The following was printed in a paperback book I had as a kid, A World, World, World, World MAD. That I’m posting it here is not intended to denigrate the Detroit Tigers for their accomplishment against ‘the best that money can buy’ Yankees. I just found it funny then, and was reminded. Like all fans of teams that endure many years of frustration, I hope you’ll enjoy it. After all, I was a Giants fan in the ‘60s, one of the greatest teams in baseball over the decade, but perennially winding up in second place.
“Tigers, Tigers, fighting bright,
In the ball parks of the night,
Your pitching’s fair, your field adroit;
So why no pennants for Detroit?
You start out gamely each new year
With gallant hearts that know no fear
But when they total up the score,
You’ve blown four games to Baltimore.
The Cleveland Indians go to work,
They beat you good, so does New York;
When Boston adds a mortal blow,
All you can cry is: “Look out below!”
Amidst the heated pennant race,
You fight to cling to seventh place.
Tigers, Tigers, fighting bright,
In the ballparks of the night;
Some day the fans will get their fill
And ship the team to Louisville.”
Me, I loved the Cubs, especially Lou Brock. It broke my heart when they traded him to St. Louis, and my allegiance followed him.
That is, until 1968, when the Tigers bested them in the series with two infielders who, if I recall, were sub .200 with their batting average. One of them was Ray Oyler, the best fielding shortstop I ever saw play until Ozzie Smith came along. Mayo Smith made a really gutsy move benching him except as a defensive replacement to get an extra bat into the lineup.
Of course, it wasn't just the St. Louis loss in the 1968 World Series than made me switch my allegiance back to the Cubs, it was the awesome year the Cubs had in 1969. They were a better team than many World Series winners, but unfortunately the Mets fielded an even better team that year. If they ever write a book about the greatest second place teams in history, the 1969 Cubs will merit their own chapter. As, I am sure, will at least one Giants team from that era. I'm not sure which one, but I'd vote for the 1963 edition.