R.I.P.: Jim Price, Longtime Radio Analyst For MLB Detroit Tigers

(1942-2023)

Jim Price, a longtime radio analyst for the Detroit Tigers, died Monday at age 81.

Price was a catcher on the 1968 Tigers team that won the World Series and spent five years of his career with Detroit, according to The Detroit News.

“All of us with the Detroit Tigers are deeply saddened to learn of Jim Price’s passing,” Tigers chairman and CEO Chris Ilitch said in a statement. “Jim was a champion on the field, in the broadcast booth, and throughout the community. That Jim was with the organization for much of his life, doing what he loved, is such a powerful sign of his dedication and loyalty to the Tigers and the city of Detroit.

"Those are among the many reasons Jim was one of my mother and father’s favorite people, and they had such a strong relationship for many years. The thoughts of my family, and everyone across baseball, are with Jim’s wife, Lisa, and the entire Price family.”

“My favorite memories working with Jim were the days when Al Kaline would stop in the booth — and I’d get to hear them tell stories, swap some tall tales, just make each other laugh about something from the past, or current day. The ’68 team was my team — the team that got me hooked on baseball, and I loved hearing all about the wildly different personalities that made up that team."

We mourn the passing of Jim Price, a treasured member of the Tigers organization for decades.

He spent all five years of his playing career wearing the Olde English ‘D’, including the 1968 World Series championship season.

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 8, 2023

Price was known for his signature descriptions of the pitches and plays he described, including one of the most famous: "Yellowhammer," along with "the art of pitching" and "buggywhip."

"Learning about things like the origins of Jim’s famous 'Yellowhammer' — his colorful description of a good breaking ball. Jim said it came from teammate Pat Dobson and was named after a bird," Dickerson said. "So one day, we looked it up — and sure enough, a Yellowhammer is a bird that is known for its ability to sharply dart down and away, just like a good curveball. We both got such a kick out of discovering that, and it always added to the moment whenever Jim would break it out — and then we could share a laugh, knowing the history behind the word