George Sipple

Detroit Free Press

Dick McAuliffe, an infielder for the 1968 World Series champion Detroit Tigers, died on Friday. He was 76.

The Tigers confirmed McAuliffe’s passing and held a moment of silence before Monday’s game for him and former first-round pick John Young.

A three-time All-Star, McAuliffe was known for his unique batting stance and 1968 fight with Tommy John.

Jim Price, a ’68 teammate and analyst for Tigers radio, remembered McAuliffe for his toughness. McAuliffe was involved in a brawl with Chicago White Sox pitcher Tommy John in August, 1968. Price said John “threw it right at his head and Dick charged the mound.”

McAuliffe was suspended five days and fined $250. During the fight, John sustained torn ligaments in his left shoulder and missed the rest of the season.

Price recalled another fight McAuliffe was involved with against the Kansas City Athletics.

“I remember a time where a pitcher drilled him,” Price said. “Next time we played them, he led off with a drag bunt. Pitcher came over to field it. (McAuliffe) knocked the pitcher over. Darndest fight you’ve seen. That’s what (McAuliffe) was like.

“We had a lot of fights in those days. They weren’t hugging and kissing. It was actual fights and Mad Dog was right there.”

Price said McAuliffe wasn’t mean though.

“Just tough,” Price said. “Not mean at all. But you do him wrong from another team, they had to pay the price.”

Price said he knew McAuliffe had been in declining health for some time.

“We saw him three or four years ago in Boston and I could see the beginnings of some problems and when you hear the reality it really sets you back,” Price said, adding there aren’t a lot of players left from the 1968 team picture.

Tigers television analyst Kirk Gibson, who grew up in Waterford, remembered watching McAuliffe as a youngster: “He had a unique stance, I’m sure a stance I tried to emulate in the backyard.”

Price said McAuliffe was Ian Kinsler for the Tigers in 1968, referring to the team’s current second baseman, who is known for his consistent play.

McAuliffe led the league with a single-season career-high 95 runs scored in 1968. McAuliffe also set single-season career highs with 24 doubles and 10 triples that season, to go along with 16 home runs. He finished seventh in the AL MVP voting that season (Tigers pitcher Denny McLain won MVP, Tigers catcher Bill Freehan was second and Tigers outfielder Willie Horton was fourth).

In an era where middle infielders didn’t have a lot of power, McAuliffe hit 24 home runs in 1964, 23 in 1966 and 22 in 1967.

McAuliffe ended his career with the Boston Red Sox. The Tigers traded him for Ben Oglivie in October 1973.

McAuliffe signed as an amateur free agent in 1957 with the Tigers and made his debut Sept. 17, 1960. He hit 192 of his 197 career home runs with the Tigers from 1960 to 1973. McAuliffe went on to play in 107 games with the Red Sox.

“Leadoff hitter, had that unorthodox stance,” Price said. “The best guy. The best teammate. Played hard every day. We were a crazy team that won in ’68. We were loose. Part of my job was to keep him loose.”

Contact George Sipple: gsipple@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @georgesipple.

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