Albert William Kaline was born on December 19, 1934 in Baltimore, Maryland. He played his entire career for the Detroit Tigers, from 1953 to 1974, going directly from high school to the major leagues. Al was selected to eighteen All-Star games, and won ten Gold Gloves. He was also the youngest player to win a batting title, and the leader of the 1968 World Champions.
Al finished his career with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs, and was elected the the Baseball Hall Of Fame in 1980, in his first year of eligibility. He was the first Tiger to have his number retired, and a street outside Tiger Stadium was renamed Kaline Drive in his honor. Al has remained active in the Tigers organization, first as a color commentator from 1975 to 2002, and as a special assistant since 2003.
