For almost twenty years, Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker were joined at the hip for the Detroit Tigers.
The seemingly inseparable duo locked down the middle infield in Motor City from 1978 until almost 1994. Their stats are eerily similar (seriously…look them up) and they even showed up together on a 1983 episode of “Magnum PI”.
And then they retired and hit the Hall of Fame ballot.
Whitaker was one and done in 2001…only getting 2.9% of the vote. A year later, Trammell made the first of what would end up being fifteen ballots. Earlier this month, he was selected to be enshrined in Cooperstown by the Modern Era Committee.
Because this is how it seems to work, the Tigers immediately announced they would be retiring the numbers of Trammell and another newly minted Hall of Famer (and fellow member of the 1984 World Champion Tigers) Jack Morris.
On the outside looking in (again)…Lou Whitaker.
Tony Paul from The Detroit News asked his readers if the Tigers should retire Whitaker’s number? The numbers were overwhelming.
Today's poll: Should the #Tigers retire Lou Whitaker's No. 1 this summer, when they retire Alan Trammell's No. 3 and Jack Morris' No. 47?
— Tony Paul | Detroit News (@TonyPaul1984) December 19, 2017
That’s right…88% of those responding believe Whitaker should be joining Trammell and Morris when they get their numbers retired in August.
Honestly, what do we expect from an organization that waited until a year AFTER Sparky's death to retire his number (11 years after his HoG induction?
— hairygerman (@McdavittRabello) December 20, 2017
Should have happened years ago. Ridiculous that it has taken so long.
— CC (@msuchucky) December 19, 2017
This shouldn't even be a discussion.
— -TK- (@xTKizzy) December 19, 2017
If the Hof can't do the right thing putting them in together at least the tigers can.
— StevenJoseph (@StevenJoseph63) December 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/MORTXGRIM/status/943235156382502918
Sadly, the Tigers won’t budge.
“(The) club is focusing on the Hall of Fame celebration and retiring numbers of Morris and Trammell,” said team vice president of communications Ron Colangelo.
Whitaker will have another shot at the Hall of Fame in 2019.
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