Jan. 4, 1965 - Al Kaline signed his 1965 contract with the Detroit Tigers and took what he called “a considerable pay cut.”
Kaline’s salary last year was estimated to be $62,000.
The terms of the new contract were not disclosed, but Kaline was believed to have signed for $60,000. Under American League rules, no player’s salary can be trimmed more than 25% in a year.
Kaline was 30 years old last Dec. 19. He played in 136 games last season as an outfielder and got into 10 more as a pinch hitter. He batted .293, only the third time since he won the batting title in 1955 that he hit under .300. He hit 17 homers and knocked in 68 runs.
“They treated me fairly,” said Kaline, who has spent his entire career in Detroit. “When I have a good season, I expect to be paid for it. When I have a bad season, I expect to be cut.”
General manager Jim Campbell tried to give Kaline a bigger cut, but Kaline talked him out of it.
“Last season was the worst I’ve ever had in baseball,” said Al, “but now I feel I’m going to have my best one. I feel good, mentally and physically. I just hope I can stay away from all injuries so I can stop these rumors about them trading me.”
Kaline played on a sore foot last season. How much it affected his play nobody really knows. When the season was over, though, the small toe on his left foot had swollen to twice its normal size.
“It’s still a little swollen, and there’s still a red mark on it, but it doesn’t hurt anymore,” said Kaline today.
Another thing that was hurt last season was Kaline’s pride. He was not exactly a member of the Charlie Dressen Fan Club, and a “situation” developed between them in the very first exhibition game.
Kaline hurt his foot while running out a ground ball. Despite the injury, Dressen played him almost every day in the exhibition season. Kaline was too proud to ask for a rest, but the more he played, the worse his foot felt.
“I talked with Charlie at the end of last season, and he said he would rest me whenever he could — perhaps in the second games of doubleheaders,” said Kaline.
Then, with a smile, he added: But if we get up there, I’ll probably never want to come out of the lineup. You never get tired when you’re having a good season, only when you’re going bad.”
Support this project at patreon.com/realtime1960s
Kommentare