Latest news with #ChetLemonFoundation
Mint
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Chet Lemon, a star on the Detroit Tigers 1984 championship team, dies at 70
CHICAGO (AP) — Chet Lemon, a three-time All-Star outfielder who helped the Detroit Tigers win the 1984 World Series, has died after a lengthy battle with blood cancer. He was 70. 'The Detroit Tigers join all of baseball in mourning the passing of Chet Lemon,' the team said. 'While he was a World Series champion and All-Star on the field, perhaps his biggest impact came off of it. That includes creating the Chet Lemon Foundation and dedicating much of his post-playing career to youth baseball development. Our thoughts are with Chet's family, friends and all those he coached, mentored and inspired.' Lemon's wife, Gigi, told the Detroit Free-Press her husband had gone to sleep on his reclining sofa at their home in Apopka, Florida. 'He just wasn't responsive,' she said. Lemon batted .273 with 215 homers and 884 RBIs over 16 seasons with Chicago and Detroit from 1975 to 1990. A first-round draft pick by Oakland in 1972, he played his first seven years with the White Sox and made All-Star teams in 1978 and 1979. Lemon was traded to Detroit following the 1981 season for fellow outfielder Steve Kemp. Three years later, he made his third All-Star team and helped Detroit bring home its first championship since 1968. Lemon made a memorable catch in Game 3 of the World Series when he raced back and turned around to snare Terry Kennedy's drive a few steps from the warning track in Tiger Stadium's notoriously deep center field. The Tigers won that game to go up 2-1 in the series and took the next two to capture the championship. 'Chet was the kindest of men and always had that great smile on his face,' Lance Parrish, an All-Star catcher on the 1984 team, said in a statement. 'He was also a fierce competitor on the baseball field and a great teammate. I loved him like a brother.' In retirement, Lemon coached youth and high school and travel baseball in Florida. He also established the Chet Lemon Foundation, which helps athletes earn scholarships and provides support for people affected by strokes and aphasia. Lemon had battled health issues for the past three decades. He was diagnosed with polycythemia vera — a type of blood cancer that can lead to blood clots, according to the Mayo Clinic — and suffered a series of strokes that left him unable to walk or talk in recent years. 'I'll never forget his laughter and infectious smile,' former Tigers pitcher Dan Petry said. 'His athleticism on the field always stood out. But he was an even better teammate and friend.'
Fox News
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Chet Lemon, World Series champion with Tigers, dies at 70
The Detroit Tigers lost one of their beloved stars Thursday when Chet Lemon died at the age of 70. Lemon, an outfielder, won the World Series with the famed 1984 Tigers team. Lemon spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Chicago White Sox, earning back-to-back All-Star nods in 1978 and 1979 and leading the American League with 44 doubles in the latter season. Ahead of the 1982 season, the Sox traded him to the Tigers, and the move looked like an early win for Chicago. Lemon's batting average dipped from .302 to .266. The following season, he hit .255. But he had a resurgence in 1984, raising his average to .287 with a .495 slugging percentage, the second-best of his career. He earned his third and final All-Star nod that season. In the '84 World Series, Lemon hit .294 in five games. He and his teammates were honored at Comerica Park in September to commemorate the 40th anniversary of that title. "While he was a World Series champion and All-Star on the field, perhaps his biggest impact came off of it. That includes creating the Chet Lemon Foundation and dedicating much of his post-playing career to youth baseball development," the Tigers said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with Chet's family, friends and all those he coached, mentored and inspired." "Chet was a cherished teammate and friend," former teammate and Hall of Famer Alan Trammell said in a statement of his own. "I'm so thankful for the time we spent together last summer when the 1984 team had its 40th reunion at Comerica Park. Today is a sad day for us. He will be dearly missed." Lemon also led the league in being hit by pitches four times. A blood disorder in 1990 played a role in Lemon's career being cut short after 16 seasons. A year later, he was in intensive care due to a blood clot. Over the years, he had numerous health issues, including a series of strokes. He had been living in Florida at the time of his death. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
New York Times
08-05-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Chet Lemon, 1984 World Series champion with Tigers, dies at 70
Chet Lemon, the center fielder for the 1984 World Series champion Detroit Tigers, died Thursday morning at his home in Apopka, Fla. He was 70. Born in Jackson, Miss., and raised in California, Lemon played parts of 16 seasons in the major leagues. He debuted with the Chicago White Sox in 1975 and remained with the franchise through 1981. He played for the Tigers from 1982 until his retirement after the 1990 season. Advertisement Lemon retired with a .273 career batting average and three All-Star selections. He was regarded as an electric defender in center field and was a key part of the Tigers' 1984 World Series run. 'Chet was the kindest of men and always had that great smile on his face,' former Tigers catcher Lance Parrish said in a statement. 'He was also a fierce competitor on the baseball field and a great teammate. I loved him like a brother.' The Detroit Tigers join all of baseball in mourning the passing of Chet Lemon. While he was a World Series Champion and All-Star on the field, perhaps his biggest impact came off of it. That includes creating the Chet Lemon Foundation and dedicating much of his post-playing… — Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 8, 2025 After his playing career, Lemon moved to Florida and established the Chet Lemon Baseball School, the Chet Lemon Foundation and also coached at Eustis High School. For the past 30 years, Lemon has battled health issues. He was eventually diagnosed with the rare blood disease polycythemia vera, which causes bone marrow to make too many red blood cells. The extra blood cells thicken and slow blood flow, increasing the risk of blood clots, according to the Mayo Clinic. Lemon suffered at least 13 strokes, leaving him unable to walk or talk in recent years. 'My heart goes out to (Lemon's wife) Gigi and the family,' Hall of Fame shortstop Alan Trammell said. 'Chet was a cherished teammate and friend. I'm so thankful for the time we spent together last summer when the 1984 team had its 40th reunion at Comerica Park. Today is a sad day for us. He will be dearly missed.' Despite his health issues, Lemon attended that reunion last summer, where he received a large ovation from the crowd and a warm embrace from his former teammates. Advertisement 'I always believed my job as a pitcher was made easier when Chet was behind me in center,' former Tigers pitcher Dan Petry said. 'I'll never forget his laughter and infectious smile. His athleticism on the field always stood out, but he was an even better teammate and friend.' (Photo of Chet Lemon (right) shaking hands with Tigers OF Kerry Carpenter (left), who played for Chet Lemon's Juice youth baseball team: Junfu Han / USA Today Network)
CBS News
08-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Chet Lemon, 1984 Tigers World Series champion, passes away at 70
Former Detroit Tigers outfielder and 1984 World Series champion Chet Lemon has died. He was 70 years old. Lemon died at his home on Thursday, the Tigers announced. He had battled various health issues over the years. The Detroit Free Press reported that since he retired in 1990, Lemon had been hospitalized more than 300 times and suffered at least 13 strokes. Lemon was a three-time All-Star, and during the 1984 season, the outfielder earned his final All-Star nod in leading the Tigers to their first World Series title since 1968. That year, Lemon posted a .287 batting average with 20 home runs. The Tigers released the following statement on Lemon's passing: "The Detroit Tigers join all of baseball in mourning the passing of Chet Lemon. While he was a World Series champion and All-Star on the field, perhaps his biggest impact came off of it. That includes creating the Chet Lemon Foundation and dedicating much of his post-playing career to youth baseball development. "Our thoughts are with Chet's family, friends and all those he coached, mentored and inspired." Lemon was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and raised in Compton, California. Originally drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 1972 draft, Lemon made his Major League Baseball debut with the Chicago White Sox in 1975. Lemon would come to Detroit in November 1981 in a trade that sent Steve Kemp to the White Sox. Hall of Fame shortstop Alan Trammell, who played with Lemon from 1982 to 1990, said in a statement, "My heart goes out to Gigi and the family. Chet was a cherished teammate and friend. I'm so thankful for the time we spent together last summer when the 1984 team had its 40th reunion at Comerica Park. Today is a sad day for us. He will be dearly missed." Lemon retired from the game following the 1990 season, ending with a career average of .273, 215 home runs and 814 RBI. Former Tigers pitcher and broadcaster Dan Petry said of Lemon, "I always believed my job as a pitcher was made easier when Chet was behind me in center. I'll never forget his laughter and infectious smile. His athleticism on the field always stood out, but he was an even better teammate and friend." Lemon and his family traveled to Detroit last year to attend a 1984 team reunion at Comerica Park.
Reuters
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Former Tigers, White Sox OF Chet Lemon dies at 70
May 8 - Three-time All-Star center fielder Chet Lemon, who won a World Series with the 1984 Detroit Tigers, died Thursday at his home in Florida. He was 70. "He was sleeping on his reclining sofa," his wife, Gigi Lemon, told the Detroit Free Press. "He just wasn't responsive." Lemon had battled a rare blood disease for the past three decades and had suffered a series of strokes, leaving him unable to walk or talk. Lemon played seven seasons with the Chicago White Sox from 1975-81 and nine with the Tigers from 1982-90. He batted .273 with 215 homers, 884 RBIs, 973 runs and 1,875 hits in 1,988 games. Lemon set a still-standing American League record for outfielders with 512 putouts during the 1977 season. He led the American League with 44 doubles in 1979 and made the All-Star teams in 1978, 1979 and 1984. Lemon batted .294 with a run, an RBI and two stolen bases against the San Diego Padres as Detroit won the 1984 World Series in five games. "The Detroit Tigers join all of baseball in mourning the passing of Chet Lemon," the team said. "While he was a World Series champion and All-Star on the field, perhaps his biggest impact came off of it. That includes creating the Chet Lemon Foundation and dedicating much of his post-playing career to youth baseball development. "Our thoughts are with Chet's family, friends and all those he coached, mentored and inspired." Lemon returned to the Motor City in September 2024 as the Tigers marked the 40th anniversary of that title. He was confined to a wheelchair but enjoyed the emotional reunion with his teammates, his wife said. "You know how much you were a part of us," former Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell told him, per the Detroit Free Press. "We wouldn't have won it without you. You know that." Lemon was born in Jackson, Miss., but the family moved to Los Angeles when he was an infant. The Oakland Athletics selected him with the No. 22 overall pick in the 1972 draft out of L.A.'s Fremont High School. --Field Level Media
