Detroit might have made the race for the flag interesting if not for the season-long injury to ace Virgil Trucks.

Virgil Trucks, American baseball player (d. 2013)

March 23 - Virgil Trucks, 95, American baseball player, natural causes.

His great-uncle, Virgil Trucks, was a professional baseball player.

After the 1955 season, he was traded from the Tigers to the Chicago White Sox for Virgil Trucks.

After service in the Navy, Virgil Trucks returned to the Tigers on the last day of the regular season.

The Tigers start Virgil Trucks, who had not played all year and had been released from the military three days earlier.

Virgil Trucks' a 19-game winner in 1949' hurt his arm and was lost for the season.

Stone took the win (without retiring a batter) and Conley was tagged with the loss while Virgil Trucks earned the save.

Bob Turley strikes out nine in besting Virgil Trucks.