Detroit Tigers and Jack White team up for vinyl record

Here's one out of left field: Jack White's Third Man Records has partnered with the Detroit Tigers for a limited-edition vinyl record.

The blue-and-orange 7-inch was manufactured at White's Third Man Pressing operation in Detroit and features a new song, "Strike Out," performed by several of his hometown musical cronies, including Brendan Benson (the Raconteurs) and Ben Blackwell (the Dirtbombs).

The song — which Blackwell describes as "largely instrumental in a surf rock sort of way" — also features Dominic Davis and Olivia Jean, and was written by all four. Cut at Third Man's Nashville studio, "Strike Out" was inspired by the old urban schoolyard game of the same name, which Blackwell says his dad played in southwest Detroit.

On the record's flip side is an interview of Tigers great Kirk Gibson conducted by the White Stripes founder, a lifelong baseball fan who's been living a boyhood dream in recent years — visiting national ballparks, hanging with the Tigers at spring training, throwing a ceremonial first pitch, and even getting his own Topps collectible card.

White and Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler are primary investors in the sporting goods firm Warstic, makers of a specialty bat that won approval last year from Major League Baseball.

And of course there's "Seven Nation Army," the White Stripes song that has become a ubiquitous anthem at sports stadiums worldwide, including Comerica Park.

Cover images for the new Tigers record were shot by pitcher Daniel Norris, a hobbyist photographer whose work has gained growing attention.

For now, the record is available only as part of a ticket package for the Tigers' Sept. 24 game versus the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. For ticket info and an audio snippet of "Strike Out," go to tigers.com/vinyl.

A portion of revenues will go to the Kirk Gibson Foundation and the Detroit Tigers Foundation.

Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@freepress.com.