Virgil Trucks obit

Virgil Trucks, who pitched two Tigers no-hitters in 1952, dies at 95

 

He was not on the list.

His first name was Virgil, his nickname was "Fire."

"Fire" Trucks was the nickname an Alabama sportswriter gave him. And it stuck.

Former Tiger Virgil Trucks died Saturday evening near his home in Calera, Ala, outside Birmingham, his daughter told The Detroit News. He was 95.

"He loved Detroit," Carolyn Beckwith, his daughter, said from her home in Alabama. "He used to say he played with the Detroit Tigers and four other teams."

Trucks suffered a bad fall last year, but recovered. He was admitted to the hospital Thursday morning with what doctors deemed was pneumonia.

He was a fine pitcher on Tigers teams that finished anywhere from first place to last in his career — throwing two no-hitters in 1952, a season in which the Tigers went 50-104. Current ace Justin Verlander is the only other Tiger to throw two no-hitters, but didn't do it in the same year.

Interestingly, Trucks' record in 1952 was just 5-19.

But he turned right around and had a 20-10 record for the St. Louis Browns and Chicago White Sox combined in 1953.

The Tigers re-acquired him for the 1956 season, but traded him the following December to the Kansas City Athletics. He finished his 17-year career with the New York Yankees in 1958.

In 12 seasons for the Tigers, who signed him as an amateur in 1938, he was 114-96 with a 3.50 ERA and 13 saves.

There are two other achievements that are essential to know about Trucks' career, however.

After signing in 1938 with the Tigers, Trucks struck out 418 batters for their Class D team in Andalusia, Ala. That's the year he was given his nickname because of his fastball.

And Trucks was just two weeks out the Navy when he pitched a complete-game victory for the Tigers in Game 2 the 1945 World Series — helping the Tigers beat the Chicago Cubs in seven games for the franchise's second world championship.

After his playing career, he coached for a while — and was on the staff of the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates team that beat the Yankees in the World Series.

No surprise, though, Trucks always remained a Tiger at heart, and kept an eye on the team's roster and successes in recent years.

"He called me not too long ago," Tigers president and GM Dave Dombrowski said Sunday in Port St. Lucie, Fla., where the Tigers played the Mets in a spring-training game. "He left the message that he was wishing me well, wished the team well and liked the club.

"He was a very nice man."

Late Sunday, Tigers owner Mike Ilitch released a statement.

It read, in part:

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Virgil Trucks. Virgil will forever be remembered for his significant contributions in Tigers' history.

"Virgil remained a friend to the club following his career and will be greatly missed by those of us who had the pleasure of knowing him. The entire Detroit Tigers organization and Marian and I, extend our sincere condolences to Virgil's family."

Trucks not only stayed in touch with the ballclub, he also stayed in touch with his legions of fans, many of whom took to writing him letters during his later years.

Impressively, Trucks took pride in responding to each one with autographs and hand-written notes — and quickly, often within days.

"Absolutely, he did!" Beckwith said. "That was his life."

Even last week, in the hospital, Trucks was asking family members to receive his letters so he could sign more autographs.

Trucks had five children, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is survived by his fourth wife, Elizabeth Ann.

Public visitation is scheduled for Thursday, starting at 11 a.m., at The Charter Funeral Home in Calera, Ala. That will be followed by a burial at Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, Ala.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Amazing Grace Worship Center in Saginaw, Ala., or St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.