Editing Detroit Tigers (section)

===A long drought (1946–1967)===

====1946–1950====
Following their World Series win in 1945, the Tigers continued to have winning records for the remainder of the decade, finishing second in the AL three times, but never winning the pennant.<ref>{{cite web|title=1946 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1946.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=August 31, 2018|archive-date=September 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901003737/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1946.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1947 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1947.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=August 31, 2018|archive-date=September 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901044351/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1947.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1948 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1948.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=August 31, 2018|archive-date=September 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901044355/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1948.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1949 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1949.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=August 31, 2018|archive-date=September 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901003725/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1949.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="1950 season">{{cite web|title=1950 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1950.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=August 31, 2018|archive-date=September 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901044359/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1950.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

Hal Newhouser had another outstanding season in [[1946 Detroit Tigers season|1946]], again leading the league in wins (26) and ERA (1.94) while striking out a career-high 275 batters. He nearly won his third straight AL MVP award, finishing second to [[Ted Williams]], who had led the [[Boston Red Sox]] to 104 wins (12 games ahead of the second-place Tigers). Also in 1946, the Tigers acquired [[George Kell]], a third baseman who would become a 10-time all-star and Hall of Famer.<ref name="Kell ESPN">{{cite web|title=George Kell, former Detroit Tigers broadcaster, dies at 86|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4011970|website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press|date=March 24, 2009|access-date=August 31, 2018|archive-date=September 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901044429/http://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4011970|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Kell NYT">{{cite web|title=George Kell, 86, Detroit Tigers Hall of Famer and Broadcaster, Dies|first=Richard|last=Goldstein|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/sports/baseball/25kell.html|website=The New York Times|date=March 24, 2009|access-date=August 31, 2018|archive-date=September 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901003821/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/sports/baseball/25kell.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He batted over .300 in eight straight seasons (1946–53), and finished with a career .306 average.<ref name="Kell ESPN"/><ref name="Kell NYT"/> Kell won the batting title in a very close race with Ted Williams in [[1949 Detroit Tigers season|1949]], going 2-for-3 on the last day of the season to edge out the Red Sox slugger, .34291 to .34276.<ref name="Kell ESPN"/><ref name="Kell NYT"/><ref>{{cite web|first=Richard|last=Bak|title=The Day George Kell Won the Batting Title|url=https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2014/08/31/day-george-kell-won-batting-title/|website=Vintage Detroit|date=August 31, 2014|access-date=January 15, 2020|archive-date=January 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115222644/https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2014/08/31/day-george-kell-won-batting-title/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[1950 Detroit Tigers season|1950 season]] was particularly frustrating, as the Tigers posted a 95–59 record for a .617 winning percentage, the fourth-best in team history at the time. However, they finished that season three games behind a strong [[1950 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] team that went on to sweep the [[1950 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]] in the [[1950 World Series|World Series]].<ref name="1950 season"/><ref>{{cite web|first=David|last=Anderson|title=In October 1950, Yankees Pitching Delivered a Sweep of the Phillies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/sports/baseball/27anderson.html|website=The New York Times|date=October 26, 2009|access-date=August 31, 2018|archive-date=July 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715152001/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/sports/baseball/27anderson.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

====1951–1960====
Over the next 10 years, the Tigers sank to the middle and lower ranks of the American League. The team had only three winning records over this span and never finished higher than fourth place.<ref>{{multiref2
|1={{cite web|title=1951 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1951.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014124/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1951.shtml|url-status=live}}
|2={{cite web|title=1952 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1952.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014111/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1952.shtml|url-status=live}}
|3={{cite web|title=1953 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1953.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014152/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1953.shtml|url-status=live}}
|4={{cite web|title=1954 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1954.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014208/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1954.shtml|url-status=live}}
|5={{cite web|title=1955 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1955.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014141/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1955.shtml|url-status=live}}
|6={{cite web|title=1956 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1956.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014031/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1956.shtml|url-status=live}}
|7={{cite web|title=1957 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1957.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014210/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1957.shtml|url-status=live}}
|8={{cite web|title=1958 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1958.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014156/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1958.shtml|url-status=live}}
|9={{cite web|title=1959 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1959.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=March 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307220159/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1959.shtml|url-status=live}}
|10={{cite web|title=1960 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1960.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014138/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1960.shtml|url-status=live}}
}}</ref> The last place [[1952 Detroit Tigers season|1952 team]] went 50–104 (.325), which was the worst season in Tigers history until the [[2003 Detroit Tigers season|2003 team]] lost 119 games.<ref>{{cite web|first=Blake|last=VandeBunte|title=Team 108: The 1952 Tigers|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/280191|website=Bleacher Report|date=October 28, 2009|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906052457/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/280191|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Anderson>{{cite web|first=R.J.|last=Anderson|title=The 2003 Detroit Tigers, one of the worst MLB teams ever, provide rebuilding teams lessons to learn from 15 years later|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/the-2003-detroit-tigers-one-of-the-worst-mlb-teams-ever-provide-rebuilding-teams-lessons-to-learn-from-15-years-later/|website=CBS Sports|date=May 1, 2018|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906052451/https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/the-2003-detroit-tigers-one-of-the-worst-mlb-teams-ever-provide-rebuilding-teams-lessons-to-learn-from-15-years-later/|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite the dismal season, starter [[Virgil Trucks]] threw two no-hitters in 1952, becoming only the third pitcher in major league history to accomplish this feat.<ref>''Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures'', 2008 Edition, p. 139, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, {{ISBN|978-0-451-22363-0}}</ref> 1952 also saw Tiger first baseman [[Walt Dropo]] get a hit in 12 consecutive plate appearances over a three-game stretch from July 14 to 15, tying a major league record set by [[Johnny Kling]] in 1902.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tigers' Miguel Cabrera makes history again, hits in 9 straight plate appearances|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2021/09/11/tigers-miguel-cabrera-makes-history-again-hits-9-straight-plate-appearances/8288970002/|last=McCosky|first=Chris|publisher=The Detroit News|date=September 11, 2021|access-date=September 14, 2021|language=en-US|archive-date=September 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210913132031/https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2021/09/11/tigers-miguel-cabrera-makes-history-again-hits-9-straight-plate-appearances/8288970002/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Team owner Walter Briggs Sr. died in 1952. His son [[Walter Briggs Jr.]] inherited the team, but he was forced to sell it in 1956 to broadcast media owners [[John Fetzer]] and [[Fred Knorr]].<ref>{{cite web|title=WALTER O. BRIGGS, OWNED THE TIGERS|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/07/04/archives/walter-o-briggs-owned-the-tigers-exbaseball-executive-dies-detroit.html|website=The New York Times|agency=Associated Press|date=July 4, 1970|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906052549/https://www.nytimes.com/1970/07/04/archives/walter-o-briggs-owned-the-tigers-exbaseball-executive-dies-detroit.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Scott|last=Ferkovich|title=Former Tigers' owner John Fetzer ushered baseball into TV era|url=https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2016/01/30/john-fetzer-tigers-owner-ushered-baseball-into-tv-era/|website=Vintage Detroit|date=January 30, 2016|access-date=January 15, 2020|archive-date=January 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115222204/https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2016/01/30/john-fetzer-tigers-owner-ushered-baseball-into-tv-era/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Dan|last=Holmes|title=Knorr's important role in history of Detroit Tigers deserves to be remembered|url=https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2017/03/08/knorrs-important-role-history-detroit-tigers-deserves-remembered/|website=Vintage Detroit|date=March 8, 2017|access-date=January 15, 2020|archive-date=January 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115222513/https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2017/03/08/knorrs-important-role-history-detroit-tigers-deserves-remembered/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Notwithstanding Detroit's fall in the standings, the decade saw the debut of outfielder [[Al Kaline]] in 1953. One of the few major league players who never played a day in the minor leagues, he would hit over .300 nine times in his career. He also made 15 All-Star teams, won 10 Gold Gloves, and featured one of the league's best arms in right field. In 1955, the 20-year-old Kaline hit .340 to become the youngest-ever batting champion in major league history.<ref name=kalinebio>{{Sabrbio|a141b60c|Al Kaline|Nick Waddell|October 14, 2013}}</ref>

[[1958 Detroit Tigers season|1958]] saw the Tigers become the second to last team to [[Baseball color line|integrate their roster]] when Dominican player [[Ozzie Virgil Sr.]] joined the team. Only the [[Boston Red Sox]] trailed the Tigers in integrating their roster.<ref>{{cite web|first=Graham|last=Couch|title=Tigers notes: Ozzie Virgil blazed trail for today's Latin American players|url=https://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2008/08/detroit_on_most_nights.html|website=MLive|date=August 10, 2008|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=September 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906052705/https://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2008/08/detroit_on_most_nights.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Dan|last=Austin|title=The day the Detroit Tigers gave up their color barrier|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2015/01/28/detroit-tigers-history-ozzie-virgil/22463303/|website=Detroit Free Press|date=January 28, 2015|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-date=July 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730070613/https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2015/01/28/detroit-tigers-history-ozzie-virgil/22463303/|url-status=live}}</ref>

====1961====
{{Main|1961 Detroit Tigers season}}
As the American League expanded from 8 to 10 teams, Detroit began its slow ascent back to success with an outstanding 1961 campaign. The Tigers led the majors in runs scored and won 101 games, a whopping 30-game improvement over the 71–83 [[1960 Detroit Tigers season|1960 team]], but still finished eight games behind the [[1961 New York Yankees season|Yankees]].<ref name=Alder>{{cite web|first=David|last=Adler|title=The 9 times a 100-win team didn't finish first|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/100-win-mlb-teams-that-finished-in-2nd-place/c-289601578|website=MLB.com|date=August 12, 2018|access-date=September 8, 2018|archive-date=September 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921072647/https://www.mlb.com/news/100-win-mlb-teams-that-finished-in-2nd-place/c-289601578|url-status=live}}</ref> This marked one of the few times in major league history that a team failed to reach the postseason despite winning 100 or more games, though it had happened once before to the Tigers in 1915.<ref name=Alder/> First baseman [[Norm Cash]] won the batting title with a .361 average, while teammate Al Kaline finished second.<ref name=Alder/><ref name="1961 batting">{{cite web|title=1961 American League Batting Leaders|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1961-batting-leaders.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 8, 2018|archive-date=September 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908164606/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1961-batting-leaders.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> Cash never hit over .286 before or after the 1961 season, and would later say of the accomplishment: "It was a freak. Even at the time, I realized that."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_9_60/ai_76928886 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710070550/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_9_60/ai_76928886 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 10, 2012 |title=Former Tiger Norm Cash |work= Baseball Digest|access-date=August 7, 2008 | first=Bill | last=Dow | year=2001}}</ref> Cash's plate heroics, which also included 41 home runs and 132 RBI, might have earned him MVP honors were it not for New York's [[Roger Maris]] bashing a then record 61 homers the same season.<ref name=Alder/> Cash also drew 124 walks for a league-leading .487 on-base percentage.<ref name="1961 batting"/> Tigers outfielder [[Rocky Colavito]] actually bettered Cash's home run and RBI totals, with 45 and 140, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|title=1961 Detroit Tigers Statistics|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/1961.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 28, 2021|archive-date=August 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812173643/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/1961.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

The 1961 club featured two non-white starters, [[Bill Bruton]] and [[Jake Wood (baseball)|Jake Wood]], and later in the 1960s, black players such as [[Willie Horton (baseball)|Willie Horton]], [[Earl Wilson (baseball)|Earl Wilson]], and [[Gates Brown]] would contribute to Detroit's rise in the standings.<ref>{{cite web|first=Bruce|last=Markusen|title=Speedy Bill Bruton covered center field for the Tigers in the early 1960s|url=https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2014/05/20/speedy-bill-bruton-covered-center-field-tigers-early-1960s/|website=Vintage Detroit|date=May 20, 2014|access-date=January 15, 2020|archive-date=January 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115222235/https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2014/05/20/speedy-bill-bruton-covered-center-field-tigers-early-1960s/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Bruce|last=Markusen|title=Wood was the first African-American star for the Tigers|url=https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2015/10/21/wood-was-first-african-american-star-for-the-tigers/|website=Vintage Detroit|date=October 21, 2015|access-date=January 15, 2020|archive-date=January 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115231438/https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2015/10/21/wood-was-first-african-american-star-for-the-tigers/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Horton>{{cite web|first=Dan|last=Holmes|title=Willie Horton|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/e320ca42|website=Society for American Baseball Research|access-date=September 8, 2018|archive-date=September 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908202401/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/e320ca42|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Wilson>{{cite web|first=Don|last=Hyslop|title=Earl Wilson|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/9e0a9624|website=Society for American Baseball Research|access-date=September 8, 2018|archive-date=September 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909000219/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/9e0a9624|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Bruce|last=Markusen|title=Gates Brown went from troublemaker to team leader|url=https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2017/02/22/gates-brown-went-troublemaker-team-leader/|website=Vintage Detroit|date=February 22, 2017|access-date=January 15, 2020|archive-date=January 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115222021/https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2017/02/22/gates-brown-went-troublemaker-team-leader/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====1962–1966====
[[File:Al Kaline 1966.jpg|thumb|upright|Hall of Fame member [[Al Kaline]], nicknamed "Mr. Tiger" (1953–1974), was an 18× All-Star]]
As a strong nucleus developed, Detroit repeatedly posted winning records throughout the 1960s. In 1963, pitchers [[Mickey Lolich]] and [[Denny McLain]] entered the rotation.<ref name=Lolich>{{cite web|first=Dan|last=Holmes|title=Mickey Lolich|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/070f71e4|website=Society for American Baseball Research|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612210514/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/070f71e4|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Mark|last=Armour|title=Danny McLain|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/6bddedd4|website=Society for American Baseball Research|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-date=June 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620231948/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/6bddedd4|url-status=live}}</ref> Outfielders Willie Horton (1963), [[Mickey Stanley]] (1964) and [[Jim Northrup (baseball)|Jim Northrup]] (1964) would also come aboard around this time.<ref name=Horton/><ref>{{cite web|first=Jerry|last=Nechal|title=Mickey Stanley|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/21f95b01|website=Society for American Baseball Research|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-date=September 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912021856/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/21f95b01|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Northrup>{{cite web|first=Jim|last=Sargent|title=Jim Northrup|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/7d747d5d|website=Society for American Baseball Research|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-date=September 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911225237/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/7d747d5d|url-status=live}}</ref>

The team managed a third-place finish during a bizarre 1966 season, in which manager [[Chuck Dressen]] and acting manager [[Bob Swift]] were both forced to resign their posts because of health problems.<ref>{{cite web|title=1966 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1966.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-date=May 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507055224/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1966.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Dressen>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YsQtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=r58FAAAAIBAJ&pg=7192,1885290&dq=chuck+dressen+dies&hl=en Jolly Charlie Dressen dies at 67] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514071313/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YsQtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=r58FAAAAIBAJ&pg=7192,1885290&dq=chuck+dressen+dies&hl=en |date=May 14, 2016 }}, ''The Montreal Gazette'', Montreal, Quebec, Canada, August 11, 1966</ref><ref name=Swift>{{cite news|title=Tigers' Stand-In Pilot Bob Swift Dies At 51|url=http://tigerlore.blogspot.com/2012/10/services-for-bob-swift-will-be-held.html|website=St. Petersburg Times|agency=Associated Press|date=October 18, 1966|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-date=September 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911225538/http://tigerlore.blogspot.com/2012/10/services-for-bob-swift-will-be-held.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Thereafter, [[Frank Skaff]] took over the managerial reins until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|first=David E.|last=Skelton|title=Frank Skaff|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/bd8b1c4f|website=Society for American Baseball Research|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-date=September 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912021957/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/bd8b1c4f|url-status=live}}</ref> Both Dressen and Swift died during the year; Dressen died of a heart attack in August, while Swift died of lung cancer in October.<ref name=Dressen/><ref name=Swift/> Following the season, the Tigers hired [[Mayo Smith]] to be their new manager.<ref>{{cite web|first=David|last=Raglin|title=Mayo Smith|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/60134c32|website=Society for American Baseball Research|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-date=July 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702180133/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/60134c32|url-status=live}}</ref>

====1967====
{{Main|1967 Detroit Tigers season}}
In 1967, the Tigers were involved in one of the closest pennant races in history. Because of rainouts, the Tigers were forced to play back-to-back doubleheaders against the [[1967 California Angels season|California Angels]] over the final two days of the season.<ref name="1967 BYB">{{cite web|first=Patrick|last=OKennedy|title=Flashback, 1967: Red Sox edge Tigers in AL Pennant race|url=https://www.blessyouboys.com/2013/10/12/4829908/flashback-1967-red-sox-edge-tigers-in-al-pennant-race|website=Bless You Boys|date=October 12, 2013|access-date=September 12, 2018|archive-date=September 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180913002235/https://www.blessyouboys.com/2013/10/12/4829908/flashback-1967-red-sox-edge-tigers-in-al-pennant-race|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="1967 SABR">{{cite web|first=Mark|last=Armour|title=October 1, 1967: Tigers drop season finale to give Red Sox the AL pennant|url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/october-1-1967-tigers-drop-season-finale-give-red-sox-al-pennant|website=Society for American Baseball Research|access-date=September 12, 2018|archive-date=September 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180913002320/https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/october-1-1967-tigers-drop-season-finale-give-red-sox-al-pennant|url-status=live}}</ref> They needed to sweep the doubleheader on the last day of the season to force a [[one-game playoff]] with the [[1967 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]].<ref name="1967 BYB"/><ref name="1967 SABR"/> The Tigers won the first game, but lost the second, giving the Red Sox the pennant with no playoff.<ref name="1967 BYB"/><ref name="1967 SABR"/> Detroit finished the season at 91–71, one game behind Boston.<ref>{{cite web|title=1967 American League Season Summary|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1967.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 12, 2018|archive-date=May 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502065545/https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1967.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> Starter Earl Wilson, acquired the previous season from the Red Sox, led the Tigers (and the major leagues) with 22 wins and would form a strong 1–2–3 combination with Denny McLain and Mickey Lolich over the next few years.<ref name=Wilson/><ref>{{cite web|title=1967 Detroit Tigers Statistics|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/1967.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=September 12, 2018|archive-date=September 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912204500/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/1967.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>