Talkin' Tigers Baseball

Do you remember the song "Willie, Mickey, and the Duke"? It was the original "Talkin' Baseball" song. The Tigers also had a version recorded by Terry Cashman. I found the lyrics and still have my own 45 rpm single version of it someplace in my record collection. After reading the lyrics, I decided to update it.

With special thanks to Terry Cashman:

Talkin' Baseball (The Jimmy Leyland Team)

It was great to be a Tiger fan with the Georgia Peach and Wahoo Sam
They won the pennet three years in a row
Then Heilman, batting titles in years that were odd
Briggs Stadium always had a hitting show

I’m talkin’ baseball
Hank and Charlie slugging
Tiger baseball
Schoolboy did the chucking
Goose Goslin made opposing pitchers scream
Then Georgie Kell came upon the scene

I’m talking baseball, the motor city team
Well Hal and Dizzy set ‘em down
And Kaline won the batting crown
The year before he the right to vote
Charlie Maxwell’s Sunday fun
Denny’s year of 31
The sailing was great in ’68 on the series boat

I’m talkin’ baseball
Rocky, Norm and Willie
Tiger baseball
McAullife, Gates and Billy
Rootin’ Hef, Freehan, Harvey Kuenn
Lolich in the series winning three

I’m talking baseball, the motor city team
Now when you’re talkin’ Tiger baseball
Rusty and old black Mike
Cesar’s seven hits in one
What would Mark “The Bird” have done?
One Tiger had two slams in a game, Northrup was his name

The Tigers have tradition
And Sparky’s one ambition
Is to get them to the classic in the fall
New names join the old
Another team unfolds
There a good bet with Morris and Chet
So lets play ball

I’m talkin’ baseball
Trammell, Dave and Lance
Tiger baseball
Kirk Gibson and the Champ
Whitaker and Herndon are on the scene
Wilcox and Aurelio have the steam

I’m talking baseball, the motor city team
The Tigers changed direction
And Monahan, he killed ‘em
Led them to an unprecedented fall
Retreads joined the kids
The team began to implode
We tend to remember and never forget
It was very bad baseball

I’m talking baseball, the motor city team
Sparky stayed six years after ’89
And the Caesar man he bought ‘em
Re-hired Ernie Harwell,
Buddy Bell could barely last,
Larry Parrish was gone as fast
The ‘90s were terrible
Just more bad baseball

Yes, I’m talking baseball,
The 21st Century arrived
The team continued its swan dive,
First Phil Garner ran the show,
Then Luis Pujols we barely would know
Alan Trammell arrived on the scene
They let ‘im go it was mean
And we all saw more bad Tiger baseball

Let's bring back Tigers baseball ...
Then in 2006, Leyland did the trick
With C-Mo and Inge, Pudge and Maggs
The Tigers brought back the swag
Comerica was full, the season no bull
The Gambler shut ‘em down,
Verlander and Zumaya, the toasts of the town

I’m talking baseball, the motor city team

Tiger baseball, the motor cities team
Motown, Motown, Motown

I’m talkin’ baseball, the motor city team
Motown, Motown, Motown
Motown, Motown, Motown

Tiger baseball, the motor city team
Motown, Motown, Motown

Talkin’ baseball, the motor city team.