By David Fleet
Editor
Detroit— On the field Jim Price backed up legendary catcher Bill Freehan, was a member of the Tigers 1968 World Champion team and a staunch leader in the battle against Autism.
When his playing days waned, Price stepped off the field into the press box and for the last three decades added radio color to Tiger broadcasts. Price died Aug. 7.
He was 81.
A Harrisburg, Penn, native, Price played 64 games in 1968, in the Tigers World Series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. He played in 261 Major League games, as a Tiger, Price hit .214 with 18 home runs, 71 RBIs, 62 walks and 70 strikeouts.
Bill Haney, a Brandon Township resident and long-time author, was an acquaintance of Price.
“Jim Price had a combination of qualities seldom found in a professional athlete,” said Haney. “He was modest to the point of playing down his accomplishments. He had a passion for the game that transcended and endured long after his playing days as he became a highly respected elder statesman for baseball.”
Jim didn’t post gaudy numbers in his five years with the Tigers, but he was a solid defensive catcher that pitchers trusted behind the plate, added Haney.
“He had the misfortune of being the backup to Bill Freehan, one of the finest catchers of all time,” he said.
“I met him for the first time in May 1984 when Ernie Harwell had me on his pre-game show and asked me to spend the day with him in the broadcast booth,” he said. “That summer I was working with Ernie on his first book, “Tuned to Baseball,” and so I spent many hours in that booth and got to know Jim better.”
That turned out to be another great year for the Tigers as they started the year 35-5 and went on to win the pennant and beat the Chicago Cubs in the World Series.
Haney said Jim was as excited as Ernie when we premiered the Harwell book and asked Ernie and me to sign his copy, along with many Tiger greats at our launch event at Pine Lake Country Club.
“Jim was a leader and a dynamic force for many worthwhile causes,” he said. “He and I talked about autism, a poorly understood condition, some years before he went the next step and founded Jack’s Place for Autism Foundation.”
“I could always count on Jim to give enthusiastic support on Tigers broadcasts about the Gehringer-Kaline Meadow Brook Golf Classic,” he said. “That was an event I ran to raise funds the preserve Meadow Brook Hall and to support student-athletes at Oakland University.”