The Jersey Got In

The jersey is in the Smithsonian.

July 16, 1985. Lou Whitaker arrives in Minneapolis for the All-Star Game and realizes his uniform is sitting in the back seat of his car in Michigan. The replacement the Tigers ship out gets lost at the airport. He is the starting second baseman for the American League, hitting second, and first pitch is a few hours away.

So a Tigers staffer named Bob Miller tracks down a Metrodome concessionaire with a $15 replica Tigers jersey, no number on the back, and a $6 souvenir cap. He borrows Willie Hernandez's jersey, traces the 1 in black marker, and hands the thing over. Bert Blyleven lends a helmet. Cal Ripken lends a glove. Damaso Garcia lends batting gloves. The Twins come up with socks. Whitaker starts, handles everything hit to him, goes 0-for-2, and comes out in the sixth.

The Smithsonian later asked for that jersey. He gave it to them. It's still in the collection.

Think about where that leaves things. A $15 souvenir shirt he wore for five innings sits in a national museum in Washington. Whitaker himself is not in the one in Cooperstown. Nineteen seasons, all with Detroit. Rookie of the Year, five All-Star selections, three Gold Gloves, 2,369 hits, and a career WAR higher than a long list of players with plaques. In 2001 the writers put him on 15 ballots out of 515, and he was gone after one year.

Asked about it, he said he'd wait his turn. Called it patience. He's been at it a while now.