Chet Lemon on Tigers '84 World Series

Chet Lemon was known as one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball from 1977 to 1987. In 1977, he led the American League with 512 outfield putouts, the fourth highest single-season tally in major league history and the highest tally since 1951. He also totaled over 400 outfield putouts in four other years (1979 and 1983-1985). He also led the American League with 44 doubles in 1979 and led the league in times hit by pitch (HBP) four times, including a career-high 20 HBP in 1983. Lemon was sometimes criticized for not standing for "The Star-Spangled Banner" due to his religious beliefs as a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

A native of Jackson, Mississippi, he grew up in Los Angeles. He was drafted in the first round of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft and played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox from 1975 to 1981 and for the Detroit Tigers from 1982 to 1990. He was selected as an American League All-Star in 1978, 1979, and 1984 and was the starting center fielder for the 1984 Detroit Tigers team that won the 1984 World Series.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
There's another radio baseball card Detroit Tigersoutfield or Jet Lemon dread's playing baseball for
six straight months if it doesn't resultin a World Series. And you'll hear
what I mean. Right after thisin nineteen eighty four, the Tigers were

(00:22):
in first place from opening day andnever looked back. It was the type
of season that dreams are made up, especially for chet Lemon. Planning in
the World Series have to be youknow, there's no comparison to the three
O. You don't have to playabout one hundred and including spring training.
After planning like about one hundred andninety games, you know, you get

(00:44):
kind of it gets kind of old. You get really tired around that time.
But like it seemed like you geta read. Your body is rejuminated.
You're so energetic, you're so excitedto be there, and it's the
air and you know, the atmosphereall around you. It's just something that
you know, every player should havean opportunity experienced before he's two playing baseball.
It's really a great experience. Ithink it was. It was great

(01:07):
for our team and gave us theconfidence that we needed go into eighty five,
which it didn't prove the whole truth. But you know, it's real
tough to repeat, but I wouldthink that playing in the World Series probably
would would be the highlight of mycareer. Barky Anderson's Tigers beat the Five
Race four games to one that year, making Sparky the first manager ever to
win World Series in both league withradio baseball cards. I'm done, Drysdale