Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame to induct Kirk Gibson, Homer H.S. dynasty

LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State Spartan-turned-Detroit Tiger Kirk Gibson and the Homer High School dynasty of 2003-2006 will comprise the 2016 class of the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame, the Hall of Fame announced Thursday.

Gibson and the members of the Homer Trojans, led by baseball coach Scott Salow, will be inducted on Saturday, June 25th, prior to the Lansing Lugnuts/West Michigan Whitecaps game at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The inductees were determined by a vote of a special Hall of Fame committee: the late Detroit Tigers broadcasting icon Paul Carey, WLNS TV 6's Fred Heumann, WILX TV 10's Tim Staudt, Detroit Tigers broadcaster Mario Impemba, Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster Joe Block, the MHSAA's Mark Uyl, longtime high school coach Jake Boss Sr., Detroit Tigers scout Clyde Weir and former University of Michigan head baseball coach Rich Maloney.

Kirk Gibson emerged from Waterford Kettering High School, where he was a four-sport standout, to play one record-setting baseball season at Michigan State. Gibson batted .390 for the Spartans, rewriting the school record book with 16 home runs and 52 runs batted in. Drafted 12th overall by the Tigers in 1978, Gibson played 17 seasons in the Major Leagues. He won two World Series titles, with the Tigers in 1984 and the Dodgers in 1988, and was honored with the 1984 American League Championship Series MVP Award and the 1988 National League MVP Award. In his two most famous moments, Gibson slugged a dramatic home run off Goose Gossage to clinch the 1984 World Series and belted a pinch-hit game-winning two-run homer off Dennis Eckersley to lift the Dodgers to a stunning Game 1 victory over Oakland in the 1988 World Series. Following his playing career, Gibson served as Detroit bench coach from 2003-2005 before managing the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2010-2014. He currently serves as an analyst on Fox Sports Detroit.

From 2003-2006, the Homer High School Trojans recorded a remarkable 143-6 record. During that span, Homer won 75 straight games - 47 games ended by mercy rule, 41 shutouts, 12 no-hitters and two perfect games - to break both the state and national record for consecutive victories and capture the first undefeated title in Michigan history. Led by head coach Scott Salow, the Trojans won state championships in both 2004 and 2006, thanks to a rotation headlined by future Central Michigan Chippewa and Major Leaguer Josh Collmenter through 2004, and by Dan Holcomb, who tossed four perfect games among nine total no-hitters, through 2006. The 2006 Michigan Mr. Baseball Award was shared by Holcomb and catcher Dale Cornstubble, and Salow was named the 2006 National Baseball Coach of the Year. The group was featured in ESPN's 50 States in 50 Days and has had two separate books written about their accomplishments.

To purchase tickets to the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame event or for more information, stop by the Cooley Law School Stadium box office, call (517) 485-4500 or visit lansinglugnuts.com.

To learn more about the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame, including previous inductees, the selection committee and more, please visit the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame website. 

 

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