{"id":558414,"date":"2026-02-06T20:22:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T20:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/558414\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T20:22:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T20:22:15","slug":"fans-must-tip-caps-to-world-series-foe-after-death-at-85","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/558414\/","title":{"rendered":"Fans must tip caps to World Series foe after death at 85"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the things I admire the most about St. Louis Cardinals<\/a> fans is their respect for good baseball. Yes, they want to win, but they are quick to tip a cap to opponents and rivals when they see class on and off the field.<\/p>\n

Mickey Lolich is deserving of one of those moments today.<\/p>\n

Lolich, a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent most of his 16-year career with the Detroit Tigers, passed away this week<\/a> at the age of 85. Lolich had a great career, but his claim to fame, especially in Cardinals land, is his 1968 World Series Most Valuable Player performance against St. Louis.<\/p>\n

We are saddened by the passing of three-time All-Star and 1968 World Series MVP Mickey Lolich.<\/p>\n

Lolich spent 13 of his 16 Major League seasons with the Tigers, while also pitching for the Mets and Padres.<\/p>\n

In 1968, Lolich hurled 3 complete game victories against St. Louis in the\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/0mDbn1OxOo<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MLB (@MLB) February 4, 2026<\/a>Cardinals fans should tip their cap to World Series foe Mickey Lolich as baseball mourns his passing<\/p>\n

During the 1968 World Series, Lolich pitched three complete games, winning all three of those contests and helping the Tigers come back from a 3-1 deficit. He posted a 1.67 ERA in 27 innings of work, as the southpaw was on top of his game as the Cardinals dropped the World Series.<\/a><\/p>\n

In that same World Series, Cardinals legend Bob Gibson spun one of the best games in MLB history, striking out 17 batters in Game 1<\/a>, and he also posted a 1.67 ERA in his three starts. Gibson only gave up one run in the first two games, but in his Game 7 rubber match with Lolich, Gibson cracked and gave up four runs as Lolich held the Cardinals to one run.<\/p>\n

For his career, Lolich was a three-time All-Star, posting a 3.44 ERA and winning 217 games. He finished in the top three in Cy Young voting, with his career year being in 1971 when he finished runner-up after going 25-14 with a 2.92 ERA in 376 innings of work. He also finished top five in MVP voting and had 8.5 bWAR on the season.<\/p>\n

Lolich is 23rd all-time in strikeouts with 2,832 and fifth among all lefties. His numbers are in the same company with many arms in the Hall of Fame, but Lolich has yet to receive the call himself.<\/p>\n

In his post-playing career, Lolich stayed in Detroit and ran a doughnut business for 18 years.<\/p>\n

Cardinals fans, let’s tip our caps one more time to Lolich this week as the baseball world remembers his life and career.<\/p>\n