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Tom Matchick, member of 1968 world champion Tigers, dies at 78

He played only three seasons with the Tigers, but one of those years was 1968.

And that was long enough, and opportunity enough, for a part-time player like Tom Matchick to earn a high-profile place in Tigers history.

Matchick, 78, died Tuesday in his native Ohio, it was announced by the Tigers.

Tommy Matchick blows a kiss to the crowd after he is introduced at a ceremony in 2018.

His grand moment for the Tigers came during Detroit’s merry, season-long romp to a world championship in 1968 — on a Friday evening at Tiger Stadium, July 19.

There were 53,208 tickets sold, the most in seven years at Tiger Stadium, as the then-regal Orioles came to Detroit with ideas of putting heat on the first-place Tigers.