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One of the Tigers greatest pitchers, Mickey Lolich was at his best from 1964-1974. Lolich won at least 14 games each of those seasons and led the AL in wins in 1971 with 25. He finished in the league’s top-10 in victories every year. During that run he won 190 games and saved another 9. The Detroit lefthander completed 167 games and twirled 38 shutouts.

Lolich’s three All Star selections came in 1969, 1971, and 1972. In 5 postseason starts he pitched to a 1.57 ERA and tossed 5 complete games.

Though he falls short of the Baseball Hall of Fame, the 217-game winner and World Series MVP remains one of baseball’s legends.

Shown here is a 1970 Topps card autographed by Lolich.

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Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals is one of the greatest big-game pitchers in baseball history. In 9 World Series starts he pitched 8 complete games with two shutouts and a miniscule 1.89 ERA. With 92 Fall Classic strikeouts, seven victories, and two World Series MVP awards, his legacy is singular.

In 1968 during a season for the ages, Gibson led his team to their second consecutive pennant. He topped all of baseball in wins, shutouts, and WAR. His 1.12 ERA was not only the lowest in the majors, it was the lowest-ever in a single season. Behind Gibson the Cardinals won 97 games and finished 9 games ahead of second-place San Francisco.

In Game 1 of the World Series against the Tigers Gibson outdueled 30-game winner Denny McLain. The St. Louis right-hander established a new World Series single-game strikeout record with 17 on his way to a five-hit, complete-game shutout.

The two men returned for a Game 4 matchup. Gibson again scattered five hits with a double-digit strikeout total to turn in his second complete-game performance. For good measure he slugged a fourth-inning home run.

In the winner-take-all Game 7, St. Louis confidently marched Gibson back to the hill in search of his third Series-clinching victory in five years. Detroit countered with Mickey Lolich who, like Gibson, had a home run and two complete-game victories in the Series.

This time it was Lolich who scattered five hits and went the distance to put his team over the top and capture MVP honors.

Shown here is a ticket to Game 1 of the 1968 World Series. Gibson signed it and added the inscription, “17 Ks MLB WS Record”.

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Mickey Lolich was an integral part of the Detroit Tigers’ 1968 World Series championship team. After a 17-win regular season, the left-handed pitcher was dominant in the Fall Classic. He started three games and won them all, and ended up with more strikeouts (21) than hits allowed (20). His ERA for the Series was a stingy 1.67.

Lolich’s performance is even more remarkable when considering the competition. The powerhouse of the National League, the St. Louis Cardinals finished with 97 wins, nine games better than the second place San Francisco.

In addition to his excellent pitching, Lolich also contributed at the plate. In Game 2, he hit a solo home run and added an RBI in the 9th inning of his 8-1 victory. Lolich’s long ball was the first and only homer of his career.

Shown here is a ticket that let a lucky fan into see the sole homer that Lolich hit during his 16-year big league career. His complete-game 6-hitter earned Lolich the second of his three wins in the 1968 World Series.

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The Tigers were a formidable squad as Mickey Lolich entered his late 20s. From his age-27 season in 1968 through 1971 Detroit averaged more than 90 wins per season. The franchise’s third World Series triumph came in 1968.

In the Fall Classic that year Lolich tossed three complete-game wins for the Tigers. What’s more, Lolich batted .250 in the Series, and slugged his only career home run. In 1,017 regular-season plate appearances Lolich had just five doubles and two triples. In the World Series, he could do no wrong. For his efforts Lolich was named the Series MVP.

In the collection is this limited edition Upper Deck collectors series tribute to the 1971 Tigers signed by Lolich, Willie Horton, Al Kaline and Bill Freehan. All four players were on that ’68 team and the 1971 team that won 91 games.

Pitcher Lolich had his finest year in ’71. The Bengal workhorse led the league in starts (45), wins (25), complete games (29), and strikeouts (308). He finished second in Cy Young voting.

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Mickey Lolich has quite a Hall of Fame resumé. A 217-game winner and World Series MVP, Lolich was the game’s All-Time record holder for strikeouts by a left hander at the time of his retirement.

Shown here is a Topps baseball card commemorating his achievement. It was on June 6, 1975 that Lolich passed Warren Spahn’s record of 2,583 strikeouts by a southpaw.

By the time his career was over, Lolich extended the mark to 2,832, a number since surpassed by Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson, and CC Sabathia. A model of consistency, Lolich won 14 or more guys for ten straight seasons.