The overhang would occasionally turn some extremely high arced fly balls into home runs. I was a little concerned it would let look as good as I hoped, but when I put it on, I loved it. Cecil signed an autograph for me the next year at the stadium, on my birthday in fact. Cecil Fielder was the third player,. AL West: Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers. Not to be picky but Griffey didnt flip off Sparky. It was declared a State of Michigan Historic Site in 1975 and has been listed on the National Register of . briggs stadium, detroit, detroit tigers, michigan, mlb, national league, navin field, tiger stadium. In the early 1970s, disgusted Detroit fans began to throw snowballs at the team bench from the upper-deck seats in right field. Focus On Sport/Getty Images. [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. That ball is measured at 634 . New Tennessee Smokies ballpark. - 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 . 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. On June 27, 1963, he played an entire game at first base without a chance, as the Minnesota Twins won 10-6. [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. [49][50] On July 13, 1934 at the stadium, Ruth hit his 700th career home run off Tigers' pitcher Tommy Bridges. Trammell hit 97 homers at Tiger Stadium, good for 11th all-time. The first night game at the stadium was held on June 15, 1948. Order Tracking Comerica Park is NICE; Tiger Stadium was GREAT!!!! Myshak Metro Ballpark (Edmonton Prospects) [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. That stadium was called Bennett Park and featured a wooden grandstand with a wooden peaked roof in the outfield. On June 11, 1961, Cash became the first Detroit Tiger to hit a home run ball out of Tiger Stadium. (In those days, home games were blacked out 75 miles from the site of competition. Have Your Own Jersey? Outsiders began to look at Tiger Stadium and the neighborhood it was located in a different light. On June 27, 1963, he played an entire game at first base without a chance, as the Minnesota Twins won 106. Its unique dimensions allowed fans to get closer than usual to the ballgame. Enter your email address to subscribe to Ballpark Digest and receive notifications of new posts by email immediately when a new story is posted. I was in desperate need because of a upcoming event to make purchase I could get same day while searching for the item I quickly realized there wasn't just limited availability of the item but very limited locations in Metro Detroit i could purchase the item. On May 2, 1939, Lou Gehrigs streak of 2,130 consecutive games ended when he asked out of the Yankees lineup complaining of a headache. As i pulled in I quickly understood this was a warehouse & office thinking this is a internet retailer. Briggs Stadium, as it was now known, held 53,000 seats. Rogers Centre renovations . Theme: Envo Blog. Thanks, J.D. Paul was great to work with and offered to delay shipping when I told him I would be on vacation on the original delivery date. Sure, Tiger Stadium was a famously hitter-friendly ballpark, especially for lefties. Unlike some teams that played in baseball parks, the Lions made no attempt to cover the infield. Team owner George Vanderbeck constructed a 5,000-seat wooden facility, called Bennett Park, on the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues. Lynn worked with me to swap out to something similar excellent customer service. Among the performers that day: Erma Franklin, older sister of Aretha Franklin. In 1968, his last at-bat came there when he struck out in Game 5 of the World Series. At the time, some places in the outfield were only marked off with rope. One of them came n Thanksgiving Day in 1962 when they sacked Green Bays Bart Starr 10 times en route to a 26-14 win the lone Packer loss of the season. [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. In September 1990, I was making the trip from Traverse City down to Toledo, Ohio, to visit my grandmother. If in doubt, leave it out. Kirk Gibson famously hit a ball over the right field roof that landed in the lumber yard across the street, traveling a distance of more than 500 feet. They checked it over and off I went. It was said the lights at the ballpark were so bright that it could light up a city of 10,000 people. /news/1567868500869-kirk-gibson-hits-home-run-clear-over-tiger-stadium-roof-video There were very few concerts held over the years at The Corner. Like other home runs mentioned on this list, Thome's blast bounced through the streets after leaving the stadium by flying over the center field fence. The home run record was reset to 235 three years later, during the Tigers' final campaign at Tiger Stadium. On November 28, 1974, the Lions played their last game at Tiger Stadium. He responded by going four-for-five in his third game as a major leaguer. The new owner gave the old ballpark one last shot, adding a plaza of souvenir and food stands in the old players parking lot. [62] In his career, Norm Cash hit four home runs over the Tiger Stadium roof in right field and is the all-time leader. ORDER YOURS NOW! She is very accommodating and made me feel at home, especially since I was unaware they don't operate a standard retail shop. 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. He grabbed his crotch and Sparky was not happy about it. 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. 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. I know Alan Trammell hit a lot of homeruns on the road while playing for Detroit, and as a total for his career, he hit 185 HRs total both on the road and at home. Saw Herndons line shot to center. About Us A fire gutted the press box on the evening of February 1, 1977. , Competition, joy and a little pain: Beep Baseball is a world of freedom for blind athletes, By [7][2] Taking predecessor Bennett Park into account, Tiger Stadium was the oldest Major League Baseball site in use in 1999. [62][64][65] Following the game, an emotional ceremony with past and present Tigers greats was held to mark the occasion. [41][43], In 1939, boxer Joe Louis defended his world heavyweight title with an eleventh-round knockout of Bob Pastor at the stadium. A few players, very few, hit home runs into the bleachers in straightaway center field, an incredible 440 feet away. It was the first Notre Dame football game to be played at night. 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. In addition to the movie 61*, two other films Tiger Town and Hardball had scenes filmed there. A doctor who was sitting in the stands tore from his seat, broke past an official and ran to help Hughes. [74][75] By 2006, however, demolition appeared inevitable when then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced the stadium would be razed. 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. Willie Horton hit a home run at Tiger Stadium when he was 16 years old during an all-city high school game. Some call this the longest home run ever hit. 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. Or the blast off Gibson's bat that landed on the roof of the lumber yard across Trumbull Avenue. 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. [95][96], During the last days in which part of Tiger Stadium was still standing, scenes for the film Kill the Irishman, which were used to depict Cleveland Stadium, were shot at the stadium. Sweet Lou Whitaker, at just over 5 foot 10 and weighing a slim 160 pounds, was probably the least-likely prolific home run hitter at Tiger Stadium. Al Kaline.). I was a bit too far up the stands behind home plate to see it go out (the upper deck blocked my view), but I knew something had happened. Left field was 345 feet away while right field was a monstrous 370 feet down the line. In 1967, the race riots that tore up the city of Detroit started less than two miles from the ballpark. The Tigers' Kirk Gibson hit a home run onto the street in 1983 but it was less than 600 feet. Considered one of the longest home runs ever hit in major league history. Mickey Mantle, 1960, 643 Feet. [2] To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. 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. Yankee Stadium is listed in the credits at the end of the film as being played by Tiger Stadium. Tiger Stadium (formerly known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium) was a stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. July 11, 2018. Thanks! 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. The crazy thing is we missed the home run for a hot pretzel. [7][15][16], In 1911, new Tigers owner Frank Navin ordered a new steel-and-concrete baseball park to be built on the same site that would seat 23,000 to accommodate the growing numbers of fans. Some opposing players seemed to shine at Tiger Stadium. [2] Spotlights were added above the warning track to illuminate the area beneath the overhang. In fact, the Indians erected a 12-foot bronze statue in his honor in . Fick, a catcher and designated hitter, entered the game batting .200 with two home runs in 30 . Customer Service 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 . [14], In 1895, Detroit Tigers owner George Vanderbeck had a new ballpark built at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues. Returns & Exchanges The stadium's demolition was completed on September 21, 2009, though the stadium's actual playing field remains at the corner where the stadium stood. [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. Quick shipping as well. On June 28, 1990, the ballpark hosted another unusual event. [14], In 2018, the Corner Ballpark opened at the site. Everyone has their own opinion. Posted on 10/1/19 at 7:27 am to chimesstreet. The third deck in right field would be 75 feet high and 375 feet from home plate. Tiger Stadium (formerly known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium) was a stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. 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. All three games featured home runs. It is the only on-field death in the history of the league. Through snow flurries and a first-pitch temperature of 32 degrees at Comerica Park, Cabrera stepped to the plate in the first inning and ripped an opposite field home run just inches over the yellow line in right field to give the Tigers a quick 2-0 lead on the Cleveland Indians (scroll for video below). Returns & Exchanges Ask away and we will do our best to answer or find someone who can.We try to vet our answers to get you the most acurate answers. Fittingly, Ficks blast was the final hit of any kind at Tiger Stadium. In 1961, John Fetzer bought the team and renamed its home Tiger Stadium. I was there. The home run went to straightaway center field, clearing the stadium and landing into the street. 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. No one hit more homers in Tiger Stadium than Al Kaline, who belted 212 there, while hitting 187 on the road. Purchased a New Era Gruff Michigan Syaye hat, and I absolutely love it. In the first game Cash hit the shot over the roof and another home run off McClain. For medical advice, always consult your medical doctor. Privacy Policy You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. As you'll notice, Aaron Judge hit four 500-foot blasts. Tiger Stadium was sold to the city of Detroit on January 1, 1978 for $1.00 and leased back for 30 years. Dan: Great column. Future Legends Sports Complex (Northern Colorado Owlz) New Hagerstown Atlantic League ballpark 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! Detroit OF Rocky Colavito tied a major-league record when he went 7-for-10 in the game. A new ballpark for the Tigers was built in downtown Detroit, and the club moved to Comerica Park after the 1999 season. Denny McLain achieved one of the games rarest feats at the place they called The Corner. Matt Monagan On Rader's home run, the only other Mariner who remembers is Vada Pinson, who is a first-base coach for Seattle. Before leaving Oakland for St. Louis, McGwire would become the fourth and final player to homer over the left-field roof at Tiger Stadium, connecting off Brian Moehler on April 21, 1997. None had occurred since 1955. Field of Dreams ballpark (Dyersville, IA) This would be hard to believe but I actually called the shot. It is believed to be the only time in the sports history this has occurred. 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 . [2][23], Tiger Stadium had a 125-foot (38 m) tall flagpole in fair play, to the left of dead center field near the 440-foot (134 m) mark. Lou Gehrig said goodbye there. Babe Ruth (60), Ted Williams (55), Jimmie Foxx (52), Mickey Mantle (42), Yogi Berra (37), Yaz (36). 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. On June 11, 1961, Cash became the first Detroit Tiger to hit a home run ball out of Tiger Stadium. He was a regular at baseball games there for years. This is a true story and has been recorded in a magazine of tape measure home runs. Be respectful even if you disagree. [71][72] It was also shown at the inaugural National Baseball Hall of Fame Film Festival in November 2006. 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. 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. 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. New Richmond Flying Squirrels ballpark It was the final Major League hit, home run, and RBI in Tiger Stadium's history. Depending who you talk to, the upper deck in right field was built to hang 5-10 feet over the warning track. Recently got a blank jersey stitched at Vintage Detroit and the finished product looks awesome! All rights reserved. To make the park appear like Yankee Stadium, the parks seats were painted green and a skyline of the Bronx was added. [53][54][55] Ted Williams won the 1941 game with a walk-off three-run home run. Once or twice a year, an outfielder would have to go behind the pole to chase an errant hit. Cecil Fielder was only Tiger to clear Tiger Stadiums left-field roof. The last Tigers game at the stadium was held on September 27, 1999. I was at Tiger Stadium in May 1971 when Reggie Jackson hit the ball over the right field roof. 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. Shortly thereafter, the city of Detroit bought the park from the team for $1. Detroit hit 40 more home runs than the year before, helped in part by a 20-year old rookie who hit 27 himself and posted a .340 BA to win the AL batting crown. Two years earlier, he stunned the attendees at the MLB All-Star Game in Detroit's Tiger Stadium by hitting a home run more than 400 feet; the ball hit the base of the light tower at the park. From the day it opened in 1912, until the final game in September of 1999, Tiger Stadium was witness to more home runs than any other ballpark in baseball. 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. In the fourth inning, with Alan Trammell on first base and two out, Fielder powered a 3-1 fastball from righthander Dave Stewart toward the roof in left. The ball was hit over the roof in right field and accross Wentworth avenue. The unusual dimensions of the football field led to some odd happenings. The HBO movie 61* was filmed there. The benches for both the Lions and their opponents were on the outfield side of the field. [97], The pilot of the HBO series Hung featured the stadium's demolition in its opening scene. Frank Navin, who bought the team in 1908, was a man with big ideas. Lynne asked what I was interested in and presented me with a great selection of Tigers caps and T-shirts. [48] The area was nicknamed "Cobb's Lake". With regular first baseman Dan Meyer batting .192 with only two RBIs, the Tigers gave the job to Thompson early into the 1976 season. [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. Left Field and Right Field hitting averages: Data displaying the left and right field averages for each statistic, with 1.00 being the average. 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. The latter once flipped off Sparky Anderson after hitting a home run into the right field upper deck in 1993. Although the ballpark suffered little damage, the citys name was sullied. South African leader Nelson Mandela spoke before 49,000 people. There were moments of joy to behold down the stretch. 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.. [57][58], On April 7, 1986, Dwight Evans hit a home run on the first pitch of Opening Day. It bounced twice before plopping over the edge and onto the street. 2023 Ballparks 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.