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Albert William Kaline
Detroit Tigers
Outfield
Born: December 19, 1934, Baltimore, MD
Signed: Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 1953
Major League Teams: Detroit Tigers 1953-1974
Died: April 6, 2020, Bloomfield Hills, MI (age 85)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1980
Al Kaline, "Mr. Tiger," became the regular right fielder for the Tigers in 1954 at the age of 19. He'd stay with the franchise for parts of three decades, eventually retiring at the age of 39 following the 1974 season. At just 20 years old in 1955, Kaline led the American League in hitting with a .340 average becoming the youngest player to accomplish that feat. He'd finish his impressive career with 15 All-Star Game selections, 10 Gold Gloves, a .297 lifetime average, 399 home runs and 1,582 RBIs. His ability to serve as the Tigers' designated hitter in 1974 allowed him to reach the 3,000 hit plateau, and he'd retire with 3,007 career hits.
Kaline helped lead the Tigers to a World Series title in 1968 and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Upon his passing, Tigers chairman and CEO Christopher Ilitch summed up Kaline's character by saying, "Anyone who knew Al Kaline would describe his gentle soul and passion for baseball as an unbelievably powerful combination, making him one of the most respected players in Major League Baseball history."
Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1956 Topps blog.
April 9, 2020 from Fremont, CA - Card #91
Having convinced myself I wouldn't be buying any new cards for our 1965 Topps set for a while, I broke my self-imposed embargo when I learned of Kaline's passing on April 6th. This was at the start of our fourth week of stay at home social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. Buying baseball cards during all of this seemed selfish somehow but it still felt good to browse eBay for this specific card. I wanted a Buy It Now option, as I didn't feel like waiting or having to vie against other bidders. Seller xinfiniteshopx had a great looking card for sale, the price was right at $25, and I clicked Buy It Now without hesitation.
And I may buy more cards as we continue to wait out this virus. Everything I read about Kaline in the days after he passed away at some point commented on how happy he made people whenever he was around. He played before my time and I honestly wasn't that aware of his impact on the game and everyone around him. But like the man himself had done for so many people throughout his life, this baseball card brought some joy to me in early April during a strange and stressful time.
The Card
Kaline was a perennial All-Star when this card was issued, having been named to the A.L. All-Star team every year since 1955 and about to head to the mid-summer classic again. Those columns of statistics on the back are a sight to behold and he'd go on to play in ten more seasons. Kaline, at card #13, is one of 72 players featured within the 1965 Topps Embossed insert set and one of three Tigers in the set. He's also in the harder to find 1965 Topps Transfers insert set.
Tigers Team Set
1965 Season
Kaline suffered a left foot injury in 1964, and the injury lingered into the following season. He appeared in 125 games for the Tigers in 1965, hitting .281 with 18 home runs and 72 RBIs. Splitting time between center and right field, he earned his eighth Gold Glove. When Kaline wasn't in right field, Jim Northrup (#259) received most of the starts there for the Tigers with Willie Horton (#206) playing in left. Detroit finished in fourth place in the American League with both Bob Swift and Chuck Dressen (#538) managing the club.
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First Mainstream Card: 1954 Topps #201
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (22): 1954-1975
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2020 Topps 1985 Topps 35th Anniversary #85-42
1,854 - Kaline non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/9/20.
Sources:
1956 Topps Blog
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
ESPN
National Baseball Hall of Fame
SABR
The Trading Card Database
In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year. Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.
Previous Card: #129 Bennie Daniels - Washington Senators
Next Card: #131 Johnny Keane MG - New York Yankees
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