The Tigers announced this afternoon that longtime radio broadcaster Jim Price has passed away. He was 81.
“All of us with the Detroit Tigers are deeply saddened to learn of Jim Price’s passing,” said CEO Chris Ilitch as part of a prepared statement. “Jim was a champion on the field, in the broadcast booth, and throughout the community. That Jim was with the organization for much of his life, doing what he loved, is such a powerful sign of his dedication and loyalty to the Tigers and the city of Detroit.”
A Harrisburg native, Price began his playing career with the Pirates in 1960. A right-handed hitting catcher, he spent parts of six seasons in the minor leagues in the Pittsburgh system. Going into the ’67 campaign, the Bucs sold his contract to the Tigers. Price debuted that year and would spend parts of five seasons with Detroit.
The presence of 11-time All-Star Bill Freehan didn’t give Price much of a path to playing time. He never appeared in more than 72 games in a season and tallied 261 contests overall. Through 678 career plate appearances, he was a .214/.287/.341 hitter. While not the longest playing career, Price was a member of the 1968 Detroit club that won the World Series in seven games over St. Louis. He got into two games off the bench during the Fall Classic.
While he was a role player during his MLB days, Price remained associated with the organization long past his playing career. He was a fixture on the club’s radio broadcasts as a color commentator for more than three decades. Price paired with Hall of Famer Ernie Harwell for a few seasons and had spent over 20 years working with current radio broadcaster Dan Dickerson.
MLBTR joins countless others around the game in sending our condolences to Price’s family, friends, loved ones and former teammates/colleagues.
RIP. Hitting severe buggywhips in the heavens now
Especially off the yellowhammer!
For a minute thought it said Jim Rice glad it’s not him RIP Mr Price
RIP. He wasn’t much of a commentator, but he seemed like a good guy.
Bro.
I loved listening to my Tigers on the radio. What a great broadcasting team, Dan Dickerson and Jim Price. The voices for Detroit Tigers baseball. Jim Price you will be missed by us Tigers fans.
I grew up listening to Ernie Harwell and Paul Carey. I guess they were a hard act to follow. But Price and Dickerson always seemed way below average to me, actually painful to listen to. Again, Price did come off as a nice guy.
Dickerson’s no Harwell, but compared to most broadcasters who have been around the block a few times, he at least does a good job of staying current with various metrics that are widely used today and incorporating them into his broadcasts. I’m a CLE fan and far prefer Dan’s broadcasts to our guys. And Price, well, he did seem to be a really nice guy and as another backdrop to summer, his voice will be missed…I think I happened to catch a recent game which had to be one of his last…sigh.
What did you think if Rick Rizzs and Bob Rathbun, who replaced Ernie Harwell and Paul Carey in 1992?
I don’t think I ever listened to them, I wasn’t happy when they fired Harwell.
I was riding with a colleague on a long trip to a customer and asked he wouldn’t mind streaming a Tigers game. He had recently moved to Detroit from Boston and agreed. After about 10-15 minutes of listening to the broadcast he asked if this was a national feed because the broadcasters were excellent. I told him they were the local team of Dan Dickerson and Jim Price and we were fortunate to have them. We listened pain free for the rest of the game.
Hard to fill Paul Carey’s and Ernie Harwell’s shoes.
Jim was a good ball player and a very good broadcaster
As a commenter, he was warm and friendly. Some didn’t appreciate his style, while many, including myself, enjoyed Jim immensely. Health problems had made his appearances on the radio less frequent, but I will miss him in the booth.
Had his baseball card many a time. He was on the 68 team, and that year was a blast for everyone. I’d been worried about him not being on the broadcast, but still his passing is sad to hear about. He’s pain free, catching the yellow hammer, and we’ll miss his cheer on the radio. R.I.P………..JIMMY PRICE !
I have one autographed….
I was just looking at my Al Kaline signed baseball. Sad day.
Al Kaline lives on in household batteries everywhere. 😉
I remember radio and TV “Go Get Em Tigers…” in 68.
Saddest of the sadder than sad…..
Catching “yellow hammers” in heaven ! RIP Jimmie !
ebird.org/species/yellow2
That dude make you laugh breathing into the microphone. He was involved with Jack’s Place for Autism, great charity. He will be missed
Founded it. Named for his son.
pennlive.com/sports/2014/05/harrisburg_jim_price_a…
There’s a bond between fan and broadcaster that is uniquely personal in baseball.
RIP and condolences to all the fans who spent summer evenings with Mr. Price.
Remembered him as a ballplayer, didn’t realize he was a broadcaster in Detroit as well. RIP.
RIP Jim…..
I have a baseball signed by all Tigers on that ’68 team. Lady I knew was a bartender at the bar right by the stadium and she got a couple signed by them. She gave me one and another signed by just Lolich and McClain.
Price will be missed. He was an amazing commentator and a wonderful person.
He’s the color man for Ernie Harwell now. RIP, Mr. Yellowhammer!
Paul Carey was a better color commentator, by far, than Jim Price.
Thong, does it make u feel good talking down of a man who just passed away? Unbelievably tacky.
Thong -> DemWit
Look guys, I found a couple of snowflakes! So delicate, so easily hurt.
Paul Carey also had a Godlike voice.
Listening to Dan and Jim has brought me so much pleasure over the years. RIP Jim, you’ll be missed.
Unfortunately I don’t recognize the name. May Rest in Paradise. Condolences to his friends and family.
batting thiiiiiiird, the big man Miguel Cabrera.
RIP Jim. What an amazing career.
RIP
I loved listening to Jim Price and Dan Dickerson on the radio. Just like Ernie Harwell he had some great stories as well as catch phrases like yellowhammer in reference to a slider. I was wondering why he wasn’t on the radio as much this season. It’s been mostly Andy Dirks, Cameron Maybin and Bobby Scales. RIP Jim Price you can call games with Ernie Harwell again from heaven!
A true company man for the pizza man.
It’s a bad time for backup catchers. Ken Suarez and now Price. Someone do a wellness check on Bill Plummer.
Plummers don’t die unless they plunge to their deaths.
RIP Jim.
Thanks for the memories.
Yes, RIP Jim Price.
As a lifelong Tiger’s fan I was surprised that he played so little over all those years. It seemed to me he played more than that.
And why is 11 time All Star catcher Bill Freehan not in the HOF?
17 catchers in the Hall of Fame.
Freehan would rank 14th in hits.
11th in home runs
second to last in average
15 in OBP
15th in slugging
Not the top of the list but definitely belongs in the conversation.
If Baines gets in, Freehan belongs.
5 gold gloves… 11 all star games… he deserves to be there.
He just passed away a couple years ago. 2 years ago this month.
I always envied Jim Price. I think he KNEW he was the luckiest guy alive: he had a short MLB career, but spent most of it on a championship team….then, GOT PAID to be part of the game he loved, see games for free, and eat free hot dogs. RIP Jim, I will miss you mucho.
i hated him as an announcer. His disrespectful way of clowning on Ernie Harwell’s “nice area” was stupid AF
RIP Jim. Too young to watch him play but I loved the radio broadcasts with Jim and Dan. Much prefer them over any of our recent tv broadcasters.
RIP Jimmie. I’m sure you’re in a “nice area” now.
Well, aren’t you a peach.