On June 25, 1953, future Hall of Famer Al Kaline makes his major league debut for the Detroit Tigers. The 18-year-old outfielder comes in for defense, replacing Jim Delsing in center field.  Kaline will fly to center field in his first at-bat in the 9th inning off Harry Bryd. Kaline will remain in the major leagues through the end of the 1974 season and be elected into the Hall of Fame in 1980. 

Game Ticket 

Philadelphia Athletics 5, Detroit Tigers 2

Game Played: Thursday, June 25, 1953 at Connie Mack Stadium
Time of Game:  1:53
Attendance: 2368

Line Score

DET A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 – 2 9 2
PHI A 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 x – 5 8 0 

Umpires: HP — Scotty Robb, 1B – Bill Summers, 2B – Johnny Stevens, 3B – Jim Duffy

Box Score

Starting Lineups

Tigers
1 Harvey Kuenn SS
2 Johnny Pesky 2B
3 Ray Boone 3B
4 Walt Dropo 1B
5 Jim Delsing CF
6 Bob Nieman RF
7 Bud Souchock LF
8 Matt Batts C
9 Dick Marlowe P

Athletics
1 Joe DeMaestri SS
2 Dave Philley RF
3 Eddie Robinson 1B
4 Gus Zernial LF
5 Pete Suder 2B
6 Loren Babe 3B
7 Ed McGhee CF
8 Joe Astroth C
9 Harry Byrd P

Play by Play

TIGERS 1ST: Kuenn grounded out (second to first); Pesky grounded
out (shortstop to first); Boone singled to left; Dropo struck
out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Tigers 0, Athletics 0.

ATHLETICS 1ST: DeMaestri was called out on strikes; Philley
singled to right; Robinson flied out to right; Zernial flied out
to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Tigers 0, Athletics 0.

TIGERS 2ND: Delsing popped to first in foul territory; Nieman
made an out to second; Souchock singled to left; Batts singled
to right [Souchock to third]; Marlowe struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E,
2 LOB. Tigers 0, Athletics 0.

ATHLETICS 2ND: Suder singled to left; Babe walked [Suder to
second]; McGhee forced Suder (pitcher to third) [Babe to
second]; Astroth flied out to right [Babe to third, McGhee to
second]; Byrd singled to shortstop [Babe scored, McGhee stayed
at second]; DeMaestri singled to left [McGhee scored, Byrd to
second]; Philley doubled to left [Byrd scored, DeMaestri scored
(error by Souchock)]; WEIK REPLACED MARLOWE (PITCHING); Robinson
singled to center [Philley scored]; Zernial made an out to
shortstop; 5 R, 5 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Tigers 0, Athletics 5.

TIGERS 3RD: Kuenn flied out to center; Pesky popped to shortstop
in foul territory; Boone popped to catcher in foul territory; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 0, Athletics 5.

ATHLETICS 3RD: Suder made an out to first; Babe flied out to
right; McGhee flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers
0, Athletics 5.

TIGERS 4TH: Dropo struck out; Delsing grounded out (pitcher to
first); Nieman made an out to first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Tigers 0, Athletics 5.

ATHLETICS 4TH: Astroth flied out to left; Byrd flied out to
left; DeMaestri grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB. Tigers 0, Athletics 5.

TIGERS 5TH: Souchock struck out; Batts struck out; Weik struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 0, Athletics 5.

ATHLETICS 5TH: Philley flied out to center; Robinson walked;
HAMILTON RAN FOR ROBINSON; Zernial was called out on strikes;
Suder singled to center [Hamilton to second]; Babe forced Suder
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Tigers 0,
Athletics 5.

TIGERS 6TH: HAMILTON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Kuenn singled
to center; Pesky flied out to right; Boone walked [Kuenn to
second]; Dropo flied out to center; Delsing grounded out (second
to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Tigers 0, Athletics 5.

ATHLETICS 6TH: KALINE REPLACED DELSING (PLAYING CF); McGhee made
an out to shortstop; Astroth singled to left [Astroth to second
(error by Souchock)]; Byrd flied out to left; Astroth was picked
off second (first to third); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 0,
Athletics 5.

TIGERS 7TH: Nieman popped to first in foul territory; Souchock
popped to first in foul territory; Batts grounded out (shortstop
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 0, Athletics 5.

ATHLETICS 7TH: DeMaestri made an out to shortstop; Philley
grounded out (first to pitcher); Hamilton grounded out (second
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 0, Athletics 5.

TIGERS 8TH: MULLIN BATTED FOR WEIK; Mullin singled to right;
Kuenn singled [Mullin to second]; Pesky popped to third in foul
territory; Boone struck out; Dropo popped to first in foul
territory; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Tigers 0, Athletics 5.

ATHLETICS 8TH: MILLER REPLACED MULLIN (PITCHING); Zernial flied
out to right; Suder grounded out (second to first); Babe
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 0,
Athletics 5.

TIGERS 9TH: Kaline flied out to center; Nieman singled to right;
Souchock was called out on strikes; Batts doubled to left
[Nieman to third]; LUND BATTED FOR MILLER; Lund singled to
center [Nieman scored, Batts scored]; Kuenn was hit by a pitch
[Lund to second]; HATFIELD RAN FOR KUENN; Pesky flied out to
center; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Tigers 2, Athletics 5.