Three-time all-star fielder Chet Lemon, who won the World Series with 1984 Detroit Tigers, died at his house in Florida on Thursday. He was 70 years old.
“He was sleeping on his couch,” his wife Gigi Lemon told Detroit Free Press. “He was not just responsible.”
Lemon had fought with a rare blood disease for the last three decades and faced a series of strokes, unable to walk or talk.
Lemon played seven seasons with Chicago White Sox from 1975–81 and nine seasons with tigers from 1982–90. He batted 215 Homeers, 884 RBI, 973 runs and 1,988 games with 1,875 hits.
Lemon still set an American league record for outfielders with 512 putouts during the 1977 season.
He led the American League in 1979 with 44 doubles and formed all-star teams in 1978, 1979 and 1984.
Lemon batted .294 with one run, one as two stolen bases against an RBI and San Diego Padress won the 1984 world series in five matches.
The team said, “Detroit tigers are all involved in the baseball in mourning in the passage of Chet Lemon,” the team said. “While he was a world chain champion and all-star on the field, perhaps his biggest impact came away from it. This includes most part of his post-playing career for creating Chet Lemon Foundation and young baseball development.
“Our thoughts are with Chet’s family, friends and all those they coaching, advised and inspired.”
Lemon returned to the motor city in September 2024 as the tigers marked the 40th anniversary of the title. He was limited to a wheelchair, but enjoyed emotional reunion with his comrades, his wife said.
According to the Detroit Free Press, former Tiger Shortstop Alan Tumel, “You know how much you were.” “We don’t live without you. You know that.”
Lemon was born Jackson, Miss. It happened, but the family went to Los Angeles when he was an infant. Okland Athletics selected him in 1972 with a overall pick of number 22 in a draft out of Frament High School in LA.
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