The Tigers moved to Comerica Park in 2000 but the Corner remained standing. Center field was even farther 467 feet. Source: wikimedia.org. There were moments of joy to behold down the stretch. 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. 50 years ago today, Harmon Killebrew hit his longest home run Winning pitcher Jim Bouton tossed seven scoreless innings for the victory. [17], Over the years, expansion continued to accommodate more spectators. Mickey Mantle: On September 10, 1960, the Yankee slugger hit a home run out of Tiger Stadium against Frank Lary. Buckeye Video 632 subscribers 5.2K 1M views 7 years ago Oakland A's vs. Detroit Tigers 8/25/90. They stayed at the ballpark until 1974 when they left to play in the 76,000-seat Pontiac Silverdome. And so it went. New St. Croix River Hounds ballpark, 2025 Ballparks 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. Jim Thome. On November 28, 1974, the Lions played their last game at Tiger Stadium. In the 1970s, Ken Berry, an excellent flychaser, forgot about this one day and ran flush into the pole while chasing a shot by Detroit OF Willie Horton. The people there are awesome and they clearly don't get much walk in business however they know their product while intending in only buying one jersey I walked out with much more! Even more unusual for the time, all three games were televised locally in an effort to distract minds of Detroiters. [3], Like other older baseball stadiums such as Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, Tiger Stadium offered "obstructed view" seats, some of which were directly behind a steel support column; while others in the lower deck had sight lines obstructed by the low-hanging upper deck. Homer History At Tiger Stadium - The New York Times Copyright 2023 August Publications. WebFont.load({ google: { families: ["Lato:900:latin", "Lato:300:latin", "Playfair+Display:700italic:latin", "Merriweather:700:latin", "Crete+Round::latin", "PT+Sans+Narrow:700:latin"] } }); Detroit Red Wings jerseys are back in stock! Canseco, McGuire and Trammell also hit homers that day as well as another blast by Fielder. 10. He has four other children and four grandchildren. Historians generally agree the longest home run hit in the ballpark was probably achieved by Detroit 1B Norm Cash, who ripped a shot over the center field scoreboard in a 1962 game that landed on the roof of a parked taxicab. /news/1567868500869-kirk-gibson-hits-home-run-clear-over-tiger-stadium-roof-video Tiger Stadium blast part of legacy that leads Jason LeCronier - mlive Tiger Stadium was sold to the city of Detroit on January 1, 1978 for $1.00 and leased back for 30 years. [78], In October 2007, an online auction of the stadium's memorabilia was held by Schneider Industries, which drew $192,729. Have Your Own Jersey? Berry lay injured while Horton, who was hardly fleet afoot, circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run. [2] Spotlights were added above the warning track to illuminate the area beneath the overhang. [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. The group reunited for their Alive/Worldwide tour. Although this is hard to imagine these days, the Lions were a very strong franchise in the 1950s, playing in three NFL title games in five seasons. Harmon Killebrew had 2,086 hits over his career. PNC Park (Pirates) That pocket is the deepest part of the park at 410 feet, 11 feet farther than dead center. From the original Briggs/Tiger Stadium configuration from 1938 until the park closed in 1999, 36 home runs were hit over the roof of the ballpark. By the early 1990s the owner of the Tigers wanted a new luxurious ballpark for team. I was there the day Fielder hit the over-the-roof shot. One of those occurred on June 24, 1962. the Nearest to me was Vintage. Such was life at The Corner.). If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. There was a one-year spike in attendance but the 1994 baseball strike wiped out a lot of good will earned. The hit itself was a gunshot, echoing back from center. The ball was hit over the roof in right field and accross Wentworth avenue. What a game. That stadium was called Bennett Park and featured a wooden grandstand with a wooden peaked roof in the outfield. Frank Osborn founded Osborn Engineering in Cleveland in 1892. Shipping Service Frank Navin, who bought the team in 1908, was a man with big ideas. It was the last hit and the last run in the stadium. To make the park appear like Yankee Stadium, the parks seats were painted green and a skyline of the Bronx was added. The league scheduled eight more games in the next five years. Order Tracking Climb up to the roof and look around, Fenecksaid in 1999, the Tigers final summer at The Corner, and you wont believe how high and hard they have to hit the ball to do that.. I had Ernie on the radio listening to the game. Fielder didnt hit his 50th that night, but it remains one of my more memorable spontaneous moments. Non-Baseball Events Held at Tiger Stadium The year 1938 was significant in the ballparks history. [70], In 2006, the feature-length documentary Stranded at the Corner: The Battle to Save Historic Tiger Stadium was released. Depending who you talk to, the upper deck in right field was built to hang 5-10 feet over the warning track. ORDER YOURS NOW! But it burns bright in the memories of hitters like Tom Matchick. Extremely satisfied with the wonderful personable service! 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. Not to be picky but Griffey didnt flip off Sparky. Tiger Stadium (Louisiana) - Wikipedia Trammell hit 97 homers at Tiger Stadium, good for 11th all-time. Order Tracking They checked it over and off I went. Where is Rocky Colviato (spelling) on the list? Cabrera He ordered a steel-and-concrete 23,000-seat ballpark that was built in an astonishing period of seven months after the end of the 1911 season. I don't live nearby so the ability to have it shipped for $10 was well worth the cost. There were many famous home runs hit there, such as Babe Ruths 700th, and the walkoff homer by Ted Williams in the 1941 All-Star Game. Charlie Steiner with ESPN highlights of Oakland A's/Detroit Tigers. 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. [98], Tiger Stadium showing signs of neglect in 2006, Tiger Stadium with facade lettering removed in November 2007, The visitors' bullpen and right field from lower deck in November 2007, Tiger Stadium with seats removed in November 2007, Abandoned in April 2008; Tigers now play in Comerica Park, Demonstration against a School Amendment at Navin Field in 1920, This article is about the Detroit Tigers' former stadium. (The next year, a screen was placed on top of the fence. The old ballpark at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull in Detroits Corktown district was one of the games most unusual ballparks. [69] Among performers at the nightclub-style event was Snoop Dogg. A+! Good article. 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. Fittingly, they lost to Denver, 31-27. By the time television and football began its long, happy marriage, Detroit was well established as the home field for the annual Thanksgiving Day game. On June 27, 1963, he played an entire game at first base without a chance, as the Minnesota Twins won 106. Detroit's Police Athletic League (PAL) headquarters would relocate to the site and maintain the field. Tickets to the Hall of Fame banquet are available by contacting Jennifer Thunberg at Bay City Central at 989-891-0602, thunbergj@bcschools.net or in person from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through . 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. Please seek professional guidance. 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 . Myshak Metro Ballpark (Edmonton Prospects) When baseball's biggest stars need a haircut, they come to Jos 'Jordan' Lpez, By To fit as many seats as possible in the expansion, the second deck was extended over the fence by 10 feet (3 m). Tiger Stadium saw exactly 11,111 home runs, the last a right field, rooftop grand slam by Detroits Robert Fick as the last hit in the last game played there. [42], The Lions played their final game at Tiger Stadium on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1974 against the Denver Broncos. He holds the record for longest home run in Cleveland Indians history at 511 feet, which he hit against the Kansas City Royals in 1999. Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins. Detroit's (really) starry night: 50 years ago, 22 Hall of Famers came [59][60] This was also the first game on MLB's schedule that season, giving Evans the record for the earliest home run to start a season in terms of at bats. Bill Freehan deserves special mention in that he hit exactly 100 home runs at Tiger Stadium and also 100 on the road. Left Field and Right Field hitting averages: Data displaying the left and right field averages for each statistic, with 1.00 being the average. Bennett Park was still their home field, when six years later, they joined the AL as a charter member. [3], For a time after it was constructed, the right field upper deck had a "315" marker at the foul pole (later painted over), with a "325" marker below it on the lower deck fence (which was retained). Tiger Stadium (formerly known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium) was a stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. He only fought once at Briggs Stadium, defeating Bob Pastor on September 20, 1939. [74][75] By 2006, however, demolition appeared inevitable when then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced the stadium would be razed. It was the first Notre Dame football game to be played at night. The city used the proceeds to defray the demolition costs. A World Series victory in 1984 didnt seem to help. It was the 29th home run to clear the roof in right field. In 1955, right field returned to its 325-foot status. Some opposing players seemed to shine at Tiger Stadium. Several years later, the country watched another memorable Thanksgiving Day game played in a blizzard that covered the field by halftime. I put the location into google maps off I went. This did not include wildcat seats that were built on the rooftops on houses located behind the left-field fence. 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. Among major league parks whose construction predated the advent of night games, only Wrigley Field went longer without lights (1988). 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. [39][40] The football field ran mostly in the outfield from the right field line to left center field parallel with the third base line. ), But the biggest move came in 1938. I placed an order and received a follow up call within 24 hrs due to item was not available. In 1964, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle had an idea he wanted to try. Detroit OF Rocky Colavito tied a major-league record when he went 7-for-10 in the game. To Ilitchs credit, he paid for several renovations that kept the park looking reasonable in its final years. The team played as the Detroit Cougars in the United Soccer Association. Reggie Jackson's 1971 All-Star Game shot at Tiger Stadium would have travelled more than 600. Football at Tiger Stadium was an adventure. The Longest Home Runs Ever Hit | HowStuffWorks Shortly thereafter, the city of Detroit bought the park from the team for $1. Once or twice a year, an outfielder would have to go behind the pole to chase an errant hit. She is very accommodating and made me feel at home, especially since I was unaware they don't operate a standard retail shop. (In those days, home games were blacked out 75 miles from the site of competition. Future Legends Sports Complex (Northern Colorado Owlz) [97], The pilot of the HBO series Hung featured the stadium's demolition in its opening scene. Fittingly, Ficks blast was the final hit of any kind at Tiger Stadium. There is one other football item worthy of note regarding Tiger Stadium. Field of Dreams ballpark (Dyersville, IA) Despite the fact The Corner wasnt being used much, the city of Detroit was on the hook for some $400,000 a year in maintenance. Cecil Fielder clears left field roof at Tiger Stadium. - YouTube Singles by Mullin, Jimmy Bloodworth, and pinch-hitter Anse Moore plated another run for the Tigers in the seventh. He hit some long HRs at Tiger Stadium. At the time, some places in the outfield were only marked off with rope. In 1984, Kirk Gibson launched a home run into the upper deck in right field in the 8th inning of Game Five of the World Series, sealing the title for the Tigers. I found it refreshing to be served by people who truly knew everything and who came across as glad i stopped in and only care about me getting the service beyond what i deserved. Fick's Home Run Sails Into History With Tiger Stadium Excited to work with Vintage Detroit on future orders. I placed an order and received a follow up call within 24 hrs due to item was not available. 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. There were very few concerts held over the years at The Corner. Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates. In 1973, ground was broken for a stadium to exclusively house the Lions. But on August 25, 1990, during a Saturday game against Oakland, Tigers first baseman Cecil Fielder joined the exclusive circle of sluggers. Chronicling the Business and Culture of Baseball Ballparks--MLB, MiLB, College, Tiger Stadium / Detroit Tigers / 1912-1999, Voting now open in 2023 Best of the Ballparks fan vote for Cactus League, Voting now open in 2023 Best of the Ballparks fans vote for Grapefruit League, MLB ramps up production team for local baseball broadcasts, Personnel news: MLB, Wisconsin Rapids, Holly Springs, Voting now open in 2023 Best of the Ballparkscollege ballparks competition, West Michigan Whitecaps food fight down to final three, Doak Field at Dail Park upgrades (NC Wolfpack), Field of Dreams ballpark (Dyersville, IA), Future Legends Sports Complex (Northern Colorado Owlz), Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers) updates, LMCU Ballpark (West Michigan Whitecaps) upgrades, Myshak Metro Ballpark (Edmonton Prospects), Bud Metheny Ballpark renovations (Old Dominion University), Innovative Field (Rochester Red Wings) upgrades. 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. In 2018, the site was redeveloped for youth sports. According to former Tiger Stadium groundskeeper Frank Feneckit, it took almost a howitzer to send a ball over the left-field grandstand at The Corner. But #50 was a rocket into the upper deck. That year, Big Daddy captured the countrys attention with an eye-popping 51 home runs and 132 RBI, both best in the majors. When Tiger Stadium closed, Detroit lost a piece of its soul [80] Demolition began on June 30, 2008. On June 11, 1961, Cash became the first Detroit Tiger to hit a home run ball out of Tiger Stadium. briggs stadium, detroit, detroit tigers, michigan, mlb, national league, navin field, tiger stadium. Left field was 345 feet away while right field was a monstrous 370 feet down the line. Its unique dimensions allowed fans to get closer than usual to the ballgame. WebFont.load({ google: { families: ["Lato:900:latin", "Lato:300:latin", "Playfair+Display:700italic:latin", "Merriweather:700:latin", "Crete+Round::latin", "PT+Sans+Narrow:700:latin"] } }); Detroit Red Wings jerseys are back in stock! Writers described fire and smoke behind the outfield walls as a game went on. He was the only man to hit 4 home runs in one day in the history of Brigs/Tiger Stadium or Navin Field for that matter. It just shows that, when you buy a ticket to a game, you just might witness a bit of history. The team began a downward spiral on and off the field. wow! In the decade after the Tigers vacated the stadium, several rejected redevelopment and preservation efforts finally gave way to demolition. 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. He never played another game. By making it possible for the upper deck to stand directly above the lower deck, the support columns allowed the average fan to sit closer to the field than at any other ballpark. (The Cubs claimed their last World Series title there in 1908.) ORDER YOURS NOW! There is no roof to extend. [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. Fielder, 56, lives in Tampa, Florida, with his wife, Diana, and their son, Maksim. There were unlikely homers: little Freddie Patek, a 5 foot 5 imp who hit only a handful of homers in his career, hit two at Tiger Stadium; and 19-year old pitcher Denny McLain hit a home run on September 21, 1963, in his first big league game, and never hit another. The field ran from the first base line, across the infield to the left-center-field fence. I was there with my dad. [14], The stadium was seen in the 1980 feature film Raging Bull where it was the site of two of Jake LaMotta's championship boxing matches. [7][17] While constructed on the same site as Bennett Park, the diamond at Navin Field was rotated 90, with home plate located in what had been left field at Bennett Park. the Nearest to me was Vintage. 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. Here are the longest home runs in the Home Run Derby, during the StatCast era, away from Coors Field. Considered one of the longest home runs ever hit in major league history. There were over 30 home runs hit onto the right field roof over the years. [44], On October 5, 1951, the University of Notre Dame played the University of Detroit at Briggs Stadium before a capacity crowd of 52,000. This is not a replacement for the newsletter, but rather a real-time notification system! [64][66], On July 24, 2001, the day Detroit celebrated its 300th birthday, a Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League game between the Motor City Marauders and the Lake Erie Monarchs was played at Tiger Stadium. 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. Detroit Tigers - Stadium Outsiders began to look at Tiger Stadium and the neighborhood it was located in a different light. The benches for both the Lions and their opponents were on the outfield side of the field. (Oddly. Lynn worked with me to swap out to something similar excellent customer service. South African leader Nelson Mandela spoke before 49,000 people. OAK@DET: Cecil Fielder homers over Tiger Stadium roof [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. With regular first baseman Dan Meyer batting .192 with only two RBIs, the Tigers gave the job to Thompson early into the 1976 season. In the decade after the Tigers vacated the stadium, several rejected redevelopment and preservation efforts finally gave way to demolition. The Lions played football in Tiger Stadium from 1938 until the end of 1974, after which they moved into the Silverdome in Pontiac, a suburb over 30 miles away. He did it on national television in a mid-September game against Oakland that was won with a dramatic two-run rally in the last of the ninth inning. June 9, 1946: Ted Williams hits 502-foot 'red seat' home run at Fenway As the team improved, so did the capacity of the ballpark, capping out at 14,000. Teams had to stand on the same sideline in right field. [2] By 1938, the city had agreed to move Cherry Street, allowing the left-field seats to be double-decked, and the now-renamed Briggs Stadium had a capacity of 53,000. There were occasional amateur games played there, a 2002 fantasy camp and occasional special segments were taped there. Historian Mark Gallagher estimated that the home run Mantle hit in September of 1960 at Tiger Stadium traveled a whopping 643 feet. (Cerdan claimed he dislocated his shoulder in the first round.) It was my 1st game and we sat in the upper deck in left field. In the 17 years afterwards (before moving to Pontiac), they had few memorable days at Tiger Stadium. I ended up buy a very nice winter Tiger jacket and as I tried it on and decided on it they noticed a very minor blemish on the back and quickly informed me I had a hard time even seeing it & probably would have never noticed it. Tiger Stadium (Detroit) | American Football Database | Fandom In left field, it was 15 feet (4.6m) farther down the line, and the roof was set back some distance. Carl Yastrzemski 3 Home Runs At Tiger Stadium! - YouTube Unlike some teams that played in baseball parks, the Lions made no attempt to cover the infield. Cecil hit the longest homerun Ive seen in my life during a minor league game in Kinston , N.C.The left field at Grainger Stadium is 370 ft. from home plate ; Cecils homerun cleared the fence , the street behind the fence , and landed on the roof of a 3 story building that was 20 yards on the other side of the street . On June 11, 1961, Cash became the first Detroit Tiger to hit a home run ball out of Tiger Stadium. Only four of the game's most powerful right-handed sluggers (Harmon Killebrew, Frank Howard, Cecil Fielder and Mark McGwire) reached the left field rooftop. On July 2, 1993, Tigers first baseman Cecil Fielder hit a home run that has only just now come back to Earth. In Game 6, a controversial play occurred when St. Louis Joe Medwick slid hard into third base and ended up in a fight with Detroit third baseman Marv Owen. The 1999 Tigers finished with a 69-92 record, but it felt like the stands were always full. Although the ballpark suffered little damage, the citys name was sullied. Obviously those CF home runs had to be close to 500 feet to clear the wall at that point. The roof was 94 feet high and the left-field fence was 340 feet from home plate, making roof shots in that direction one of the most challenging feats in baseball during the years the Tigers called Tiger Stadium home. In the Lions glory years of the 1950s, Detroit was considered one of the toughest venues in the league to play. Robert Fick hit a grand-slam homer to help Detroit to an 8-2 win over Kansas City. Everyone has their own opinion. Lynn worked with me to swap out to something similar excellent customer service. 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 .