A look back at the life of Al Kaline, the Detroit Tigers great, who died on April 6, 2020, at age 85. Detroit Free Press
The following is an excerpt from the Free Press' book, "Gordie: The Legend of Mr. Hockey," published in 2016 after the death of Red Wings superstar Gordie Howe.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the two iconic sports stars in Detroit were right wing Gordie Howe of the Red Wings and rightfielder Al Kaline of the Tigers. During their Hall of Fame careers, they became fast friends.
Howe joined the Wings as an 18-year-old in 1946.