On Thursday, fans of the Detroit Tigers and baseball fans everywhere, got the sad news that former center fielder Chet Lemon had died at the age of 70. The three-time All-Star played for 16 major league seasons and was a crucial cog in the World Series champion Tigers squad of 1984.
Lemon was initially the first round pick of the Oakland Athletics in the 1972 amateur draft. He broke into the major leagues with the Chicago White Sox in 1975 and played for them through the 1981 season. Following a breakout campaign in 1977, Lemon was named to his first All-Star squad in 1978, and repeated that feat the next season.
Following the strike shortened 1981 season, the fairly woeful White Sox of the era traded Lemon to the Tigers for Steve Kemp. An injury plagued season in which Lemon moved mainly to right field did not go so well, but the Tigers signed Lemon to a five year deal at the end of the 1982 season anyway. The rest is history.
Lemon moved back to center field in 1983 and had a fantastic season defensively, but he also broke out with 24 home runs, the best mark of his career. He played brilliant defense covering the expansive center field grounds of Tiger Stadium, and made his third and final All-Star team in 1984. Kids like myself, who were Little Leaguers in the Detroit area at the time, became obsessed with Lemon’s defense and attempted to emulate him with diving plays and attempted home run robberies in backyard whiffle ball games.
After the Tigers World Series triumph, he signed an extension through 1991 with the club, eventually moving to right field in 1988 as Gary Pettis took over in center field. Lemon played well until 1990 when he was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder. The next few years for him were difficult. He was waived by the Tigers in 1991 and was hospitalized with an abdominal blood clot. Those health issues would continue to plague him over the intervening decades.
However, his work in baseball didn’t end with his playing days. Lemon went on to create a top shelf travel ball program for kids and built a training facility called the Chet Lemon Baseball School in Lake Mary, Florida that has ultimately produced 70 first round draft picks over the last 31 years. The Tigers own Kerry Carpenter came through the program and got to know Lemon along the way. Jeff Seidel at the Free Press has a great story up detailing Lemon’s outstanding work in youth baseball and his impact on the game.
It’s sad to say farewell to another Tigers’ legend who was so well regarded both on and off the field. On behalf of the Bless You Boys staff, we extend our condolences to all who knew and loved him.
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