07/18/2007

Fans flock to ex-Tiger Bill Freehan

World Series champion throws out first pitch

BY JAMES COOK

jcook@record-eagle.com

Record-Eagle/ Tyler Sipe
Former Detroit Tigers catcher Bill Freehan salutes the crowd prior to the opening pitch during Tuesday's Beach Bums game at Wuerfel Park.

TRAVERSE CITY — When Bill Freehan arrived at Wuerfel Park on Tuesday, a familiar face was there to welcome him.

The 11-time All-Star and member of the 1968 World Series champion Detroit Tigers, who was in Traverse City to sign autographs and throw out the first pitch prior to the Beach Bums-Wild Things game, recognized TC second baseman Steve Young immediately, even though it had been two years since the two had last met at a wedding.

"He called me up and shook my hand,” Young said. "It was nice to catch up with him.”

Freehan was a roving minor league instructor with the Detroit Tigers while Young was in the team's farm system, playing for the West Michigan Whitecaps.

While Young was a middle infielder and Freehan mentored catchers in his stops in Grand Rapids, it didn't stop the two from getting to know each other.

"I had the privilege and honor of seeing him coach,” Young said. "I had the chance to have conversations with him about hitting and how he got prepared to play. He's just a great guy.”

"He's a decent young man,” Freehan said. "He's got an education (from (Princeton). He's having fun. Stevie is a special kid.”

Freehan signed autographs with his right hand while sporting his 1968 World Series ring on his left. He actually has two Series rings, as he was working in the Tigers broadcasting organization during the 1984 championship season.

"I was born in Detroit and grew up in Royal Oak and signed with the Tigers before there was any draft,” Freehan said. "I was fortunate to play for my hometown team my whole life. How many guys have that opportunity?”

Freehan, who lives on Walloon Lake near Petoskey, traded his appearance in TC for Beach Bums tickets that were auctioned off for charity.

Freehan, who only had to play for a year and a half in the minors before breaking into the bigs, concluded his playing career with 200 home runs and 758 RBIs, including career highs in homers (25) and RBI (84) during the Tigers' 1968 World Series run. He won five straight Gold Gloves from 1965-69 and had a career fielding percentage of .993.

He played collegiately at the University of Michigan for one year before the Tigers picked him up, once catching all three games of a rare tripleheader against Michigan State.

He also coached the Wolverines from 1990-95, leaving just before current Beach Bums Vice President Jason Wuerfel played for U-M.

And Tuesday's first pitch? The reverse battery — with the former Major League backstop with the old English 'D' emblazoned on his chest throwing to Bums hurler Robbie McClellan — was, of course, a strike.