the minor leagues. His debut at short came on August 23 in Yankee Stadium, moving from center to shortstop in the seventh inning of the first game of a doubleheader, then starting at short in the second game. Stanley would again start at shortstop in six of the last nine games of the season in preparation for the 1968 World Series, replacing regular shortstop Ray Oyler, who hit just .135 that year. The move allowed Smith to play all three of his power-hitting Tiger outfielders (Willie Horton, Jim Northrup, and Al Kaline) for every game of the World Series. Despite his inexperience at shortstop, Stanley played the position adequately, committing only two errors in 34 chances with neither miscue leading to a run. As the starting shortstop for the entire 1968 World Series, Stanley hit a modest .214 in the Fall Classic, but did notch a triple and scored twice in a pivotal Game 5 comeback win for the Tigers. ESPN.com has ranked Smith's decision to move Stanley to shortstop as the third or fourth "gutsiest call" in sports history, and one of the Ten Greatest Coaching Decisions of the 20th Century in any sport. The Boston Globe rated it as "the gutsiest move in history." 1969–1974 In 1969, Mayo Smith continued his experiment playing Stanley at shortstop. That year, Stanley played 58 games at shortstop. However, Stanley's batting average dropped precipitously while playing at shortstop, and he returned to center field for 99 games. His batting average recovered when he was returned to center field, and he finished the 1969 season with a .235 batting average, 16 home runs, and a career-high 70 RBIs. Stanley also won his second Gold Glove Award in 1969 after compiling a .985 fielding percentage in 101 games in the outfield. From 1970 to 1974, Stanley remained a mainstay in center field for Detroit. His excellent defensive play won him a third Gold Glove Award in 1970. That year, he appeared in 132 games in center field with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 331 chances. He hit .252 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs and ranked second in the American League with 11 triples. During the 1971 season, Stanley hit for a career-high .292 batting average, second only to Al Kaline among the Tigers' starters. He remained a fixture in center field for the 1971 Tigers, appearing in 139 games at the