An injury crisis forced an unexpected experiment in Detroit’s infield.
On June 20, 1961, with both his third baseman and shortstop sidelined, Tigers manager Bob Scheffing turned to a surprising solution: Al Kaline. After 1,115 games in the outfield, the 26-year-old All-Star took his first turn at the hot corner and handled a pop foul and a grounder without issue. It was a brief detour from the grass to the dirt for one of Detroit’s steadiest stars. For one night, the outfielder became an infielder—and the Tigers didn’t miss a beat, notching a 5-4 win over the Washington Senators.
🕵️ Inside Today’s Original Newspaper Coverage:
Kaline’s pregame wish about the infield grass
What he joked about after trying third
His clutch contributions at the plate that day
How the win shifted the AL standings
A department store’s “Al Kaline” glove ad
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