Mr. Lajoie, a collegiate All American, signed a contract with the Baltimore Orioles in 1956 and was a minor league standout for ten years before an injury curtailed his playing career.
He joined the Detroit Tiger organization in 1968 as a scout and was later named vice president.
In 1983, he became the Tigers' general manager and is credited with initiating several of the transactions which resulted in the team winning the 1984 World Series and a division championship in 1987.