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8 | MAY 7 • 2020
1942 - 2020
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How to reach us see page 10
And the more I was into it, the more he
seemed to want to show me.
”
Kaline had not yet reached the limit of
his generosity. Before leaving on the last
day of camp, he sought out Surnow. “He
told me he had something to give me,
”
Michael said. With that, “
Al took out a
brand-new baseball. He autographed it
right in the sweet spot which only Hall
of Famers can do. He gave it to me, and I
cherish it to this day.
”
In April 2004, Dr. Marvin Sonne, a den-
tist from Farmington Hills, was looking for
a meaningful way to bring some joy to his
longtime close friend and fellow dentist,
Dr. Michael Kohleriter. Michael, 62, a for-
mer Detroiter, lay bedridden in his home
in Dallas, waging what was at that point
a three-year battle with a terminal brain
tumor.
Sonne and Kohleriter shared a love
for the Tigers and that inspired an idea.
He called the team’
s front office and was
directed to Jordan Field, a young Jewish
attorney, who was hired by the Tigers upon
graduating Wayne State Law School in
2002. Eighteen years later, Jordan, 42, is
now the team’
s director of player relations
and the Detroit Tigers Foundation, the
charitable arm of the franchise.
It was Dr. Sonne’
s desire to surprise his
ailing friend with a signed photograph of
well wishes from Al Kaline. In his con-
versation with Field, Sonne shared details
about Kohleriter’
s life and his dire health
condition and hoped for the best. And
indeed, by performing a mitzvah in his
own right, Field facilitated an even better
outcome.
In late April 2004, Lory Kohleriter,
Michael’
s wife, nearly mistook the envelope
that arrived from the Detroit Tigers at her
Dallas home as marketing literature. She
opened it and began reading the surprising,
heartwarming personal contents of the let-
ter at her husband’
s bedside.
Any thought that this was a joke faded
as her eyes gazed at the end of the letter
to discover Al Kaline’
s signature. Lory will
never forget how her husband’
s face lit up.
“He just grinned from ear to ear. That’
s
how I knew he was aware.
”
An immediate phone call to their dear
friend Marvin confirmed the Kohleriters’
suspicions that he was the one who had
coordinated this incredible act of kindness.
“Marv was thrilled out of his mind that the
Tigers did it and so quickly,
” Lory said.
More than a signed photograph, the
Tigers and Al Kaline had gone above
and beyond. By sheer coincidence, the
letter from Al Kaline was dated April 21;
fittingly, it was Dr. Michael Kohleriter’
s
birthday. The perfect gift. Just over a year
later, Michael passed away peacefully in his
home.
The last time Jordan Field saw Al Kaline
was at a small, private autograph sign-
ing Field had arranged last December at
Comerica Park. “I remembered that morn-
ing that he loved donuts,
” Field said. “So I
stopped at Dunkin’
Donuts. Got a box of
munchkins. Mr. Kaline was right on time
and happy to see the box.
“We ate donut holes together as he
signed each item carefully and perfect-
ly, adding #6 or an inscription if it had
been requested. Some items — a ’
68 team
photo and an old baseball card — sparked
memories of his career which he shared in
between bites.
He signed the last item, asked if I
had anything else he needed to sign. He
thanked me for my help and gave me a pat
on the shoulder. He grabbed the half-emp-
ty box of donuts and said he was heading
to the clubhouse to share them with the
clubhouse attendants.
”
Al Kaline’
s baseball statistics speak for
themselves. His actions off the field speak
to the fact that he was also a Hall of Fame
human being.
Muskovitz is a writer, voice-over/acting talent,
speaker, and emcee. Visit his website at laughwith-
bigal.com,“Like” Al on Facebook and reach him at
amuskovitz@renmedia.us.
continued from page 5
Al Kaline,
circa 1995
JOHN MATHEW SMITH & WWW.CELEBRITY-PHOTOS.COM