My Dad used to say that if you were writing a fictional script for a supernatural baseball season, you’d have to tone down the accomplishments of the 1984 Detroit Tigers because no one would believe it.
The 1984 season was pure baseball magic. From the 35-5 start, to the 17-0 road record, to being in first place from wire-to-wire, to slapping the pesky Toronto Blue Jays silly whenever they had thoughts of knocking us out, to the sheer dominance of the post season, to Kirk Gibson’s Game 5 war dance after touching home plate — and the hearts of every Tigers fan from here to the moon.
I remember the anguish, too. Around July or so, I remember wishing the season would just end because the suspense, the drama, the uncertainty was almost too much to bear. It seemed like the whole thing was just too good to be true — and as a thirteen year old boy living an unbelievable dream, I was afraid of waking up and realizing that it couldn’t possibly happen the way I was hoping.
The 1984 season changed my life. It gave me a profound and positive outlook on life — and, to this day, helps me to believe that anything is possible.
It’s been 25 years since the start of that magical baseball season in Detroit. In this video clip, Alan Trammell shares his memories of 1984. The clip could use a little editing (especially at the beginning) but it includes incredible moments from one of the most amazing seasons in baseball history. Enjoy.