Al Kaline made his Major League debut on June 25, 1953, receiving $35,000 to sign with the Detroit Tigers at the age of 18. Below are a few facts that you may or may not have known that we found to be pretty interesting.
-
Al Kaline bypassed the minor league system joining the team right from Baltimore's Southern High School
-
During his rookie year he wore #25. After the 1953 season he asked teammate Pat Mullin for his #6 and wore the number for the rest of his career.
-
He played his whole career, 22 years, with the Detroit Tigers
-
In 1955 he became the youngest player to ever win the American League batting title. Ty Cobb was also twenty years old when he won a batting title but Kaline beat him out by a day being born just one day before Cobb.
-
In 1980 he was elected to the Hall of Fame, becoming the tenth player to be elected in their first year of eligibility.
