by Jim Siergey
Bill Freehan
Born in Detroit
Played in Detroit
Died in Detroit
Mr. Motor City
Reviving the Art of Baseball Doggerel
Reviving the Art of Baseball Doggerel
Bill Freehan
Born in Detroit
Played in Detroit
Died in Detroit
Mr. Motor City
Becoming a deterrent to American League speedsters, Freehan threw out 53 per cent of opposing base stealers. He performed so well that he picked up some votes in the MVP race and earned a place on the AL All-Star team. That marked the start of 10 straight selections to the Midsummer Classic, including seven starting nods. Freehan’s hitting fell off in 1965 and ‘66, as he hit .234 with only moderate power each summer, but he fully blossomed in 1967. He put up an OPS of .835, the best of his career to date, while drawing a career-high 73 walks. Freehan finished third in the MVP race behind two Hall of Famers-to be, Carl Yastrzemski and Harmon Killebrew .