Until tonight only 10 players since 1920 have won the Triple Crown. Since World War II, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Frank Robinson, Carl Yastrzemski have accomplished this feat.
Miguel Cabrera can now be added to the list. 45 years after Yastrzemski did it in 1967, Cabrera has made history. And joined some very elite company.
Since joining the Detroit Tigers in 2008, Cabrera has done some amazing things. He’s transitioned from third base to first and then back to third. In 2008, he led Major League Baseball in home runs. In 2010 he led the league in runs batted in (RBI). In 2011, he led the league in batting average. And now in 2012, he’s led all three categories. Cabrera has now led the Majors in all three categories twice in his career.
And as the end of the 2012 regular season approached and all eyes were on Cabrera as he chased the ever elusive Triple Crown he focused on winning. It wasn’t about him, it was about his team and making a run for the playoffs. It was about going out each day and just doing his job.
He did more than that. He made history in Detroit. Fans were excited for him. And even though the Tigers ended the season away in Kansas City, their fans filled the stadium and were there to give Cabrera the ovation and recognition he deserved as he exited the game.
Congratulations Miguel, you deserve it.