Ex-Baseball Great On Trial, Charged With Taking Funds

Tue., Dec. 3, 1996

Associated Press

Many people in this southern Saginaw County hamlet regard Denny McLain not as a former Detroit Tigers pitching great, but as a public enemy.

McLain goes to trial today in Detroit on charges he and Roger Smigiel, 45, of Rochester Hills raided Peet Packing Co. employees’ retirement funds and bought themselves a Puerto Rican condominium, Harley Davidson motorcycle and country club membership.

McLain, 52, of Brighton, and Smigiel bought a controlling interest in the plant in January 1994. Now some blame the two for the death of the company in June 1995 that cost 185 people their jobs.

McLain told the Detroit Free Press he didn’t want to comment on the charges. “What is there to say? I need to get this behind me. That’s all there is to it.”

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Ex-Baseball Great On Trial, Charged With Taking Funds

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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