Much as they are at this very moment, the Detroit Tigers were the defending American League champions heading into the 1935 season as this vintage pennant so clearly illustrates.

As we moderns reckon things, Charlie Gehringer was clearly the Tigers MVP, but the A.L. Award went to catcher Mickey Cochrane (or "Cockrane" as it's spelled on this pennant) because he was also the team's manager and Gehringer finished second. (The man with the real gripe, though, was Lou Gehrig and his Triple Crown and slash line of .363/.464/.762) Hank Greenberg, who would win the MVP award the next season, pitched in with the fourth-most doubles ever (63).

Ideally for Tigers fans, the 2013 team will emulate the '35 club that repeated as league champions, but won the World Series on the second go-round.