Roger King

Like many on this list, I grew up with Tram at short and find it hard to single out one memory, but if I must...About 3 years ago, way back when we still annually contended for the top past the month of June, the Tigs were playing Baltimore. Bottom of the 10th, two out, runner on third, ball hit deep to short. George announced it in a tone that suggested that he felt that the game was over. "Trammell goes deep in the hole, throws, AND HE GOT HIM!" Best play I think I ever saw Tram make. In the papers the next day they interviewed him about the play and he said that WHILE HE WAS MAKING THE PLAY he thought that, because he was going toward third he would have to aim the ball more towards second so that the throw would be on target, which it was. Just blew my mind that, with the game on the line in extra innings, after getting to a ball that almost nobody could reach, he could make that adjustment in a split second. BTW, the Tigs went on to win that game in the 11th.

When I was still in Michigan I also often liked going to the corner by myself so that I could concentrate on the game and enjoy its nuances. At these times one of the most gratifying things I would observe is Tram and Lou field their position. They made it look so easy that, unless you really looked, it was hard to tell just how good they were. There is just nothing better than watching someone play the game the way it should be played...

I will definitely miss Tram!