DETROIT TIGERS HERO AND WORLD SERIES WINNER CHET LEMON DIES AGED 70
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Detroit Tigers hero and World Series winner Chet Lemon has died at the age of 70.
Lemon died at home on Thursday, the Tigers announced.
Since his retirement, Lemon has suffered more than a dozen strokes and had a number of blood clots. His illnesses left him unable to walk or talk.
According to the Detroit Free Press, he was admitted to hospital over 300 times since 1990.
In a statement, the Tigers said: 'The Detroit Tigers join all of baseball in mourning the passing of Chet Lemon.
'While he was a World Series champion and All-Star on the field, perhaps his biggest impact came off of it. That includes creating the Chet Lemon Foundation and dedicating much of his post-playing career to youth baseball development.
'Our thoughts are with Chet's family, friends and all those he coached, mentored and inspired.'
Lemon was drafted in the first round of the 1972 MLB draft by the A's before getting traded to the Chicago White Sox.
He played seven seasons in Chicago and was named an AL All-Star twice before getting traded to the Tigers in 1982.
Just two years later, Lemon led the Tigers to a World Series victory and secured his third AL All-Star selection.
He retired in 1990 and, despite his health problems, managed to attend a reunion with his World Series-winning teammates last year.
'I think it added some more months,' his wife, Gigi, told the Free Press. 'He was able to see his teammates. I thought that was so important.
'The trip to Detroit, I think, it just sparked him. I don't know the medical terms, or if there was such a thing as more blood flowing through some areas, but he just seemed to be so happy.'
Read more 2025-05-08T19:10:57Z