1955 Detroit Tigers season

1955 Detroit Tigers
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1901)
Location
Briggs Stadium (since 1912)
Detroit, Michigan (since 1901)
Other information
Owner(s)	Walter Briggs, Jr.
General manager(s)	Muddy Ruel
Manager(s)	Bucky Harris
Local television	WJBK
Local radio	WKMH (Van Patrick, Dizzy Trout)
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The 1955 Detroit Tigers season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fifth in the American League with a record of 79–75, 17 games behind the New York Yankees.

Offseason

• December 6, 1954: Walt Dropo, Ted Gray and Bob Nieman were traded by the Tigers to the Chicago White Sox for Leo Cristante, Ferris Fain, and Jack Phillips.^[1]

Regular season

Season standings

American League	W	L	Pct.	GB
New York Yankees	96	58	.623	--
Cleveland Indians	93	61	.604	3
Chicago White Sox	91	63	.591	5
Boston Red Sox	84	70	.545	12
Detroit Tigers	79	75	.513	17
Kansas City Athletics	63	91	.409	33
Baltimore Orioles	57	97	.370	39
Washington Senators	53	101	.344	43

Record vs. opponents

1955 American League Records Sources:
Team	BAL	BOS	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	NYY	WSH
Baltimore	—	8–14	10–12–1	3–19	9–13	10–12–1	3–19	14–8
Boston	14–8	—	9–13	11–11	13–9	14–8	8–14	15–7
Chicago	12–10–1	13–9	—	10–12	14–8	14–8	11–11	17–5
Cleveland	19–3	11–11	12–10	—	12–10	17–5	13–9	9–13
Detroit	13–9	9–13	8–14	10–12	—	12–10	10–12	17–5
Kansas City	12–10–1	8–14	8–14	5–17	10–12	—	7–15	13–9
New York	19–3	14–8	11–11	9–13	12–10	15–7	—	16–6
Washington	8–14	7–15	5–17	13–9	5–17	9–13	6–16	—

Roster

1955 Detroit Tigers
Roster
Pitchers 22 Al Aber 19 Babe Birrer 14 Bud Black 15 Jim Bunning 12 Joe Coleman 22 Leo Cristante 26 Van Fletcher 40 Ben Flowers 36 Paul Foytack 38 Bill Froats 31 Ned Garver 38,44 Billy Hoeft 17 Frank Lary 46 Duke Maas 37 Dick Marlowe 28 Bob Miller 19 Bob Schultz 15 George Zuverink		Catchers  2 Frank House 40 Walt Streuli 10 Red Wilson Infielders 16 Reno Bertoia  8 Ray Boone  3 Ferris Fain  1 Fred Hatfield  7 Harvey Kuenn 21,25 Harry Malmberg 30 Jack Phillips  8 Jay Porter 25,37 Ron Samford  9 Earl Torgeson		Outfielders 24 Jim Delsing  6 Al Kaline 21 Chick King  4 Charlie Maxwell 11 Bubba Phillips 20,21 Jim Small  5 Bill Tuttle Other batters  4 Wayne Belardi 12 Steve Souchock		Manager 32 Bucky Harris Coaches 34 Billy Hitchcock 33 Schoolboy Rowe 35 Jack Tighe

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
RF	Kaline, AlAl Kaline	152	588	200	.340	27	102

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
Fain, FerrisFerris Fain	58	140	37	.264	2	23
Phillips, JackJack Phillips	55	117	37	.316	1	20
Small, JimJim Small	12	4	0	.000	0	0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Lary, FrankFrank Lary	36	235	14	15	3.10	98

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Bunning, JimJim Bunning	15	51	3	5	6.35	37
Black, BudBud Black	3	14	1	1	1.29	7

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Aber, AlAl Aber	39	6	3	3	3.38	37
Birrer, BabeBabe Birrer	36	4	3	3	4.15	28
Cristante, LeoLeo Cristante	20	0	1	0	3.19	9
Coleman, JoeJoe Coleman	17	2	1	3	3.20	5
Fletcher, VanVan Fletcher	9	0	0	0	3.00	4

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Buffalo Bisons	International League	Dan Carnevale
AA	Little Rock Travelers	Southern Association	Bob Mavis and Steve Souchock
A	Augusta Tigers	Sally League	Charlie Metro
B	Durham Bulls	Carolina League	Frank Skaff
B	Terre Haute Tigers	Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League	Stubby Overmire
C	Greenville Bucks	Cotton States League	Willis Hudlin, Luther Tucker, Banks McDowell and Daniel Ryan
C	Idaho Falls Russets	Pioneer League	Pat Mullin
D	Panama City Fliers	Alabama–Florida League	Bill Adair
D	Valdosta Tigers	Georgia–Florida League	Stan Wasiak
D	Jamestown Falcons	PONY League	Tony Lupien

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Panama City

Notes

1. Walt Dropo at Baseball Reference

References

• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
• 1955 Detroit Tigers season at Baseball Reference