Manager Steve O'Neill guides team to a pennant winning 88-65, one and half games over the second place Washington Senators

Detroit tops Cubs 4-games to 3 in the 1945 World Series as Hal Newhouser posts two Series wins, including an Series opener 9-0 victory. Hank Greenberg returns from Military duty and crashes three doubles, two home runs, scores 7-runs and collects 7-RBIs. Doc Cramer goes 11-for-29 and tallies seven runs.

1945 Detroit Tigers - World Series Lineup:

Doc Cramer, Centerfielder - a 20-year major league veteran, he was one of the AL's top fielders. Born in Beach Haven, New Jersey, Roger Doc Cramer broke into the big-leagues back in 1929, and was 40-years old when the '45 Series rolled in. A lifetime .296 batter, he led all WS batters with a compelling .379 batting mark, lining 11-hits in 29 at-bats, scored 7 runs and had 4 RBIs.

Roy Cullenbine, Outfielder - a switch-hitter, in the Series he drew eight walks, lined 5-hits in 22 at-bats, scored five times and drove in four teammates. An excellent batter, in his career spanning 1938 thru 1947, Cullenbine twice led the league in base-on-balls and finished second once. A .276 career hitter, he known as 'the Walking Man' and collected 853 free passes in 1.181 games while striking out just 399 times - producing a stellar .401 on-base-percentage.

Hank Greenberg, Outfielder - a Hall of Fame power-hitter, he returned to the Motor City from military duty in July and slugged five extra base hits in the Series, including a massive 3-run shot in Game 2 that propelled Detroit to a 4-1 win. Hammering Hank posted eight consecutive seasons of over .300 seasons and hit over .335 four times, and his .92 RBIs per/game is third best in baseball history - trailing only Lou Gehrig and Sam Crawford.

Paul Richards, Catcher - rated as one of the best handlers of pitchers, he was also a patient batter. He had 4-hits in 19 Series at-bats, including two doubles, walked four times and his 6 RBIs was second highest in the Series. Well-known as a manager after he retired, Richards led the league twice in fielding pct - .986 in '43 and .995 in '45, he also led twice in assists and four-times in saving runs according to 'Total Baseball' statistics. Career-wise, he hit .227 in 523 games, spanning from 1932 thru 1946.

Rudy York, First Baseman - a power-packed, popular player, his 18 home runs in the '45 season were third highest in the league and his 98 RBIs were 5th best. Although he hit a disappointing .179 in the Series, he drove in three runs. York hit over .300 three times in his 13-year career, crashed 277 home runs, scored 876 Runs, had 1,152 RBIs and played with the Tigers from 1934-1945 before being traded.

Skeeter Webb, Shortstop - an aggressive fielder, he collected 343 assists and had 215 putouts in 104 games during the 1945 regular season. In the Series, James Skeeter Webb was 5-for-27, and walked 3-times, scored 4 runs, one RBI in seven Series' games. A career .219 hitter, he had 498 career hits in 699 games spanning 12 seasons.

Eddie Mayo, Second Baseman - a high-range fielder, Mayo topped all AL keystoners with 120 double plays in '44 and his .980 fielding percentage topped every second baseman in '45. In the Series, Mayo produced seven hits in 28 at-bats, scored four runs and drove in a pair of runs.

Jimmy Outlaw, Third Baseman - in 1945, his .271 batting in 132 regular season games, included 16 doubles and 5 triples and he paced all AL third basemen with 6 double plays. In the Series, Outlaw went 5-for-28, with 3 RBIs, and scored once. James Outlaw career stats: .268 BA, 257 Runs, 184 RBIs in 10 major league seasons.

Hal Newhouser, Left-handed Pitcher - he dominated opposing batters and won back-to-back Most Valuable Player Awards in 1944-1945. The 6-ft, 2-inch, 190-pounder went 29-9, with a stingy 2.22 ERA in '44 and 25-9, with a miserly 1.81 ERA in '45. In the Series Newhouser completed 2-of-3 starts, won two games, lost one with a 6.10 ERA in 20 2/3 innings and the flame-thrower fanned 22 would be hitters. Career: 207-150 record, 3.06 ERA, 1,796 Ks in 2,993 innings.

Virgil Trucks, Right-handed Pitcher - he completed 1-of-2 Series starts after returning from the military shortly before the World Series began. Fireball Trucks was 1-0, with a 3.38 ERA in the Series. In his long 17-year career, the first 11 in Detroit, he posted a 177-135 record, 3.39 ERA and struck out 1,534 batters in 2,682 innings.

Stubby Overmire, Left-handed Pitcher - he was 9-9 in the '45 season, completed 9-of-22 starts, with a 3.68 ERA in 162 innings. He started and pitched six strong innings, allowed just 4-hits, 2-runs and was the losing pitcher in Game 3 before 55,500 in Detroit. Frank Overmire career: 58-67, 3.96 ERA 266G, 137GS, 50GC, 1,130 innings. Detroit 1943-49;St Louis Browns 1950-51, 1952; NY Yanks 1951.

Dizzy Trout, Right-handed Pitcher - he was 18-15, 3.14 ERA in '45, completed 18-of-31 starts, including 4 shutouts. In the Series Paul Dizzy Trout tossed a complete game 5-hitter in Game 4 leading Detroit to a 4-1 victory and was the losing pitcher in a two-inning relief stint in Game 6. He allowed just one earned run in 13.3 innings. Career stats: 170-161, 3.23 ERA, 521G, 322GS, 158GC, 28 shutouts, 1,256Ks in 2,725.7 innings.

Al Benton, Right-handed Pitcher - he pitched five innings in the 1942 All-Star Game and returned to MoTown after serving in military during '43-44. He missed over two months of the '45 season with a fractured right ankle caused by a hard line-drive, but still managed to win some key games in the pennant drive. John Alton Benton went 13-8 and posted a resounding 2.02 ERA in 1945. In the World Series he relieved in three games and yielded only one run in 4 2/3 innings. Career: 98-88 W/L, a 3.66 ERA, 455G, 167GS, 58GC, 1,688 innings.

Other Players World Series Statistics:

Edward Red Borom, SS/2B, 0-for-1 in 2G... Zeb Eaton, PH, 0-for1 in 1G... Joe Hoover, SS, 1-for-3, 1R, 1 RBI in 1G... Bob Maier, PH, 1-for-1, in 1G... John McHale, OF/PH, 0-for-3 in 3G... Ed Mierkowicz, OF, 0-for-1, 1G... Chuck Hostetier, OF/PH, 0-for-3 in 3G... Bob Swift, C, 1-for-4, 1R in 3G... Hub Walker, PH, 1-for-2, 1D, 1R in 2G...

Pitchers:

Tommy Bridges - 3-hits, 3R, 3W, 1K in 1.7 Innings, 1G... George Caster - 0-hits, 1K in 2/3 inning, 1G... Les Mueller - 0-hits, 1W, 1K in 2 innings, 2G... Jim Tobin - 4-hits, 2R, 2W, 2K in 3 innings, 1G...

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