The Michigan Daily - Friday, March 6, 1987 - Page 9


Minor leaguer Frank Masters does some extra sprints away from the fan and media attention of the big league
field. Master's goal is to be the starting catcher on the Glens Falls Tigers, the organizations' AA club.

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Training
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inTropical Tigertown
In Lakeland, a small town in central Florida, the Detroit
Tigers gathered last week to begin practicing for their 87th
American League season. The big name players were greeted
by fans and members of the press looking for signs that
baseball and summer were just around the comer.
A few hundred yards behind the right field wall at Joker
Marchant Stadium stretches a field where nameless players
who have simply "Tigers" written across their back work to
Q*ximprove baseball skills. These athletes are fighting - not
for multi-million dollar contracts - but for a chance to play
A 8 in the Tigers' minor league system. They hope to play with
: °? the big league club someday.

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Inside the stadium, the reluctant Tiger Jack Morris was
making it clear to the press, or anyone who would listen,
that he did not want to be playing for the Detroit club. He
and many other ball players have assembled in Florida to
practice their skills in the hope of winning a world
championship.
As the Tigers open their spring training exhibition schedule
today against the Texas Rangers, many major and minor
league players will have a chance to demonstrate their
abilities for manager Sparky Anderson and his coaching staff.
But only 24 will be in Detroit on April 6 when the 1984
World Champion Tigers open the regular season against the
22-time World Champion New York Yankees.

Darrell Evans takes batting practice as Kirk Gibson, left, waits his turn to hit.

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