Back in 1984 (back in '82 …), "Bless You Boys" was the theme for the Detroit Tigers. That year, they started the season 35-5, led the division from wire to wire, swept the ALCS and won the World Series. They were one of the greatest teams in the history of baseball! Although I was only 11, I remember loving those Tigers and I'm sure a lot of it stemmed from my Dad. Not usually an emotional man, I remember him running out onto our front porch and screaming like a banshee after the final out of the series. He was so happy – he loved that team (almost as much as he loved his '68 Tigers)!My love for the Tigers goes way back. My Dad was an amazing baseball player when he was younger so baseball always was a part of our lives. And, when my sisters and I were younger, baseball was about the only sport we could afford to attend as a family. I remember having so much fun going to Tiger Stadium with my family. Then 1984 happened and my passion was further strengthened.
After the mid 80s, being a fan of the Tigers became a lot more difficult. The heroes from '84 were starting to retire and there was no one worth a damn to take their places. The farm system was a mess and the leadership had no clue.
Despite this sad state of affairs, I continued to follow the Tigers and even chose to intern for the team in the summer of 1998. I worked my regular job at the law firm during the day and then spent my nights and weekends at Tiger Stadium. This was a rough time in my life as Kevin and I had split after almost three years together. And, quite frankly, being at the ballpark kept me from going home and crying in my room every night. So, I threw myself into this internship and it ended up being one of the best experiences of my life. Although my experience was a good one, the team wasn't – they finished with a 65-97 record that year. Things continued to stink for the once-proud Tigers and then, in 2003, things got REALLY bad. They had to win the last game of the season to keep from being the worst team in the history of baseball!
They have not had a winning season since 1993 and have not won a title of any sorts since winning the division in 1987. But, all this misery makes this season so much sweeter! As I write this, the freakin' DETROIT TIGERS are 40 GAMES above .500, with a 76-36 record. NO ONE thought this was possible.
Every night, I come home and turn on the TV and see yet another jaw-dropping performance. I listen on the radio when we go on walks at night and when we're in the car on weekends. I leave the game on the radio for Harmon as he falls to sleep at night. I thoroughly enjoy each and every game all the while wondering if I'm dreaming. The way they win is amazing and so dramatic. Walk-off home runs, late inning heroics, someone new – young and old – stepping up every night. Usually, the summer is my least favorite season but I don't want this one to end. I want to re-live each victory over and over because I'm afraid it's going to be another 13 years before we get to enjoy it again.
I'm not sure how it's going to end – it's only August – but there is something so special about this team and this summer. This sleepy baseball town has awoken and it's so awesome to see.
