rob's blog

INTERNATIONAL TOMMY BROOKENS DAY

It’s been two decades since the Detroit Tigers were the best team in baseball. I was seven years of age and I remember the night fondly. At our small but wonderful house in Livonia we watched as the last out occurred and with it a symphony of horns sounding around our neighborhood and the occasional unsynocpated firework that shot off one or two blocks over off in the distance. Eventually that all died down except for what I saw on the television: the joy of champagne sprayed all over the victorious heroes contrasted with the maniacal overturning of cars which were eventually set ablaze.

There were names. Lots and lots of names to remember. The lineup almost always started with Lou, Tram, Gibby and Lance Parrish bringing them all home. There was Castillo, Lemon, Herndon, Evans, Morris, Rozema and so many many others. And they’ve all earned their place in Tiger folklore no doubt. But the guy that stands out, and the guy we’re honoring today is none other than 3rd baseman Tom Brookens.

Tommy wasn’t the most highly skilled at his position by any means. But that’s not the point. Statistics only can go so far and explain so much. But for ten years almost day in and day out Brookens played 3rd base with unwavering attention. He was one of the hardest workers on the team.

This all came from a reminder. I was stumbling upon a certain site and came across this profile, and it resonated with me just how hard Brookens worked for the Tigers:

I like laughing and joking around with my friends Jack Morris and Dave Bergman. I'll never forget our eight year mustache contest (I won- a round of Miller High Life at Lindell's AC and some venison kielbasa from the 12 point buck that Bergman shot that year up at his cabin in Escanaba) But when it's game time pal, I would run through a brick wall if it helped the Detroit Tigers put one in the W column. I am shackled to mediocrity just like you, but that didn't stop me from kicking medium ass for ten seasons in Tiger blue. I am an average sized person with reasonable speed and a fairly decent ability to throw, catch, and hit a baseball. I may not be a superstar like Robin Yount or Steve Balboni, but I can play any defensive position. I even filled in at catcher for a game back in '85. I may not have had the power of, say, Darrell Evans, but I could maybe hit a double up the gap and help the Detroiters win the ballgame. Sometimes I get good wood on it, like when I homered off the Brewers' Teddy Higuera in '87 to break his 32-inning scoreless streak. In the field, I might not always come up with the ball, but I always, always dive for that fucker!

And from there it all came back to me. Just how important this man was. I tried contacting someone at the Tigers office to make this day that much more special. I really wanted to interview him for his day. To celebrate and recognize that hard work doesn’t always transfer to mere numbers, but to what kind of person you are on the field. Cheers, Tommy.

Here’s a few of what my friends had to say as well:

TIM SENDRA - Detroit Indie Pop Pioneer/President, Santa Monica Swim and Dive Club : TB was always the forgotten man. Trammell was our Ripken. Sweet Lou was the slickest second baseman since Tito Fuentes (except with talent). Darrell Evans was a pock-marked savior. We didn't need Mike Schmidt with an infield like that, all we needed was ready steadiness. Which we got every game without fail. That, and a soup strainer that wouldn't quit. Bless you Brookens!

NIMA BARARSANI - Man of Leisure/Eanser Extrodinare/Dilettante: I would like to share my top three highlights from my youth much spent ogling over my beloved Tigers in the middle 80’s. Whoever can forget the wonder-child from Pennsylvania hiding behind professor spectacles and porn-star moustache. He, who won the hearts of about 1,027,000 Detroiters in 1980, as he burst on the scene with his first (and unique) “10/10” season, erasing the dismal memories of his 29 errors (a then Tigers record) in 60 games during his 1979 rookie campaign.
3. Tom Brookens dampers “Mexico’s Golden Boy Deux” Ted Higuera’s (note: Fernando Mania will always be THE Golden Boy of Mexico) 32 inning scoreless streak in the 5th inning versus the Milwaukee Brewers on September 11, 1987. Mind you, this was two years before Orel Hershiser’s 59.
2. The one and only Mr. Brookens ends Jimmy Key’s no-hitter with a lead-off single in the 9th inning of the June 6, 1985 battle between the Tigers and Jays.
1. Dr. B. blesses Corktown with an extra-inning home run to humble the boys in pinstripes. Why, you ask, is this my favorite? Well, not only because I hate the Yankees, but also because of this.They’re still bitter. Pretty good Tom Brookens’ memorabilia

REILLY BRENNAN- Angry Young Man/CEO, Car Magnum : "led the AL in errors at 3B in 1980 and 1985, and tied an AL 3B record on September 6, 1980 with four errors in an inning." Fuck Brookens because Brooks Robinson is my 2nd
cousin.

C. CRAIG- Elusive Guy/Planet E : Brookens is the shit! He's not Prince, but he's just as cool.

BILL LAJOIE- Former Tigers GM/Important Man of Town: I...remember the night we were in a tie ballgame and Aurelio Lopez came in and walked the bases loaded. He threw a screamer to the next guy, who hit a rocket to Tommy Brookens at third. Brookens stepped on third for the second out and threw to first for the third. A triple play and we’re out of the inning.

FILTHY CELEBRTIY IMPOSTER- DJ/Social Commentator/E! Correspondant: In the late 80's there wasn't a better place for hot humping like the motor-city. When my blood would really get pumping, I'd always find myself dressing up like Coleman Young or Wayne Fontes and hopping a Greyhound for Detroit. One such instance comes to mind in particular. It was 1988, and I'd heard The Royals were in town playing The Tigers. Not only was I feeling incredibly randy, but I'd been wanting to try out my new Bo Jackson costume, so I took the opportunity to kill two hot-ass birds with one sexy, sexy stone. With three gallons of warm thousand-island dressing, a bottle of syrup of ipecac and a sack of rotten soft-boiled eggs in hand, I showed up at Tom Brookens' house around midnight and found the door unlocked. I let myself in, made my way past his collection of preserved testicles of world leaders and headed down to the basement. Once I entered the basement, there wasn't a single surprise to be found. Just as I expected, Sparky Anderson, Bob Probert and Adrian Dantley were covered in raw ground beef while engaged in an extra-sweaty Reuther (AKA The 696). Meanwhile, Matt Nokes was tenderly plunging his catcher's mitt up Aretha Franklin's tush while the godmother of soul jammed the splintery end of a broken earwax-lubricated baseball bat up Ted Nugent's emergency exit. Through it all, Brookens just sat in the corner, smoking a pipe and sipping a brandy glass filled from his barrel of Joe Louis's pee.

"Hey, who wants a Bo Jackson from Bo Jackson?" I asked. The room erupted in laughter, but the laughter was soon muffled as every mouth in the joint was quickly filled by a schlong, a knocker, a butthole and/or some combination of salad dressing, ground-beef, and an indiscernible blend of bodily fluids and solids. It was so amazing that when we were done, Jesus came over and gave us a trophy.

CRASH TEST DUMMY- Woman Who Wishes to be Anonymous

A HAIKU FOR BROOKENS

shagging fast line drives
compares not to any fine lady
thank you, dear mustache

MARK GRAHAM- Curator Whatevs.org/Gentleman of Leisure about Detroit

While the fans and media focused their attention on the glorious duo of Sweet Lou and Tram, Tiger Stadium's Hot Corner was quietly yet efficiently patrolled by the blue-collar hero Tommy Brookens during the 1980s. As a youngster growing up in the Detroit suburbs, I always found myself drawn to the scrappy, workman-like skills that Brookens displayed; he was never a particularily strong hitter (career .246 with 70 HRs) nor was he an exceptional fielder (in 1980, he had more errors than any other third baseman), but Tommy Brookens was a team-first kind of guy who always seemed to come through in the clutch. As someone who was mildly yet not overwhelming athletic myself, I was able to identify and learn from his disciplined and focused approach to athletics. By putting in the time and the hard work, you can fight off rivals to the throne, even if they have more natural talent (as Brookens did in 1984 when the hot-shot rookie Howard Johnson tried to usurp his buzz). But perhaps most importantly, Brookens should be commended for paving the way for a certain Hawaii-based private investigator with the way he wore both his mustache and the Old English D. Long live #16, and my sincere gratitude goes out to Rob for deservedly honoring one of our forgotten brethren.

BIG MATT - Editor/Writer, MotorCityRocks.com :
Tom Brookens wasn't flashy, was an average hitter, didn't speak much but I remember watching or listening to Tigers broadcasts that everyone loved him, but that wasn't so true in my neighborhood. Remember when you were growing up and when you played ball everyone always pretends they are someone else. Gibson, Trammell, Sweet Lou, Nokes, Lemon were always choosen but no one wanted to be Tom Brookens. We knew he was a dependable player at his position, but for some reason we all thought he was so uncool.

IAN DINSMOR - Lifelong Chicago Cubs Fan/One time Detroit Resident: Thank you Mr. Brookens for defeating the San Diego Padres in October of 1984. It was greatly appreciated after what they did to the Cubs in 5 games. Go Cubs Go.

MACKENZIE J WILSON -Maltese falcon, Goddess writer of AMG, VENUS, BUST, Devil in the Woods and Rockpile and a blushing loyalist to the MDV. :The Roar of '84, baby! Cheers to Tom Brookens and his fabulous 'stache. He and Gibby were my favorite players as a kid. It has to be the 'stache though. Every Detroit Tiger had a moustache: Willie Hernandez, Chet Lemon, Larry Herndon, Dan Petry, Walt Terrell. Note to John Grubb & Darrell Evans: are you guys sellin' us out, yo? Bless you Boys! Bless you Brookens!

MARK VANDERHOFF- Chicago Institution: I met Tom Brookens in 1987 when he had a signing at a local Kroger. If you were to walk into my room right now you would see clothes on the floor, two pictures of the Diego Rivera mural from the DIA, and a signed picture of a young Yours Truly sitting in front of a wall of Coke and Squirt cans next to a Hawaiian-shirted Tom Brookens. And despite my later fascination with Mike Heath, and the signed Alan Trammel ball next to the picture, it remains one of my prized possessions.

Do you have a special Brookens moment you'd like to share? Email me and I'll post it! Check back for continuous updates throughout the day!

Posted by rob at March 3, 2004 10:09 AM