This is part of an occasional series looking back on the 1968 World Series champion Detroit Tigers.
Don Wert was not known for his hitting, but the slick-fielding third baseman put the Detroit Tigers into the 1968 World Series with a pennant-clinching hit that masked a frightening incident earlier in the season and forever changed his productivity at the plate.
Wert, the Tigers' starting third baseman from 1964-70, lined a ninth inning, game-winning single into right field against the New York Yankees that clinched the American League on Sept. 17, 1968.
It came on a 1-1 count with two outs - specifics easy to recount thanks to an iconic photo from The Associated Press.