Jim Northrup (baseball)

Northrup was called up to the Tigers during the last week of the 1964 season, getting one hit in 12 at-bats. In 1965, Northrup had a .205 batting average as he appeared in 54 games in the Detroit outfield,[2] competing for playing time with Al Kaline, Don Demeter, Gates Brown, and fellow rookie Willie Horton. In 1966, Northrup won a spot as the Tigers starting right fielder, as Kaline moved to center field. Northrup finally showed his abilities as a batter, as he hit 24 doubles, 16 home runs, and ended the season with a .465 slugging percentage.[2] In 1967, competition for a spot in the Detroit outfield intensified as Mickey Stanley proved to be an exceptional defensive player. Northrup played 143 games in the outfield, playing 65 games in left, 94 games in center, and 39 games in right.

Northrup had his most satisfying season in 1968 as he played a key role in the Tigers' World Series Championship. Northrup played 151 games at all three spots in the Detroit outfield in 1968, including 103 games in right field, many in place of the injured Al Kaline. Northrup had a range factor of 2.17 – well above the league average of 1.80.

But Northrup's principal value was as a batter. In a year marked by dominant pitching throughout the league, Northrup hit 21 home runs and led the 1968 Tigers in hits (153) and RBIs (90). He was among the American League leaders with 90 RBIs (3rd in the AL), 57 extra base hits (4th in the AL), 259 total bases (5th in the AL), and 29 doubles (5th in the AL).[5]

Northrup played in a rotation of four players at the three outfield positions, with Willie Horton, Mickey Stanley, and Al Kaline being the others. However, for the World Series, Detroit manager Mayo Smith decided to bring Stanley in from the outfield to play shortstop, giving the Tigers a firm outfield of Horton (left field), Northrup (center field), and Kaline (right field) in all seven of the games.

Northrup also hit five grand slams during the 1968 season, four in the regular season. The first came in May. Then, on June 24, 1968, Northrup hit grand slams on consecutive pitches in consecutive at bats in the 5th and 6th innings.[6] This made him one of only 13 players (through July 28, 2009) to have hit 2 grand slams in one game, and the second to do so in consecutive at-bats (the first was Jim Gentile in 1961). Five days later, Northrup hit another grand slam, becoming the first major league player to hit three grand slams in a single week. (Larry Parrish later accomplished the feat in 1982.) Northrup's fifth grand slam came in Game 6 of the 1968 World Series, fueling a 13-1 blowout win for Detroit.[7]

In addition to his grand slam in Game 6, Northrup had the key hit in Game 7 off St. Louis Cardinals ace Bob Gibson. After striking out 17 batters in Game 1, and pitching a complete game victory in Game 4, Gibson held the Tigers scoreless through the first six innings of Game 7. Northrup, who had a solo home run against Gibson in Game 4 to account for the Tigers only run off the ace thus far in the Series, came to bat with two men on and two outs in the 7th inning. Northrup hit a triple over center fielder Curt Flood's head, as Norm Cash and Willie Horton both scored.[8] Bill Freehan followed with a double to score Northrup, and the Tigers won Game 7 to become World Series Champions.

Curt Flood, normally a superb defensive outfielder, was tagged a "goat" for having misplayed Northrup's Game 7 triple. But Northrup defended Flood: "He slipped a little, but it still went 40 feet over his head. . . . He never had a chance to catch it."[4]

Northrup played all 7 games of the 1968 World Series, with a .536 slugging percentage, 8 RBIs, 7 hits, 4 runs scored, and 2 home runs.[9] In a 2001 interview, Northrup concluded: "Winning the World Series had to be the highlight of my baseball career."[10] Northrup placed 13th in the 1968 American League Most Valuable Player voting.

Northrup had another solid season for the Tigers in 1969, as he raised his batting average to .295 (9th in the AL) and had career highs with 25 home runs and 31 doubles (6th in the AL).[11] On August 28, 1969, Northrup became the first Tiger since Ty Cobb to hit 6-for-6, finishing the game with a 13th-inning game-winning home run over the Tiger Stadium roof.[12]

In 1970, the Tigers dropped to 4th place in their last season under manager Mayo Smith. The Tigers were an aging squad when Billy Martin took over, and Martin sought to light a fire under them. Though Martin turned the Tigers back into contenders in 1971 and 1972, Northrup chafed at Martin's tactics. Northrup noted: "We got sick and tired of reading Martin say in the papers, 'I manage good, and they play bad.' 'I'd like to bunt, but my players can't do it.' . . . It was all, 'I, I, I,' and 'Me, me, me.' I did not respect him in any way . . ."[3]

In the decisive 5th game of the 1972 American League Championship Series, the mutual dislike between Martin and Northrup may have affected Martin's judgment. In the 9th inning, the Tigers were trailing 2-1, and Norm Cash was on base. Northrup had one hit already off Vida Blue, but Martin used Mickey Stanley to pinch-hit for Northrup. Stanley hit into a fielder's choice, and the Tigers lost the ALCS. Northrup remained bitter about Martin's decision: "Who knows why Martin did what he did? I will say this: Billy Martin put most of us in a frame of mind where he took the fun out of the game."[3]

In 1973, a 33-year-old Northrup hit .307 –- the highest batting average of his career.[2] Despite his solid hitting, Martin kept Northup on the bench for part of the year. Northrup had played in at least 130 games for the Tigers for 7 straight years, but in 1973 he played in only 119 games. Martin was fired by the Tigers before the 1973 season was over, but Northrup's time with the Tigers was also nearing an end.