FSL1 Lakeland Flying Tigers

Justin Verlander and Kirk Gibson Selected to Florida State League Hall of Fame

Published on September 24, 2015 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Lakeland Flying Tigers News Release


Lakeland, FL - The Florida State League (FSL) Hall of Fame Committee announced the 2015 Class of Inductees. The 2015 Class will be inducted into the FSL Hall of Fame on November 10, 2015 at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach. This will be the seventh induction ceremony.

Justin Verlander was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the first round (second overall pick) of the June 2004 draft. He began his professional career in the FSL with the Lakeland Tigers in 2005 where he was 9-2 with a 1.67 ERA with 104 strikeouts in 86 innings in the first half of the season before being promoted to Double A Erie. Verlander helped guide Lakeland to 45-20 record and a West Division Championship. He was selected to the FSL's mid-season All-Star squad. Verlander was named the top prospect in the Tigers organization and second-best prospect in the FSL following the season by Baseball America. He was tabbed to Baseball America's first-team minor league All-Star squad and garnered a spot on the publication's high Single A All-Star squad as well.

Verlander registered 17 wins for the Detroit Tigers and was named American League Rookie of the Year in 2006 while helping the club win the American League Championship. With a 24-5 record and 2.40 ERA in 2011, Verlander became one of just 11 players to win the Cy Young and MVP Award in the same season, joining pitchers like Sandy Koufax (1963), Bob Gibson (1968), Roger Clemens (1986), Dennis Eckersley (1992) and Clayton Kershaw (2014). The six-time All-Star and three-time strikeout king has thrown two no-hitters in his career. Verlander leads all major league pitchers since 2006 with 156 wins while he is second with 1,929 strikeouts.

Kirk Gibson was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the first round (twelfth overall pick) of the June 1978 draft. The former Michigan State Spartan was an All-American Wide Receiver and set several Big Ten and school receiving records. He began his professional career in the FSL with the Lakeland Tigers in 1978 where he hit .240 with 27 runs, 42 hits, 5 doubles, 4 triples, 8 home runs, 40 RBI and 13 stolen bases in only 54 games and 175 at bats.

Gibson won a World Series with the Tigers in 1984 and with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988. He has hit two of the most memorable home runs in World Series history connecting off Goose Gossage in Game 5 of the 1984 series and also Game 1 of the 1988 series where he hit a pinch-hit, walk-off home run against Dennis Eckersley. Gibson played 17 seasons where he hit .268 with 1,553 hits, 255 home runs, 870 RBI and 284 stolen bases. He was the 1988 National League MVP, 1984 ALCS MVP, a two-time All-Star selection (1985 & 1988) and NL Silver Slugger in 1988. Gibson was the National League Manager of the Year with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011 where he led them to a 94-68 record and a first-place finish in the NL West Division. He currently is a color commentator for the Detroit Tigers on Fox Sports Detroit.

Other selections for the class of 2015 include Josh Beckett (pitcher), Kenny Lofton (player), Kevin Mench (player), Frank Thomas (player), Omar Malave (manager), Luis Sojo (manager), Debbie Brooks (executive), Rob Rabenecker (executive), Tom Simmons (executive), Mitch Lukevics (Farm Director) and Richie Garcia (umpire).

The ceremony will take place on November 10, 2015 at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach. The event is open to the public and tickets are $75.00 per person. For more information please contact the Florida State League at 386-252-7479 or fslbaseball@cfl.rr.com.

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