His greatest career moment came in 1968 when Detroit was losing the championship to St. Louis. Lolich stepped up to pitch three complete games, winning all of them.
DETROIT — Mickey Lolich, the legendary Detroit Tigers pitcher who became a hero to the city during the 1968 World Series, has died, according to a post made by Major League Baseball.
Lolich spent the majority of his 16-year career with the Tigers, and also pitched for the Mets and Padres.
He passed away on Wednesday while in hospice care, leaving behind a legacy as a tireless athlete who remained friendly and approachable to his fans.
His greatest career moment came in 1968 when Detroit was losing the championship to St. Louis. Lolich stepped up to pitch three complete games, winning all of them and leading the Tigers to a dramatic comeback victory. This performance earned him the World Series MVP award and made him an icon.
According to the MLB, Lolich won 217 career games and is 5th in all-time career strikeouts for left-handed pitchers.
After he retired from baseball, he opened a doughnut shop in the Detroit area and ran it for 18 years.
“I doubt any other ballplayer has ever made that transition, from the diamond to doughnuts. But I did,” Lolich said in his book.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this reporting.