single season batting average for a pinch hitter (minimum 30 at bats) in major league history. His pinch hits were key in leading the Tigers to the pennant. By early June, he had registered eight hits in 12 pinch at bats. He hit especially well against the rival Boston Red Sox. On April 11, he had a pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning to lead the Tigers to a 4-3 victory over the Red Sox. He hit another pinch-hit home run against the Sox on August 10. Brown's mastery of the Sox peaked in an August 11 double-header before a crowd of 49,087 at Tiger Stadium. In the first game, he hit a game-winning home run in the 14th inning to deliver a 5-4 victory. In the second game, he again had the game-winning RBI in the ninth inning. Brown also won over fans with his "every man" charisma. On August 7, 1968, after grabbing two hot dogs from the clubhouse, Brown was ordered by manager Mayo Smith to pinch hit. He notoriously stuffed the hot dogs in his jersey to hide them from his manager. "I always wanted to get a hit every time I went to the plate. But this was one time I didn't want to get a hit. I'll be damned if I didn't smack one in the gap and I had to slide into second — head first, no less. I was safe with a double. But when I stood up, I had mustard and ketchup and smashed hot dogs and buns all over me. The fielders took one look at me, turned their backs and damned near busted a gut laughing at me. My teammates in the dugout went crazy." After fining Brown $100, Smith said, "What the hell were you doing eating on the bench in the first place?" Brown replied, "I decided to tell him the truth. I said, 'I was hungry. Besides, where else can you eat a hot dog and have the best seat in the house'" In August 1968, Detroit Free Press columnist Joe Falls wrote: "Gates Brown. Everybody's favorite. Anyone who has to struggle in life -- and that's just about all of us -- can relate to this guy. Because nobody has reached the top through a more trying route than Gates Brown. And nobody is happier to be here than Gates Brown.He waddles out to