"We know there will be many more milestones to come, and like all Tiger fans, we will be rooting for Miguel as he surpasses each of them during the remainder of his Hall of Fame career" - Kaline family congratulates Miguel Cabrera as he passes "Mr. Tiger" on all-time hits list
As the 2022 season rolls on, the mythology of Miguel Cabrera continues to grow. Miguel Cabrera recently smacked his 3,008th major league hit, passing Hall of Fame right fielder Al Kaline for 31st on the all-time MLB leaderboard. Kaline was a legend for the Detroit Tigers, serving as the face of the franchise during the 1950s and 1960s.
Miguel Cabrera entered elite company this week
That is a LOT of 3-hit games for Miguel Cabrera. #DetroitRoots
@MiguelCabrera https://t.co/opOIKXE6dH
That is a LOT of 3-hit games for Miguel Cabrera.
Kaline was an 18-time All-Star during his 22 years in Major League Baseball. He spent the entirety of his career with the Detroit Tigers, accumulating 3,007 hits to go along with 399 home runs and 1,583 RBIs. He also won 10 gold gloves during his career as many claimed he boasted the best arm in the American League. He won a batting title, a Roberto Clemente Award and a World Series title in 1968.
Kaline was a Tiger for life. After retiring from the team they retired his number 6 and he was elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot. He served as a broadcaster for the club as soon as he retired for 27 years. Al Kaline unfortunately passed away in 2020. However, when Miguel Cabrera passed his milestone for hits, Al's wife Louise (lovingly referred to as Madge) had nothing but praise for the legendary slugger.
Statement from Louise Kaline on behalf of the Kaline family: https://t.co/FpsuuAYl6Q
"On behalf of the Al Kaline family, I'd like to join the Tigers in congratulating Miguel Cabrera on reaching and ultimately surpassing the 3,007 hit mark that Al achieved back in 1974," the statement reads. "Al had often said that Miguel was the greatest hitter he'd ever seen. And I know Al would have been the first to congratulate his friend on this accomplishment with a handshake and, of course, a big hug..."We know there will be many more milestones to come, and like all Tiger fans, we will be rooting for Miguel as he surpasses each of them during the remainder of his Hall of Fame career."-Louise Kaline
Cabrera will continue to set milestones and records in the 2022 season. The next major milestone in his career will be 600 doubles. Cabrera, who is arguably the greatest righty hitter in the game, is sitting at 599 two-baggers entering play on Saturday. He'll be beloved by Tigers fans just as Kaline was, as the Tigers have always loved their legends.