DETROIT (WXYZ) — Jim Leyland, one of the most successful managers in Detroit Tigers history, will have his jersey retired at Comerica Park as part of his Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the team announced Monday.
The Tigers plan to honor Leylandon Saturday, August 3, as they host the Kansas City Royals. First pitch for that game is set for 6:10 p.m. Leyland was inductedas part of the 2024 class this winter.
Leyland is one of three Tigers managers to win over 700 game with the Detroit, along with the only manager in franchise history to lead the Tigers to a postseason berth four times.
Leyland was a manager in the MLB for 22 seasons with the Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies, totaling 1,769 victories, which ranks 18th in Major League history. He managed 3,499 games, the 14th-highest total in baseball history. He's the second Tigers manager to have his jersey retired at Comerica Park, joining Sparky Anderson.
“Jim Leyland is a quintessential baseball man and embodies so much of what our fans in Detroit loved and appreciated about his time as our manager,” said Chris Ilitch, Chairman & CEO of the Detroit Tigers,in a statement. “Jim demonstrated a gritty passion in leading his team, a relentless pursuit of excellence, and an uncanny ability to connect with people, which Jim did with the Tigers and throughout his career. Given those intangibles, combined with his tenure as a winning manager who was instrumental in an era of success, I feel it’s only fitting that he now has his number retired and a permanent place on the Comerica Park wall. On behalf of the entire Tigers organization, I congratulate Jim and look forward to celebrating with him, his family, and Tigers fans on August 3.”
For fans interested in attending this ceremony and game, you can buy tickets here. Fans are encouraged to arrive at 5:15 p.m. to catch all the pregame festivities. The first 15,000 fans in attendance will receive a Jim Leyland starter kit, which includes a baseball cap, mustache and sunglasses.
