Cabrera Wins Baseball’s Elusive “Triple Crown”
October 3, 2012
With the close of the regular season, Detroit Tigers’ third baseman Miguel Cabrera became the first player in nearly 50 years to win Major League Baseball’s elusive “Triple Crown.” Cabrera led the American League in home runs, at 44; in batting average, at .330; and in runs batted in (RBI’s), at 139. The last Triple Crown winner was Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox in 1967.
Cabrera was born on April 18, 1983, in Maracay, Venezuela. His father had been a promising amateur baseball player, and his mother played shortstop for many years on the Venezuelan national softball team. Cabrera broke into the major leagues in 2003, helping the Florida Marlins (now the Miami Marlins) win the championship that year. Cabrera, considered one of baseball’s best active hitters, was traded to the Tigers after the 2007 season. He’s been named to the All-Star team seven times.
Cabrera became only the 17th player in major league history to win baseball’s ultimate all-around batting award. In addition to Yastrzemski, other Triple Crown winners include Ty Cobb (1909), Rogers Hornsby (1922 and 1925), Lou Gehrig (1934), Ted Williams (1942 and 1947), Mickey Mantle (1956), and Frank Robinson (1966).
The only Detroit Tigers player to achieve Baseball's Triple Crown before Miguel Cabrera was Ty Cobb, in 1909.
