The Tigers moved to the newly constructed Comerica Park for their 2000 season, leaving Tiger Stadium unused. The old ballpark at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull in Detroits Corktown district was one of the games most unusual ballparks. I put the location into google maps off I went. In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Jackson crushed an outside fastball that eventually rang off of a transformer at the top of the stadium. Singles by Mullin, Jimmy Bloodworth, and pinch-hitter Anse Moore plated another run for the Tigers in the seventh. Cabrera My whole family was there. The Tigers scratched out a run in the sixth to tie the game at 7. [26][27], When the stadium closed, it was tied with Fenway Park as the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, the two parks having opened on the same date in 1912. He installed an area in the lower deck (between first and third base) that had padded seats and added waitservice. Dismiss, Copyright 2022 Vintage Detroit Collection, Spinnaker Center, 44692 Helm St, Plymouth. Big Frank Howard loved to hit there, as did Killebrew and Reggie and Ken Griffey Jr. A post-game ceremony brought back just about famous ex-Tiger who was still alive for one last salute. You just dont get this type of service anywhere else folks and turns out it all to be a great value as well as they search the system for every possible discount they could give me. Gibson hits one out of Tiger Stadium Watch on On November 28, 1974, the Lions played their last game at Tiger Stadium. Purchased a New Era Gruff Michigan Syaye hat, and I absolutely love it. Hammerin Hank Greenberg probably hit more home runs to deep left-center field at Navin Field/Briggs Stadium than any other player. Frank Osborn founded Osborn Engineering in Cleveland in 1892. In the 22nd inning, Jack Reed hit the only home run of his 129-at bat career off Phil Regan for a 9-7 win. [28][29] The Texas Rangers claimed that the design of the right field section was copied and used in the construction of what is now Choctaw Stadium, but in fact the upper deck did not actually extend over the right field fence, but was set back by several feet. He only fought once at Briggs Stadium, defeating Bob Pastor on September 20, 1939. I put the location into google maps off I went. Saw Herndons line shot to center. But there was nothing anybody could do. Jackson dropped his bat and watched it sail, seemingly astonished of his own power. [2] Left field was 345 feet away while right field was a monstrous 370 feet down the line. Excited to work with Vintage Detroit on future orders. Although the ballpark suffered little damage, the citys name was sullied. Team: Cleveland Indians. The Tigers. Doak Field at Dail Park upgrades (NC Wolfpack) There was a huge outcry from traditionalists that the ballpark needed be saved as a historical monument (it had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989). Reggie Jackson wasn't supposed to play in the 1971 Major League . [41], In the early 1970s, the city of Pontiac and its community leaders made a presentation to the Metropolitan Stadium Committee of a 155-acre (0.63km2) site on the city's eastern boundary, north of M-59 and near the intersection with Interstate 75 (I-75). The last game at Tiger Stadium was on September 27, 1999. [74][75] By 2006, however, demolition appeared inevitable when then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced the stadium would be razed. The game was televised only to Green Bay. As part of the transfer, the city gave the place a major paint job, changing the interior from green to blue. My sons were small and I was trying to teach them the strategy of the game (since I was also their coach). (In those days, home games were blacked out 75 miles from the site of competition. ),
The Tigers moved to Comerica Park in 2000 but the Corner remained standing. The right field overhang frustrated many outfielders who were camped under a routine flyball only to see it land in the first row upstairs. [78], In October 2007, an online auction of the stadium's memorabilia was held by Schneider Industries, which drew $192,729. the Nearest to me was Vintage. I don't live nearby so the ability to have it shipped for $10 was well worth the cost. Thanks! [71] Funded by local businessman and ardent stadium supporter Peter Comstock Riley, and directed by Gary Glaser, it earned solid reviews and won three Telly awards and two Emmy awards for the film's writer and co-producer, Richard Bak, a local journalist and the author of two books about the stadium. Norm Cash hit the most Homeruns over the Stadium. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. What do you get when you combine a block party and a baseball league? Some of Gibson's home runs were pretty darn big (including a couple in the World Series) but one of Gibson's most memorable home runs came in June of 1983 when he hit a moon shot that cleared the roof of Tiger Stadium. Denny McLain achieved one of the games rarest feats at the place they called The Corner. Tiger Stadium was sold to the city of Detroit on January 1, 1978 for $1.00 and leased back for 30 years. Take your pick, his three-home run outburst against Catfish Hunter in the 1978 Championship Series, the 1983 Pine Tar home run, or the 1980 upper deck jack off arch-nemesis Goose Gossage that all . Fifty years ago Tuesday, July 13, 1971, a sellout crowd of 53,559 watched from Tiger Stadium's then-green seats and another 60-million plus watched and listened from around the world as. Awesome article Dan as usual! To fit as many seats as possible in the expansion, the second deck was extended over the fence by 10 feet (3 m). As the team improved, so did the capacity of the ballpark, capping out at 14,000. That ball is measured at 634 . If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Monaghan had to get a helicopter to fly in pizzas to writers working inside the old ballpark while overzealous fans partied too hard directly outside Tiger Stadium. In 80-degree weather on Aug. 25, 1990, Tiger Stadium hosted 45,474 fans eager to watch the Oakland Athletics' "Bash Brothers," Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, face off against the Tigers'. Good article. I will never forget it. The first home run in the history of the All-Star Game was hit by none other than Babe Ruth. [62][64][65] Following the game, an emotional ceremony with past and present Tigers greats was held to mark the occasion. Ficks homer hit the roof in right and just missed going out of the stadium. [7] The stadium hosted two NFL Championship Games in 1953 and 1957. A World Series victory in 1984 didnt seem to help. However, in just about every case, it had been occurred due to a stadium conflict or for a special reason. Robinson flung his glove into the stands in disgust. Theme: Envo Blog. The club went 68-86 and hit 18 fewer home runs than the year before. There were strange home runs: one hit on a line drive that stuck under the wall and allowed Dixie Walker to circle the bases in 1939; a homer that rattled around the flag pole in deep center field while Lou Gehrig ran around the bases in 1933; and the inside-the-park homer that Kirk Gibson hit in which he was a stride behind teammate Lou Whitaker who slid safely in front of him scoring from first base. On Rader's home run, the only other Mariner who remembers is Vada Pinson, who is a first-base coach for Seattle. Considered one of the longest home runs ever hit in major league history. Development plans included a four-story building along Michigan Avenue with about 30,000 square feet (2,800m2) of retail space and 102 residential property rental units, each averaging 800 square feet (74m2). I was there the day Fielder hit the over-the-roof shot. Tiger Stadium saw gigantic home runs, like the one Babe Ruth hit that witnesses swore traveled 600 feet as it soared over the right field grandstands. [48], On July 18, 1921, Babe Ruth hit what is believed to be the longest verified home run in Major League Baseball history. Many fans were saddened when the last game was played at "The Corner". Some call this the longest home run ever hit. Lynne asked what I was interested in and presented me with a great selection of Tigers caps and T-shirts. The city received a $5 million federal grant and issued $8.5 million in bonds to pay for renovations, including replacement of the old green wooden seats with blue plastic seats. Babe Ruth (60), Ted Williams (55), Jimmie Foxx (52), Mickey Mantle (42), Yogi Berra (37), Yaz (36). The Fighting Irish won, 406. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. In 1934, the Tigers won the AL pennant but lost the World Series to the Cardinals. The last Tigers game at the stadium was held on September 27, 1999. It hosted the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball team from 1912 to 1999, as well as the National Football League 's Detroit Lions from 1938 to 1974. Ernie Harwell and Al Kaline both dubbed it the hardest-hit ball they'd ever seen, and even Jackson himself agreed: "I think this would have to be the longest one I've ever hit," he said afterward. Frank Navin, who bought the team in 1908, was a man with big ideas. I highly recommend if you live within a 30 minute drive of this place and you are looking for authentic NBA NFL and MB items stop in and see them they also have a lot of very rare items which will make you stand out. Dismiss, Copyright 2022 Vintage Detroit Collection, Spinnaker Center, 44692 Helm St, Plymouth. Progressive Field renovations Minnesotas Harmon Killebrew had been the first in 1962, followed six years later by Washingtons Frank Howard. [69] Among performers at the nightclub-style event was Snoop Dogg. Here are the longest home runs in the Home Run Derby, during the StatCast era, away from Coors Field. Although only three strongmen (Frank Howard, Harmon Killebrew, Cecil Fielder) hit balls that went over the roof in left field, several folks shot the ball over the right-field roof. There's no way to say for sure whether Reggie Jackson's homer at the 1971 All-Star Game is the longest in the history of the Midsummer Classic -- the game is over 80 years old, after all, and data is incomplete.Here's what we do know, though: 46 years to the day after Jackson's blast, it remains the only baseball in All-Star Game history to nearly turn out the lights. In 1911, new Tigers owner Frank Navin ordered a new steel-and-concrete baseball park on . The ball actually sailed right over the right field roof of the ballpark, which is mind-boggling to contemplate. (Nobody ever knew for sure just close of a target that upper deck really was. Cecil signed an autograph for me the next year at the stadium, on my birthday in fact. Harmon Killebrew hit a home run that ricocheted off the left field roof and sounded like a gun blast off his bat. [54][55] Of the many home runs in those games, the most often replayed is Reggie Jackson's drive to right field that hit so high up in the light tower that the TV camera lost sight of it, until it dropped to the field below. To make the park appear like Yankee Stadium, the parks seats were painted green and a skyline of the Bronx was added. Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins. Saturday, again on a national television hookup, Jackson cleared the roof with his 485th career homer to help the California Angels top the Tigers, 4-2. Bud Metheny Ballpark renovations (Old Dominion University) He frantically signaled to the sidelines to get help for Hughes. Shipping Service 2023 Ballparks As I mentioned above, a list that includes significant home runs at Tiger Stadium has to include Charlie Maxwell hitting 4 HRS in 4 consecutive at bats on May 3, 1959 in a double header against the Yankees. There were very few concerts held over the years at The Corner. What a game. [5], During the summer of 2010, a group calling itself "The Navin Field Grounds Crew" began maintaining the playing field and hosting vintage baseball, youth baseball, and softball games at the site. New Tennessee Smokies ballpark. Our motto is simple: We enjoy doing cool things and are overjoyed we can make a living doing so. Id have a chance to send my family to Paris on that one.. Tiger Stadium was declared a State of Michigan Historic Site in 1975 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1989. Among major league parks whose construction predated the advent of night games, only Wrigley Field went longer without lights (1988). If you want a new roof on Tiger Stadium it will have to built from scratch. I highly recommend if you live within a 30 minute drive of this place and you are looking for authentic NBA NFL and MB items stop in and see them they also have a lot of very rare items which will make you stand out. In the Lions glory years of the 1950s, Detroit was considered one of the toughest venues in the league to play. On July 19, 1968, the Tigers trailed Baltimore 4-3 with one runner on and two out in the bottom of the ninth inning when Matchick, a .226 hitter, lofted a fly ball to right. - LSU blasted four home runs and collected 20 hits to propel the #1 ranked Tigers to a 26-4 victory over Central Connecticut State Saturday afternoon inside . Be respectful even if you disagree. The city of Detroit decide to move an entire street Cherry Street so the entire ball park could now be double decked. Since that time the company has grown from a single employee working out of a home to a diversified publishing firm featuring Websites, books and other merchandise. Hinchliffe Stadium renovations I had Ernie on the radio listening to the game. Please seek professional guidance. Innovative Field (Rochester Red Wings) upgrades At the time, some places in the outfield were only marked off with rope. Returns & Exchanges It was my 1st game and we sat in the upper deck in left field. Bennett Park was still their home field, when six years later, they joined the AL as a charter member. [91], It was depicted in Disney's award-winning Tiger Town, a 1983 made-for-television baseball film written and directed by Detroit native, Alan Shapiro, starring Roy Scheider, Sparky Anderson, Ernie Harwell and Mary Wilson. Harmon Killebrew had 573 home runs over his career. Frank Robinson appeared poised to make the catch only to see the ball drop in the first row of the overhang for a game winning home run, one of just four Matchick hit in six big league seasons. Text by Dave Wright Photos by John Moist. The only major changes during the latter decades were the closure of the "skybox" suites that perched on the front edge of the roof, and (in 1978) the replacement of the old dark green . Winning pitcher Jim Bouton tossed seven scoreless innings for the victory. The first night game at the stadium was held on June 15, 1948. [2][19] Plans to modify and maintain Tiger Stadium as the home of the Tigers, known as the Cochrane Plan, were supported by many in the community, but were never seriously considered by the city or the Tigers. Mickey Mantle: On September 10, 1960, the Yankee slugger hit a home run out of Tiger Stadium against Frank Lary. Cecil Fielder clears left field roof at Tiger Stadium. FAQ. He never played another game. Along Trumbull Avenue, 24 town homes were planned for sale. In his first professional season, 1975, he batted .324 with 10 home runs and 38 runs batted in for the Southern League's Montgomery Rebels. [81], After a hiatus wherein various plans to preserve portions of the stadium were considered,[82][83][84][85] demolition was completed on September 21, 2009. My guess is there is a more effective way for the Athletic Department to spend 20 million dollars (or 50 million..or whatever it would cost). Please let us know when you find out. By the time Detroits Tiger Stadium bade farewell 87 years, it had witnessed 11,111 home runs, six World Series, three memorable All-Star games, NFL Championship games and championship boxing fights. Some opposing players seemed to shine at Tiger Stadium. Returns & Exchanges the Yankees won that day, 22-2 the worst loss the Tigers ever suffered at home.). Lynn worked with me to swap out to something similar excellent customer service. [34], In 1999, its final season, only this ballpark and Bank One Ballpark had a dirt path that ran from the pitcher's mound to home plate. Source: wikimedia.org. Initially, a dual stadium complex was planned that included a moving roof that was later scrapped due to high costs and the lack of a commitment from the Tigers. Lynn worked with me to swap out to something similar excellent customer service. In its early years, Navin Field was a pitchers paradise. (When the credits rolled at the end of the movie, it is duly listed that the role of Yankee Stadium was played by Tiger Stadium.). Cecil was on 49, and I veered my car onto the exit to downtown Detroit and snatched up a ticket. I will never forget this day. Order Tracking Took everyones breath away. In 1945, Hank Greenberg belted a grand slam late in the season that not only won the game for Detroit, but clinched the pennant. Detroit's Police Athletic League (PAL) headquarters would relocate to the site and maintain the field. [77] In July 2007, Detroit City Council voted 54 in approval of the demolition. Ted Williams said Briggs Stadium had the best sight lines of any ballpark, and that was back when the interior was painted green. Ilitch began to make plans for a new ballpark downtown, breaking ground during the 1997 season. Outsiders began to look at Tiger Stadium and the neighborhood it was located in a different light. A new ballpark for the Tigers was built in downtown Detroit, and the club moved to Comerica Park after the 1999 season. A dozen years later, after Navins death, Walter Briggs bought the club, adding an upper deck along the foul poles and seats in right field. In 1923, Navin increased capacity to 30,000. A few players, very few, hit home runs into the bleachers in straightaway center field, an incredible 440 feet away. In the decade after the Tigers vacated the stadium, several rejected redevelopment and preservation efforts finally gave way to demolition. The team began a downward spiral on and off the field. On September 27, 1999, the final Tigers game was held at Tiger Stadium; an 8-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals, capped by a late grand slam by Robert Fick, which hit the right field roof. On July 2, 1993, Tigers first baseman Cecil Fielder hit a home run that has only just now come back to Earth. The seven-hour game is the second longest game in American League history. There had been occasional Monday night games played in the league over the years. [2][20][21][22] Ground was broken for the new Comerica Park on October 29, 1997. On April 15, 1999, Torii Hunter hit a home run off Brian Moehler at Tiger Stadium while playing for the Minnesota Twins. Distance: 511 Feet. He makes numerous personal appearances as an ambassador for the Yankees. Navin bought up the rest of the city block of Michigan and Trumbull, stationed a flagpole inside the field of play, moved home plate in a different direction (so that the batter would not be looking into the sun) and opened for business on April 20, 1912, the same day Fenway Park in Boston debuted. Development deal to include houses, preservation of field", "DETROIT NEXT STOP FOR REEVES' BASEBALL MOVIE", "Billy Crystal directing HBO docudrama on Maris and Mantle", "HBO revisits Mantle, Maris home-run race of '61", "Film shoots at Tiger Stadium ahead of demolition", "Briggs Stadium cartoon, undated | Digital Collection", "Eminem shoots 'Beautiful' video in Detroit", "Eminem's 'Beautiful' video tells Detroit's story too", "Hung: "Fat Off My Love or I'm the Allergen", "Mickey Coachrane Fired As Manager of Detroit Tigers", Aerial Views, Demolition of Tiger Stadium 2008 2009, A documentary on the battle to save Tiger Stadium, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tiger_Stadium_(Detroit)&oldid=1137426409, Artist Gene Mack, who drew a series of pictures of several figures and ballparks, mentioned a bone that, This page was last edited on 4 February 2023, at 16:20. It was part of a memorable summer as the city healed its wounds, got behind its baseball team ands flocked to the ballpark in record numbers. To the Sports Editor: The Times reported that Cecil Fielder became the first Detroit player to hit a home run over the left-field roof at Tiger Stadium (''Fielder Belts Two as Tigers Rout A's, 14 . Among the performers that day: Erma Franklin, older sister of Aretha Franklin. Mantle is generally credited with the longest home run of all time, a clout that left Tiger Stadium on Sept. 10, 1960, and landed in a lumberyard across the street. ", "Home run facts from The Corner in Detroit", "September 27, 1999: Tears and cheers: Tiger Stadium hosts final game", "Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers Box Score, September 27, 1999", "Closing ceremony brought a lineup of stars back to Tiger Stadium", "The Unknown Kid Who Hit the Real Last Home Run at Tiger Stadium", "Tiger Stadium rises from the ashes for Bud Bowl 2006", "A six-pack to go at Tiger Stadium's hallowed ground", "Detroit Should Sell Tiger Stadium As Is Summer of Privatization", "The Navin Field Grounds Crew: Detroit Diehards Stand on Sacred Grounds", "Detroit EDC OKs plan to tear down Tiger Stadium", "Council OKs Detroit ballpark's demolition", "NEW! Date: 1999. Tiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the campus of Louisiana State University. Copyright 2023 August Publications. Out of concern for the neighborhood, the team moved a series to Baltimore. July 11, 2018. By the early 1990s the owner of the Tigers wanted a new luxurious ballpark for team. As i pulled in I quickly understood this was a warehouse & office thinking this is a internet retailer. Because owner Walter Briggs believed baseball should be played in the daytime, the Tigers were the last team in the American League to install lights, putting in the arcs in 1948. Reggie Jackson became a national figure due to a famous home run in an All-Star Game. The thing is I said " no big deal" yet they would let me leave with it they got another one from their very advanced warehouse. It was the kind of place that inspired the best in players. Remembering the Red Wings gritty Martin Lapointe. Have Your Own Jersey? The city used the proceeds to defray the demolition costs. It just shows that, when you buy a ticket to a game, you just might witness a bit of history. Monaghan sold the team to a pizza rival, Mike Ilitch, in 1992. Chain link and at one time, a barbed wire fence, separated the bleachers from the reserved sections and was the only section of seating not covered by at least part of the roof. Along the way it served as scenes for movies as well as a plethora of public events ranging from a KISS concert to a speech by Nelson Mandela. Recently got a blank jersey stitched at Vintage Detroit and the finished product looks awesome! There were occasional amateur games played there, a 2002 fantasy camp and occasional special segments were taped there. Depending who you talk to, the upper deck in right field was built to hang 5-10 feet over the warning track. 1. Frank Lary, who had made a career out of beating the Yankees (he was 29-6 lifetime against them from 1955-63), was the Detroit starter. The movie was about the 1961 season when the Yankees Roger Maris broke Babe Ruths home run record. [56], Toward the end of the Lions' game against the Chicago Bears at the stadium on October 24, 1971, Lions wide receiver Chuck Hughes collapsed and later died of a heart attack, making Hughes the only NFL player to date who died during a game. [67][68], In February 2006, a tent on Tiger Stadium's field played host to Anheuser-Busch's Bud Bowl 2006. Most spectacular was Cash's performance in the doubleheader that June Sunday 60 years ago. Buckeye Video 632 subscribers 5.2K 1M views 7 years ago Oakland A's vs. Detroit Tigers 8/25/90. On July 9, 1965, Stormin' Norman hit an inside-the-park home run against the A's at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. Answerbag wants to provide a service to people looking for answers and a good conversation. , Competition, joy and a little pain: Beep Baseball is a world of freedom for blind athletes, By Even more unusual for the time, all three games were televised locally in an effort to distract minds of Detroiters. I sat myself in the upper deck left seats and waited for the big guy to hit #50, to join George Foster, who I had cheered for since mt Dad was a Reds fan. Left field settled in at 340 while right field gradually shrunk until settling in at 325. By the way, where did TRAM rank for the amount of HRs he hit during his career with the Tigers when they played at Tigers Stadium for going yard? Lynne asked what I was interested in and presented me with a great selection of Tigers caps and T-shirts. They checked it over and off I went. In 1935, following Navin's death, new owner Walter Briggs oversaw the expansion of Navin Field to a capacity of 36,000 by extending the upper deck to the foul poles and across right field. And the fans got rewarded with unusual moments such as a 22-inning game decided by a player who hit the only home run of his career to decide the game. There is one other football item worthy of note regarding Tiger Stadium. Through 1990, only two players had cleared the roof in left. [49], On May 2, 1939, ailing New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig voluntarily benched himself at Briggs Stadium, ending his streak of consecutive games at 2,130. All three games featured home runs. [4] A week into demolition, it was announced that the field, foul poles, and flagpole would be preserved. [51][52], The stadium hosted the 1941, 1951 and 1971 MLB All-Star Games. On September 27, 1999, the final Tigers game was held at Tiger Stadium; an 82 victory over the Kansas City Royals, capped by a late grand slam by Robert Fick, which hit the right field roof. In the decade after the Tigers vacated the stadium, several rejected redevelopment and preservation efforts finally gave way to demolition. A year later, a Tiger Stadium-record 230 home runs were smashed130 of them surrendered by an atrocious Detroit pitching staff that produced a 6.38 ERA, the worst in AL history. [87], On December 16, 2014, a $33million project by Larson Realty Group to redevelop the old Tiger Stadium site was approved by Detroit's Economic Development Corporation. The right-field fence sat just 325 feet from home plate, and Jackson wasn't the only man to leave the stadium entirely.But Mr. October's blast -- off then-Pirates ace Dock Ellis, no less -- was gargantuan by any measure: According to Home Run Tracker's estimate, the ball traveled 532 feet or at least it would have, had the base of the light tower on the right-field roof not gotten in its way. [46][47], When Ty Cobb played at Navin Field, the area of dirt in front of home plate was kept wet by the groundstaff to slow down Cobb's bunts and cause opposing infielders to slip as they fielded them. Tiger Stadium was designed by the father and son team of Frank C. Osborn and Kenneth H. Osborn. Privacy Policy With Trammell on first and Fielder in a 3 1 count and leaned over and told my sons, If I was Fielder in this situation, he should look for a fastball and swing for I-75. He did. These were not temp help that knew nothing these were professionals who knew not just everything but were truly looking out for me.
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