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| Poster by Karen Kozy. |
His story is incredible, improbable ... impossible.
And it could only happen in Detroit.
In the winter of 1970, 21-year-old Ron LeFlore and two accomplices robbed a bar on the east side of Detroit across from the Chrysler stamping plant. The long arm of the law quickly caught up with them, and LeFlore was sentenced to five to 15 years in Jackson state prison.
LeFlore hadn't played any organized baseball growing up, but with little to do behind bars, he soon joined the prison baseball team. His first game was in Jackson, Michigan, on May 18, 1971.
Just three years later, he was the starting center fielder for the Detroit Tigers.
After two seasons of ups and downs with the Tigers, LeFlore had a breakout year in 1976, starting the season with an incredible 30-game hitting streak and earning himself a starting spot on the American League All-Star roster alongside teammates Rusty Staub and Mark "The Bird" Fidrych.
Soon there was a book about LeFlore, followed by a movie starring LeVar Burton. It is the stuff of legend — the legend of Ron LeFlore.
Join us Sunday, August 18, at 2 p.m. at the Detroit Historical Museum for a 40th anniversary screening of "One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story," with our very special guest Ron LeFlore.
Admission is free. First come, first seated.
Afterparty in the museum's Lindell A.C. exhibit.
Special thanks to Wes Pikula for making this event possible.
RSVP via Eventbrite here.
The Detroit Historical Museum is located at 5401 Woodward Ave. For directions, click here.
