"Denny McLain was the star of Detroit's pitching staff in 1968, 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."
"During a reunion of the World Series team, he recalled how manager Mayo Smith had sent him to the bullpen for much of August. He returned to the Tigers' starting rotation and was 6-1 in the final weeks. I was having a few problems, but I had been a starting pitcher ever since 1964, said Lolich, who was upset about the bullpen move. I remember telling him, If we win this thing this year it's going to be because of me."
Mickey Lolich, the Detroit Tigers pitcher who recorded three complete-game victories in the 1968 World Series and earned Series Most Valuable Player honors, died at 85 after a short stay in hospice care; no exact cause was provided. Lolich posted a 1.67 ERA in the Series and won Game 7 over Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals, celebrating by jumping into catcher Bill Freehan's arms as Freehan caught the final out. Lolich finished with 2,832 career strikeouts, ranked 23rd overall and fifth among left-handers, and returned to the rotation late in 1968 to go 6-1.
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