How local sports stars have fared in Detroit homecomings
By Ryan Ford
The Detroit Lions landed a hometown boy in offensive guard T.J. Lang, who attended Birmingham Brother Rice and Eastern Michigan, via free agency last week. Lang, who made the Pro Bowl squad last season, isn't the first All-Star Michigander to come home. Free Press sports writer Ryan Ford looks at three other notable Detroiters who starred elsewhere and came back:
Detroit Tigers: Frank Tanana
The history: Tanana was a two-sport star during his four years at Detroit Catholic Central, excelling at basketball and baseball. The lefty reportedly received more than 100 scholarship offers in hoops, eventually settling on Duke. But then the Angels came calling, selecting him 13th overall in the 1971 draft. Tanana signed with the Angels and rose rapidly through their system. He made the majors in 1973, finished fourth in Cy Young voting in 1974 (his true rookie season) and was a three-time All-Star by the time he was 25. But a shoulder injury in 1979 derailed his career, turning him from a fireballer to a junkmaster. After a few years bouncing around the AL, the Tigers dealt for Tanana, giving up only a minor-league pitcher in return.
In Detroit: Tanana, 31, went on to make more than 240 starts for the Tigers, going 96-82 with a 4.08 ERA and 958 strikeouts in 1,5511/3 innings over eight seasons. His best season with the Tigers was probably 1989; while he went only 10-14, he finished the year with six complete games and a 3.58 ERA. Tanana finished his career with a season in New York, starting 29 games for the Mets and three for the Yankees.
Detroit Pistons: Chris Webber
The history: Webber was the state's most recruited basketball player in a generation out of Birmingham Detroit Country Day, where he averaged more than 29 points and 13 boards a game en route to winning the 1991 Mr. Basketball award. Webber dominated at the college level as well, leading Michigan to the Final Four in both of his seasons in Ann Arbor. Webber's college career was tarnished by scandal, however, when it was revealed that he'd taken more than $200,000 from U-M booster Ed Martin. In the pros, Webber wasn't quite the star he was in high school or college, but he averaged 21.2 points a game and made five All-Star squads with the Warriors, Bullets, Kings and Sixers. But after 13 seasons, his skills had begun to fade, and the Sixers released him on Jan. 11, 2007. He signed with the Pistons five days later.
In Detroit: The 33-year-old Webber started 42 games for the Pistons, averaging 11.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 29.7 minutes a game for a Pistons squad that made it to the Eastern Conference finals before being destroyed by the LeBron James buzzsaw. The next season, Webber re-signed with the Warriors, but played in just nine games before retiring. Webber is a finalistfor the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Detroit Red Wings: Mike Modano
The history: Modano was born in Livonia but moved to Westland to play youth hockey in the Little Caesars organization. The NHL's Stars, then in Minnesota, drafted him No. 1 overall in 1988, just before he turned 18. Modano lit up the minors and was in the NHL by age 19, finishing second in the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) voting. His loss to 31-year-old Sergei Makarov forced a rule change limiting Calder winners to age 26 or younger. Modano became a star when the franchise moved to Dallas, scoring 557 goals, making seven All-Star squads and winning a Stanley Cup with the Stars. After 20 seasons with the Stars, Modano's goal-scoring touch had diminished, but he still wanted another season. Enter the Wings, who signed Modano to a one-year deal just before the 2010-11 season.
In Detroit: Modano had to make one big change before taking the ice, swapping his No. 9 sweater for a No. 90 (thanks, Gordie). Modano scored in his first game with the Wings, then went scoreless in his next 19 before suffering a slash to his wrist. The injury cost him 42 games on the season, and he struggled to find his form in the season's final two months, scoring just three more times to finish with four goals in his final season. Modano was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.
From the Mitten to the Majors
Michigan has produced 1,436 MLB, NBA, NFL (and the AFL) and NHL players by birth. The breakdown by league: