WATCH: Detroit Tigers honor Hall of Famer & former World Series champ Jim Leyland by retiring his No. 10 jersey in a heartwarming ceremony
The Detroit Tigers honored Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland prior to Saturday's game against the Kansas City Royals. The former Tigers manager's No.10 was retired and immortalized on the Comerica Park bricks.
A special ceremony was held to honor the three-time Manager of the Year, with Tigers legend and future Hall of Fame contender Miguel Cabrera also in attendance.
Leyland's name and number were placed next to World Series winner Sparky Anderson. The former World Series-winning manager was humbled by the honorary ceremony.
“When I look out on that wall and see my name with the Tiger greats, it’s hard to believe,” Leyland said.
“I wanted to thank AJ and his players and his coaches for letting me be just a tiny part of what's going on,” Leyland said later. “This is not my show anymore. I'm way in the background, where I want to be, but it meant a lot to me that they came out."
Leyland arrived in Detroit after stints with the Pittsburg Pirates, Florida Marlins (now Miami Marlins) and the Colorado Rockies. In his first season with the Tigers, he guided the team to the World Series in 2006, losing the Fall Classic to the St. Louis Cardinals.
He guided the team to another World Series in 2012 amid three successive AL Central championships. However, his second World Series bout with the Tigers also ended in disappointment with the San Francisco Giants triumphing in the marquee clash.
“He was the calming presence in that locker room for the guys at that time, and that’s what that’s what we needed,” former Tigers closer Todd Jones said.
Detroit Tigers players hand the perfect gift to Jim Leyland
The Detroit Tigers entered Saturday's game against the Royals on a game-losing skid. Jim Leyland had only one request from the Tigers players: show some fight and win the game.
“And I did also tell them, 'How about going out and winning the goddamn game?'" Leyland said during the ceremony.
The Tigers' roster obliged as it completed a remarkable come-from-behind 6-5 victory in 11 innings to end the team's losing streak.