Jack Tighe

John Thomas Tighe (August 9, 1913 — August 1, 2002), pronounced "tie", was an American coach, manager and scout for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball.

Born in Kearny, New Jersey, Tighe joined the professional ranks in 1936 as a catcher with the Charleston Senators, a Detroit farm club in the Class C Middle Atlantic League. A right-handed batter, he rose no further as a player than Class A1, two levels below the major leagues, with the Beaumont Exporters of the Texas League in 1938–39.

Jack Tighe as Detroit Tigers manager in 1957

The following season, Tighe became a manager in the minor leagues. He was a Detroit coach for the latter half of the 1942 American League season, then resumed his minor league managerial career from 1944–53. In 1948, Tighe was assigned to be the first manager of the Flint Arrows in the Central League.[1]

He was again named to the Tigers' coaching staff in 1955–56, and replaced his boss, Bucky Harris, as Detroit's manager following the 1956 season. Tighe led the Tigers to a 78–76, fourth-place finish in 1957, but when Detroit faltered early during the 1958 campaign, he was released in favor of Bill Norman. Tighe's career managing record: 99 wins, 104 defeats (.488).

He later managed and scouted in the Milwaukee Braves organization before returning to the Tigers' farm system, winning the 1967 Governors' Cup championship and the 1968 International League regular season pennant at the helm of the Toledo Mud Hens.

Jack Tighe died at age 88, eight days short of his 89th birthday in Pompano Beach, Florida.[2]

References

  1. Adams, Dominic (May 1, 2015). "1 comment Flint joins Baltimore on list of pro baseball games with single-digit attendance". The Flint Journal (Mlive Media Group). Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  2. Former Tigers Manager Jack Tighe dead at 88

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