Former Detroit Tigers catcher and longtime radio analyst Jim Price has died. He was 81.
Price’s major league career lasted from 1967-1971. He eventually joined the club’s radio broadcasts in 1998, working alongside Frank Beckmann, Ernie Harwell, and Dan Dickerson.
“All of us with the Detroit Tigers are deeply saddened to learn of Jim Price’s passing,” Tigers chairman and CEO Christopher Ilitch said Tuesday in a statement. “Jim was a champion on the field, in the broadcast booth, and throughout the community. That Jim was with the organization for much of his life, doing what he loved, is such a powerful sign of his dedication and loyalty to the Tigers and the city of Detroit.
“Those are among the many reasons Jim was one of my mother and father’s favorite people, and they had such a strong relationship for many years. The thoughts of my family, and everyone across baseball, are with Jim’s wife, Lisa, and the entire Price family.”
In recent years, Price did not travel with the Tigers to many road games due to declining health. For the 2023 season, the club enlisted several other analysts, including Cameron Maybin and Bobby Scales, due to Price’s inability to travel. The club also worked former Tiger Andy Dirks into the rotation as an analyst for when Price could not attend games at Comerica Park.
In addition to his work with the Tigers, Price also worked briefly as an analyst for ESPN.
His final radio broadcast with the club was on July 9th, the final day before the MLB All-Star Break.
