Christopher Ilitch, owner of the Detroit Tigers, is gone…
Former major league manager Jim Leyland is in for a busy summer. He is set to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in July, and will join the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Hall of Fame in August. Additionally, the Detroit Tigers announced on Monday that they will retire his number, also in August.
Following his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in July, Jim Leyland will receive one of the club’s highest honors. On Saturday, August 3 at Comerica Park, his #10 will become the 10th number retired in Tigers history.
Leyland’s #10 will be the second manager’s number retired by the club, joining Sparky Anderson’s #11, which was retired in 2011. Leyland is one of three managers in Tigers history to win over 700 games with Detroit and the only manager to lead the Tigers to the postseason four times.
Leyland managed for 22 years with the Pirates, Tigers, Marlins, and Rockies, leading the Marlins to the 1997 World Series championship. During his eight seasons with the Tigers, he won two AL pennants (2006 and 2012) and won 93 or more games in three different seasons, including 95 wins twice. His lifetime record stands at 1769-1728.
In addition to his major league managing career, Leyland has also managed Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
