'tiger, tiger burning bright'

Photo by: bob.lenz

I had planned on sitting in front of the television this past weekend to watch the Detroit Tigers beat the St. Louis Cardinals and win the World Series.

Sadly, the Tigers succumbed too early and it was over by Game 5.

But this rematch brought back warm memories of the '68 World Series when the Tigers beat the Cards and reclaimed the spirit of Detroit.

My brothers and I lived in Windsor with our mother, but our father lived outside of Detroit, and as border city inhabitants Detroit was our home town, too. The summer before, in 1967, our dad had driven us back to Windsor across the Ambassador Bridge as smoke curled up into the sky and Detroit burned in race riots.

The summer and fall of 1968 saved Detroit.

I've had to read playbacks to remember the Series' details, but I remember the feelings of that Series well. I was fifteen that fall, and my brothers thirteen and eight. I remember Mickey Lolich as the unlikeliest of pitchers -- overweight with a small pot belly, seemingly lackadaisical -- a pitcher who could hit! Everything about the '68 Tigers recharged and helped to heal a city down on itself and its future.

So, yeah Tigers!!!! Yeah, Ernie Harwell (still around!) Yeah, Detroit!

and well -- next year, the ROAR will be greater!