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This moment is something Detroit Tigers fans will hold onto for years to come (it has been 6 years since it happened). They will store it in their hearts near the feeling of winning the World Series in 1969 and 1984. They will reflect on it with the same love that flooded from fans after the Tigers won the American League Central in 2011. Fans will treasure this moment as an amazing time in Tigers’ history.
I can look back on this video and remember exactly where I was and the people who surrounded me as the ball flew over the wall in left field and Placido Polanco began skipping around the bases.
The Magglio Ordonez of the year embodied everything about that home run. A hit in a clutch situation and he remained calm under the pressure. Unfortunately, the Tigers couldn’t always have that Magglio. His playing time was cut short over the course of his last few seasons due to various injuries. And he could never really recover.
He had a track record of being on the disabled list while he was in Chicago playing with the White Sox. But Dave Dombrowski took a risk on him and it paid off – giving us the 2006 World Series berth Tigers players and fans deserved. That veteran presence and leadership he brought to the dugout would have been helpful to the 2011 post-season (his bat would have helped, too!).
He will be missed around the clubhouse and around Comerica Park. Fans will always have that moment from 2006 to remember him by, as well as the curly hair hats that followed his rise to fan favorite. He helped change the course the Tigers were on. No longer were they the team with over 100 losses a season, they were American League Champions and headed to the World Series.
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We’re glad that you think of Detroit as home – because you brought great, memorable baseball back to us.