Former Tiger/Chief Gates Brown remembered for having a special affinity with fans

[Orangeyes]

Gates Brown shown here with another former Syracuse Chief Cy Young Award winner, Denny McLain, who won 31 games, on the right is 2b man Dick McAuliffe.

Brown, who died September 27, was one of several former Syracuse players who were on that 1968 Detroit Tigers World Series Championship team that beat Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinal's.

Mickey Stanley was a Gold-Glove outfielder (1.000 fielding %) who manager Mayo Smith converted to shortstop to replace weak hitting, slick fielding Ray Oyler who was only batting .135 and was 0-for-August.

Star pitcher Mickey Lolich who was named WS MVP for his 3 wins, starting outfielders Jim "The Silver Fox" Northrup and Willie Horton. Ace reliever and heart attack survivor John Hiller and starting third-baseman Don Wert who was beaned that year and never hit well again.

That's eight former Syracuse Chiefs who played major roles on that Tiger ball club. Back in that era I attended many games. On the occasion of Willie Horton's birthday my buddy brought him a bigger than life-sized teddy bear. I'll never forget the smile on Willie's face as my buddy struggled down to the field to present it.

Why the bear? As I recall the Chief's fans gave him a nickname connected to bears. Northrup's nickname derived from the fact that he was prematurely gray in his twenties. Gates Brown was a hulk of a man and the excitement level rose as the lefty sauntered to the plate in anticipation of his fence breaking power.

John Hiller had survived a heart attack a few years before that WS. I was always nervous when he was on the mound fearing he would drop dead before my eyes, lol.

Getting back to Gates Brown, in the year of the pitcher, when the league wide batting average was .230 Brown hit .370 (34-92 & a slugging % of .685) mostly in late inning pinch hit duty.The Tiger's signed Brown while he was serving time in an Ohio prison for burglary.

Those and the Yankee days when Guidry, Bahnsen & Munson played were fun years at MacArthur Stadium.
Incidentally ,Stan & Thurman were back-to-back rookies of the year in 68 & 69.

Lucky guy that I am, in 1970 I drove them, Roy White and a Chief's pitcher Dale Spier to my place of business for an autograph session. White was leading the American league in hitting at the time just before the all-star break.

What a trifecta!!

Got to spend two hours chit-chatting with three great players.

An employee of ours was an artist, he drew up a quick picture of a ball player with the number 5 in pin- stripes. When Munson went to autograph it he said, Hey my numbers is 15 and drew a one in front of the five. I framed that and when my son was 12 gave it to him for his birthday.

These Yankee players were in town to serve their reserve duty. Back in those days it was common for players to miss three games to fulfill their obligation.

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