Back to the Detroit Tigers Newsfeed

15 minutes of fame lasts lifetime for 1968 Tigers star Mickey Stanley

Mickey Stanley's 15 minutes of fame has lasted a lifetime.

Stanley is best remembered for a switch from center field to shortstop for the 1968 World Series, a move that stunned just about everyone - including Stanley - and became one of the focal points in the Tigers' championship run.

His seven games at shortstop, after playing there twice late in the regular season, allowed the Tigers to get then veteran Al Kaline's bat in the lineup. It has been considered one of the greatest managerial moves ever as credited to Mayo Smith.

Fifty years later, the Grand Rapids native is 76 years old and still gets asked about his nine days at shortstop during the course of the series far more than anything else over the 1,500-plus games played during 15 seasons with the Tigers.