Mickey Lolich grew up in Portland, Oregon, in an area plagued by poverty and blight.

He had a love of baseball from an early age and was a right-handed thrower until an accident with a tricycle saw him make the shift to left-handed throwing.

Little did he know. this fateful turn of events would be what would later go on to launch his career.

Lolich played in the minor leagues before joining the Detroit Tigers roster in 1963, and by 1968 his career was off and running when the Tigers won the American League pennant, facing the heavily favored St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.

Lolich gave a legendary performance, winning three straight games, including Game 7 against Cardinal’s ace Bob Gibson, who had already dominated Detroit in the series.

To this day, Lolich’s Game 7 win remains one of baseball’s greatest pitching performances.

From 1968 onward, Lolich made a name for himself as a workhorse pitcher – a league leader with and World Series MVP.

Statistically speaking, he had his best season in 1971, winning 25 games total with 308 strikeouts.

He then came in second in the Cy Young Award voting with a career total of 207 wins and more than 2,600 strikeouts, a clear reflection of his composure during offensive surges.

Lolich pitched for the Tigers until 1975, then played briefly for the San Diego Padres and New York Mets.

In 1979, he retired and returned to Portland to run a doughnut shop – a modest second act in a national success story.

Though Lolich was not a Michigan native, his achievements helped cement his connection to Detroit.

His fans admired his skill, but also his durability and grit.

He wasn’t flashy – he was dependable in a city that values hard work and effort, which was precisely why he was considered team hero during the Tigers 35th anniversary ceremony in honor of their 1968 championship team in 2003.

Considered the “arm that saved a season,” Mickey Lolich’s tale is one of tenacity, endurance, and quiet excellence.

His three 1968 World Series wins remain among baseball history’s greatest individual performances, but his larger legacy rests on his years of devotion to the mound.

For Detroit, Lolich was the left arm that lifted a city to glory – a myth come to life that will never be forgotten.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: August 23, 2025