getting a complete game win over the Senators in his first game back as a starter. He finished the season with a record of 8–6 and a 4.28 ERA in 40 games, 13 of them starts. Gromek was pulled in the third inning in his first start of 1957 and spent the rest of his tenure with the Tigers as a short-term reliever; in a May 2 game against the Red Sox, he was brought in solely to face one batter, Jackie Jensen. Due to arm trouble, he was released by the Tigers in August, and subsequently retired, finishing the year with a 6.08 ERA in 15 appearances. Later life Gromek was immediately hired by the Tigers after his playing career ended to manage the Erie Sailors of the New York–Penn League. As a player-manager, the team had 53 wins and 72 losses, and Gromek pitched in 17 games for the team as well. After managing in the minors for one season, Gromek retired from the game of baseball, and worked as a car insurance sales representative. He and his wife, Jeanette, had three sons, Carl, Greg and Brian. Greg and Carl both pitched for the Florida State Seminoles baseball team, and Greg, who pitched in the Tigers' organization for four years, made the transition from infielder to pitcher after college just as his father had. In 1981, Gromek became a member of the National Polish-American Hall of Fame. He died on March 12, 2002, of complications from diabetes, a stroke and pneumonia. See also List of Polish Americans References External links 1920 births 2002 deaths Cleveland Indians players Detroit Tigers players Major League Baseball pitchers Baseball players from Michigan People from Hamtramck, Michigan American people of Polish descent American League All-Stars Flint Gems players Baltimore Orioles (AA) players Erie Sailors players