Chet Lemon, a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star and member of the 1984 World Series champion Detroit Tigers, died on Thursday at the age of 70.
Lemon played 16 seasons in the major leagues after the Oakland Athletics made him their first-round pick (No. 22 overall) in the 1976 MLB Draft. He was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1975 and played seven seasons there.. He led the American League with 44 doubles in 1979, batting .318 with an .887 OPS, and was named an All-Star for the second consecutive year.
In 1982, Lemon was traded to the Tigers in exchange for Steve Kemp and immediately became a valuable part of Detroit’s lineup. Two seasons later, he had his best season with the Tigers, helping the team to a World Series title.
During his 1984 All-Star season, Lemon hit .287 with an .852 OPS, 20 home runs, 34 doubles and 76 RBI as the Tigers’ center fielder. In the World Series, he hit .294/.368/.294 with one RBI and two stolen bases. His standout moment in the series was in Game 3. In the seventh inning, Lemon made a twisting catch in center field on a deep drive by the San Diego Padres’ Terry Kennedy that initially looked as if it would go over his head.
Lemon played nine seasons with the Tigers, also helping Detroit to a 1987 AL East title with 30 doubles, 20 homers, 75 RBI and a .277/.376/.481 average.
He joined his 1984 teammates at Comerica Park in 2024 for the 40-year anniversary of that World Series championship team and many learned of his deteriorated physical condition then. Since retiring after the 1990 season, Lemon had suffered through several blood clots, hundreds of hospital visits and at least 13 strokes that left him unable to walk or talk. It was a shocking development for so many who remembered Lemon’s athleticism in center field.
“I think it added some more months,” Lemon’s wife Gigi told the Detroit Free Press. “He was able to see his teammates. I thought that was so important.”
At the time, Gigi wanted Lemon’s story to be public so fans would know why he didn’t attend the anniversary ceremony, had he not been able to do so. Also, the family wanted to raise awareness about aphasia, the post-stroke condition which left him unable to speak.
As the Tigers said in an official statement, Lemon made his biggest impact off the field. His family launched the Chet Lemon Foundation to raise money for stroke and aphasia charities. The foundation also benefits youth sports, a passion for Lemon, who coached youth baseball and Eustis High School to a Florida state championship.
Lemon died at home in his sleep, according to Gigi.
During his 16 MLB seasons, Lemon finished with a career .273 average and .797 OPS, 1,875 hits, 396 doubles, 215 home runs and 884 RBI in 1,988 games.
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