1984 Detroit Tigers

through games of March 30th the Harrisburg Giants had a record of 45-51 .469 ... the next opponent on the schedule was the 1984 Detroit Tigers (104-58 .642), managed by Sparky Anderson, which not only won the AL pennant and later the World Series but never trailed all year as they took first place on opening day and never trailed. Earlier this week they visited Island Park in Harrisburg; here is a summary of those games:

March 31
Attendance 2,421
Umpires Julip Arp, Art Fields
Det 010 001 013 - 6 WP - Milt Wilcox
Hbg 012 020 000 - 5 LP - Miles Lucas (6-3 4.28)
HR - none

April 1
Attendance 2,561
Umpires Art Fields, Julip Arp
Det 044 010 110 - 11 WP - Juan Berenguer
Hbg 220 003 000 - 7 LP - Ping Gardner (4-7 6.46)
HR - Lou Whittaker, Kirk Gibson

April 2
Attendance 2,389
Umpires Julip Arp, Art Fields
Det 130 220 200 - 10 WP - Dan Petry
Hbg 040 021 000 - 7 LP - Daltie Cooper (4-5 3.44)
HR - Kirk Gibson, Larry Herndon, Edgar Wesley (4), Ruppert Jones

April 3
Attendance 2,509
Umpires Art Fields, Julip Arp
Det 000 000 000 - 0 LP - Jack Morris
Hbg 000 100 000 - 1 WP - Geechie Corbett (5-7 5.20)
HR - none

NOTES: For the second straight series the Giants escaped a sweep with a well pitched game in the finale. Chas Henry was the hero last time with a 3-2 win over the Saint Louis Stars; this time it was Geechie Corbett who limited the Tigers to three hits while walking five and permitting no runs. He was matched, almost, by Tiger ace Jack Morris who allowed only two hits. The only run came in the bottom of the 4th, when Rap Dixon led off with a walk and moved to 2nd on a ground out. Then Harrisburg's Hall of Fame first baseman - Ben Taylor - singled sharply to right to score Dixon. Corbett took care of his business the rest of the way. The loss stymied the hopes of the Tigers to make the Hoverter-Reed Cup Round Robin at the end of the season.