![Report: Detroit Tigers Legend Al Kaline Dies at 85](https://townsquare.media/site/689/files/2020/04/GettyImages-585466890.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Report: Detroit Tigers Legend Al Kaline Dies at 85
For an entire generation and more, there wasn't a classier, more dignified, icon of what it meant to be a Detroit Tiger than Al Kaline. For 22 years on the field, and twice that off it as a broadcaster, executive and ambassador for the team, Kaline was synonymous with the Detroit Tigers. The Detroit Free-Press published the news that Kaline had died Monday afternoon after confirming it with friend of the family. He was 85.
Kaline grew up in Baltimore and was a "bonus baby", under the rules of baseball at the time. So he came up as a nineteen year old. The Free-Press story reminds that he never played an inning of minor-league baseball. After adjusting to major league pitching, he was a mainstay at Tiger Stadium for the next two decades.
After retiring, Kaline joined another Hall of Famer, George Kell in the Tigers' television booth for over a decade. He stayed on the air until 2001, and then was a special assistant for the team, right up through the current administration of Al Avila.
The Free-Press story has a wonderful look back at Kaline's life and times.
![WBCKFM logo](https://townsquare.media/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/WBCKFM.png?w=100)
Detroit Tigers Hall of Famer Al Kaline 1934-2020
More From WBCKFM
![Watch The Trailer For The Kalamazoo Growlers Championship Documentary](http://townsquare.media/site/690/files/2022/09/attachment-Untitled-design-74.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Looking Back At Benton Harbor’s House of David Baseball Team](http://townsquare.media/site/690/files/2022/09/attachment-Untitled-design-2022-09-23T044023.933.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![There Will Likely be no Field of Dreams Game in 2023 – The Next Logical Choice is this Historic Field in Indiana](http://townsquare.media/site/690/files/2022/08/attachment-bosse-field-image.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Michigan Social Media Rejoices As Ilitch Fires Tigers GM Avila](http://townsquare.media/site/690/files/2022/08/attachment-GettyImages-482950628.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![OTD: Ron LeFlore Goes From Jackson State Prison To Detroit Tigers](http://townsquare.media/site/690/files/2022/08/attachment-Ron-Leflore.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![OTD: 1933, The First Baseball All-Star Game Was Played in Chicago, And Won By Babe Ruth](http://townsquare.media/site/690/files/2022/07/attachment-1933-All-Star-Game-chicago.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Growlers’ Coach Drake was Ejected TWICE in Return to Dugout](http://townsquare.media/site/690/files/2022/06/attachment-Untitled-design-86.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Sturgis Little League Parents & Coaches Allegedly Can’t Control Their Temper](http://townsquare.media/site/690/files/2022/06/attachment-Untitled-design-541.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Wrigley Cup Stacking Brings Everyone Together](http://townsquare.media/site/690/files/2022/06/attachment-Untitled-design-55.jpg?w=980&q=75)