Bill Freehan Forum

  Another Tiger great from my youth has passed.   Though I  was a Yankee fan, I recognized the talent  this man had.   Always feared him against the Yanks.   RIP

Great Guy...I met him at an autograph signing while living in Detroit. 

https://www.petoskeynews.com/obituaries/ppet0057033

Bill Freehan's memorial mass is today in my home town, Petoskey, Michigan. 

These are my husband, Doug's, memories of Bill I thought are share worthy today. August 19, 2021:

Bill Freehan died this morning not too far from where I am at his home on Walloon Lake. When I think about trips to Tiger Stadium as a kid I think about Bill Freehan. We always sat behind the Tiger dugout and in those days the Tigers would warm up by playing catch in front of the dugout. Most if not all of the players took part but I always remember noticing Freehan I think because he was the tallest and wore a catchers mitt. For some reasons we often saw the Tigers play the Senators and I remember the sight of big Frank Howard standing in at the plate and big Bill Freehan behind the plate. Two imposing figures. Another time as a kid when our family attended a brunch at a restaurant in Birmingham I remember Bill Freehan and his family being there too. In the mid 1980''s I was sitting in Mary's Tavern in Gaylord one night and in walked Bill Freehan. We had a brief but pleasant conversation. Of course I knew who he was but didn't let on that I did because I didn't want to be one of those annoying fans. I remember him being a likeable guy.
But I never really knew him. But since about 1965 I've been a Tiger fanatic. I watched or listened to way more games than I've missed and I've made it a point to learn more about these players than just runs, hits and errors. Bill Freehan I've learned was a class act. A great player, Hall of Fame worthy in my opinion but also a great family man and amateur coach. My whole life he's always been there. Even though he's been out of sight for some time it's very sad to know he's not around anymore.