Lakewood, N.J. BlueClaws 7
Greensboro Grasshoppers 2
Former Detroit Tiger second baseman “Sweet Lou” Whitaker, was in the house to throw out the fiirst pitch, for today’s game and then he stuck around and was looking on as the Hoppers dropped their fourth straight game.
Whitaker hails from nearby Roanoke/Martinsville, Virginia and at one time he formed one of the best double-play combinations in major league baseball history, when he teamed with shortstop Alan Tammell for the Tigers……
Whitaker and Trammell were money for Detroit and havoc for opposing teams when they hit infield ground balls with runners on base against the Tigers….This usually meant double-plays, were the order of the day, any time you faced “Sweet Lou” and Trammell…..
LOU WHITAKER WAS FROM MARTINSVILLE,VA. AND PLAYED FOR MARTINSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BULLDOGS. I THINK HE TOLD PEOPLE HE WAS FROM ROANOKE BECAUSE HE DIDN’T THINK PEOPLE HAD HEARD OF MARTINSVILLE. HIS SECOND HOME WAS THE OLD ENGLISH FIELD, NOW HOOKER FIELD HOME OF MARTINSVILLE MUSTANGS. HE WAS THERE SO MUCH AS A YOUTH , THEY GAVE HIM A KEY TO THE GATE , THE RUNNING JOKE AMOUNG THE REC.DEPT. LOU WAS THE REAL DEAL”
1978 A.L. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
5 TIME ALL STAR
3 GOLD GLOVES
4 TIME SILVER SLUGGER
AND HE DID IT ALL WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE, THUS THE “SWEET LOU”.
IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIM , YOU WILL NOT FIND A NICER GUY.