Mickey Lolich, Tigers great, 1968 World Series champion, dies at 85
Tigers great Mickey Lolich dies at 85
The 1968 World Series champion pitcher was 85 and a member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
FOX 2 - Tigers great Mickey Lolich, a key member of the 1968 World Series champion team, has died at 85, the team has confirmed.
The backstory:
Lolich pitched three complete game wins in the World Series sparking Detroit's rally from a 3-1 series deficit, winning the Most Valuable Player Award.
By the time he retired in 1979, he was the all-time leader in strikeouts for a left-hander and is currently fifth. In overall career strikeouts, he is 23rd all-time with 2,832.
Lolich was traded in a package for Rusty Staub in 1975 to the New York Mets, but after retiring from baseball, settled in Michigan.
UNSPECIFIED - CIRCA 1967: Mickey Lolich #29 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1967. Lolich played for the Tiger from 1963-75. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Lolich owned a doughnut shop in Rochester and later moved it to Lake Orion.
A proud Tigers alumni group member, Lolich stayed active for years including coaching with the franchise's fantasy camp in Lakeland, Florida.
He is a member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and a member of the Croatian-American Sports Hall of Fame.
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 09: Former Detroit Tigers pitcher Mickey Lolich looks on during a Q & A session to honor the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Tigers World Championship prior to the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Comerica Park on