Mickey Lolich, hero of the 1968 World Series for the Detroit Tigers, dies at 85
February 4, 2026
Mickey Lolich, who had three complete-game victories for the Detroit Tigers in the 1968 World Series, has died. Lolich was the last Major League Baseball pitcher to achieve that feat. Denny McLain was the star of Detroit’s pitching staff in ’68, winning 31 regular-season games. But Lolich was the Most Valuable Player of the Series, with a ERA of 1.67 and a Game 7 road victory over Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals. Bill Freehan threw off his catcher’s mask and caught a foul pop-up by Tim McCarver for the final out. Lolich jumped into Freehan’s arms, an iconic image of Detroit’s championship season. The Tigers say Lolich’s wife told them that he died Wednesday in hospice care. Mickey Lolich was 85.