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. The hit itself was a gunshot, echoing back from center. - Advertisement - Check it out. Or the blast off Gibson's bat that landed on the roof of the lumber yard across Trumbull Avenue. The 1990 season was Fielders first in Detroit after wearing a Toronto uniform for four seasons and then playing in Japan. 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. Among the dignitaries on hand that day: David Eisenhower (nephew of the president and the person for whom Camp David was named) and Dizzy Dean, who had been baseballs last 30-game winner. 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). 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. 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. Joe Louis moved to Detroit as a youngster. [62], 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. Bosman, once Howard's roommate, mentioned one blast Howard clocked off Tommy John at RFK Stadium in 1966, then another off Mickey Lolich that sailed clear out of Tiger Stadium in 1968. Prince Fielder hit a home run there during batting practice when he was a 12-year old and his dad was playing for the Tigers. Enter your email address to subscribe to Ballpark Digest and receive notifications of new posts by email immediately when a new story is posted. The city used the proceeds to defray the demolition costs. [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. [78], In October 2007, an online auction of the stadium's memorabilia was held by Schneider Industries, which drew $192,729. Briggs Stadium was the scene of another famous event, which was actually something that did not occur. Returns & Exchanges It is the home stadium of the LSU Tigers football team . Tiger Stadium was sold to the city of Detroit on January 1, 1978 for $1.00 and leased back for 30 years. The crazy thing is we missed the home run for a hot pretzel. That ball is measured at 634 . PAL would build its new headquarters and related facilities on the western and northern edges of the site while preserving the historic playing field for youth sports, including high school and college baseball. Bill Freehan deserves special mention in that he hit exactly 100 home runs at Tiger Stadium and also 100 on the road. Cecil Fielder was only Tiger to clear Tiger Stadiums left-field roof. The ballparks other famous boxing matches involved Jake LaMotta. 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. Although the ballpark suffered little damage, the citys name was sullied. The club went 68-86 and hit 18 fewer home runs than the year before. 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. Mickey Mantle, 1960, 643 Feet. (For one season 1954 the Tigers shortened right field to 302 feet. 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He was a regular at baseball games there for years. In 1968, his last at-bat came there when he struck out in Game 5 of the World Series. The last game at Tiger Stadium was on September 27, 1999. Harmon Killebrew hit a home run that ricocheted off the left field roof and sounded like a gun blast off his bat. This did not include wildcat seats that were built on the rooftops on houses located behind the left-field fence. 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. Many fans were saddened when the last game was played at "The Corner". A short while later I left with a new cap and a custom Fidrych T-shirt. Jackson dropped his bat and watched it sail, seemingly astonished of his own power. On October 24, 1971, Chuck Hughes, a 27-year-old wide receiver for Detroit, suddenly collapsed on the field at the end of a play. Fick, a catcher and designated hitter, entered the game batting .200 with two home runs in 30 . There were occasional amateur games played there, a 2002 fantasy camp and occasional special segments were taped there. Detroit's Police Athletic League (PAL) headquarters would relocate to the site and maintain the field. 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. Good article. Customer Service About Us Al Kaline used to scale the fences in right field to take away home runs, and he played that area so well that it became known as Kalines Corner.. New St. Croix River Hounds ballpark, 2025 Ballparks 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. Park Dimensions: The dimensions of the park (in feet) including left, right and center field distance to each wall. The Tigers. I remember he stepped out of the box several times because someone in the bleacher seats was shinning a mirror into his eyes.He made the Tigers fans pay for that ! 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. With regular first baseman Dan Meyer batting .192 with only two RBIs, the Tigers gave the job to Thompson early into the 1976 season. All rights reserved. Hammerin Hank Greenberg probably hit more home runs to deep left-center field at Navin Field/Briggs Stadium than any other player. I was there in the left field upper deck when it was first hit we thought it was coming right to us, but it just kept going over the roof. I will never forget it. Football at Tiger Stadium was an adventure. Its unique dimensions allowed fans to get closer than usual to the ballgame. 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. Text by Dave Wright Photos by John Moist. Junior was upset that Sparky had intentionally walked him so often. 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.. Three who did were Roberto Clemente in the 71 All-Star Game, Larry Herndon in 1983, and Mark McGwire in 1987. [31][32][33], Tiger Stadium featured an upper and lower deck bleacher section that was separated from the rest of the stadium. It bounced twice before plopping over the edge and onto the street. [2], By the early 1990s, both the city and Tigers ownership wanted a new park, but many campaigned to save the old stadium. To make the park appear like Yankee Stadium, the parks seats were painted green and a skyline of the Bronx was added. He has four other children and four grandchildren. He grabbed his crotch and Sparky was not happy about it. The Tigers will move to Comerica Park next year. 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. Cecil Fielder was the third player,. 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. 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. When was the last Tigers game at Tiger Stadium? 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. Cecil signed an autograph for me the next year at the stadium, on my birthday in fact. 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. On July 2, 1993, Tigers first baseman Cecil Fielder hit a home run that has only just now come back to Earth. Although other teams joined the rotation (Dallas came first and a third TV game was added in 2006), the Lions still host a Thanksgiving Day game every season. As you'll notice, Aaron Judge hit four 500-foot blasts. 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. Center field was even farther 467 feet. The Tigers scratched out a run in the sixth to tie the game at 7. On September 10, 1960, Mickey Mantle hit a home run over the right-field roof at Tiger Stadium. This is a true story and has been recorded in a magazine of tape measure home runs. http://www.courtsidetweets.comCarl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox has a magical night at Tiger Stadium versus the Detroit Tigers by hitting three home run. 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. Wow! In 1967, the race riots that tore up the city of Detroit started less than two miles from the ballpark. [74][75] By 2006, however, demolition appeared inevitable when then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced the stadium would be razed. [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. briggs stadium, detroit, detroit tigers, michigan, mlb, national league, navin field, tiger stadium. [38], Tiger Stadium was home of the Detroit Lions from 1938 to 1974. I was there with my dad. I was a little concerned it would let look as good as I hoped, but when I put it on, I loved it. The following inning, Dick Wakefield sent a Ferriss pitch over the wall for a solo home run, his third homer of the season. Depending who you talk to, the upper deck in right field was built to hang 5-10 feet over the warning track. Fielder didnt hit his 50th that night, but it remains one of my more memorable spontaneous moments. [69] Among performers at the nightclub-style event was Snoop Dogg. 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 . The ball was hit over the roof in right field and accross Wentworth avenue. Be respectful even if you disagree. 5 Reasons to Update Your Business Operations, Get the Best Sleep Ever in 5 Simple Steps, How to Pack for Your Next Trip Somewhere Cold, Manage Your Money More Efficiently in 5 Steps, Ranking the 5 Most Spectacular NFL Stadiums in 2023. - 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 . 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. And on September 27, 1999, with flashbulbs popping, Robert Fick hit the final home run at The Corner, a grand slam in the last game at Tiger Stadium. That stadium was called Bennett Park and featured a wooden grandstand with a wooden peaked roof in the outfield. Writers described fire and smoke behind the outfield walls as a game went on. (Rumor was this came at the behest of the teams first star, Ty Cobb.) In left field, outfielders were known to jump up on the auxiliary scoreboard, grab the screen and reach several feet over the fence. A fire gutted the press box on the evening of February 1, 1977. Navin Field got a lot of play in the newsreels that winter but it was not the sort of publicity one desires. Gibson hits one out of Tiger Stadium Watch on New Marshall University ballpark How many home runs did Harmon Killebrew have? Whitaker hit 146 homers at the old ballpark, most of them after he matured into a better power hitter in his late 20s. Excited to work with Vintage Detroit on future orders. *(previously Briggs Stadium & Navin Field), Most Homers hit by opposing players Tiger Stadium didnt go down easily. In left field, it was 15 feet (4.6m) farther down the line, and the roof was set back some distance. Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in favor of an $80 million south end-zone upper deck expansion that added 70 "Tiger Den" suites, over 3,000 club seats and 1,500 . Although they only won six pennants during their tenure there, the hometown Tigers were often an interesting team with individual stars. 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 . There were moments of joy to behold down the stretch. If you want a new roof on Tiger Stadium it will have to built from scratch. [70], In 2006, the feature-length documentary Stranded at the Corner: The Battle to Save Historic Tiger Stadium was released. 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. [76] In June 2007, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation approved a plan to demolish the stadium, which needed approval from Detroit City Council. The group reunited for their Alive/Worldwide tour. 59,203 fans attended the game, the largest crowd ever to see a football game at the Corner. 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). Willie Horton hit a home run at Tiger Stadium when he was 16 years old during an all-city high school game. On September 28, 1964, the league scheduled Detroit to host Green Bay on a Monday night. Focus On Sport/Getty Images. Norm Cash hit the most Homeruns over the Stadium. The Amercan League won the game 6-4, with two run homers by Jackson, Frank Robinson, and Harmon Killebrew. [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. This was their first stop and they sold out the place in record time. [73], There were many proposals to redevelop the site. [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. 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. [35][36][37] It originally had one before it was removed. Back to top. [62] In his career, Norm Cash hit four home runs over the Tiger Stadium roof in right field and is the all-time leader. The new owner gave the old ballpark one last shot, adding a plaza of souvenir and food stands in the old players parking lot. I don't live nearby so the ability to have it shipped for $10 was well worth the cost. Fittingly, they lost to Denver, 31-27. Tiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the campus of Louisiana State University. Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers) updates Saw Herndons line shot to center. With the OPEN sign light I though well came all this way just aswell give it a try and am I glad I did. 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. Luis Polonia, the Tigers' left fielder, wearing Willie Horton's No. 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. Cabrera Or the blast off Gibsons bat that landed on the roof of the lumber yard across Trumbull Avenue. 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. AL West: Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers. Frank Navin, who bought the team in 1908, was a man with big ideas. [70] Anheuser-Busch promoted the event as Tiger Stadium's Last Call. Discussion of suicide or self-harm is not tolerated and will result in an immediate ban. 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. Proudly powered by WordPress | But Jackson, trying hard to make fans . 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. Cecil Fielder clears left field roof at Tiger Stadium. Teams had to stand on the same sideline in right field. I don't live nearby so the ability to have it shipped for $10 was well worth the cost. Bullying, racism, personal attacks, harassment, or discrimination is prohibited. Many legends hit homers at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull, from Ty Cobb to The Babe to Joe DiMaggio to Hank Aaron to Ken Griffey Jr. My whole family was there. Innovative Field (Rochester Red Wings) upgrades Due to the progression of the disease named after him, it was the final game of his career. It hosted the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1912 to 1999, as well as the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) from 1938 to 1974. Stopped by Wed morning 7/6 and had the pleasure of dealing directly with Lynne. No advertising or spamming is permitted. 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. 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. 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. In the 17 years afterwards (before moving to Pontiac), they had few memorable days at Tiger Stadium. 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. I,my son and two friends were sitting on the first base side in the upper deck when he hit that one, it went up so high I thought it wasnt coming down until it disappeared over the edge of the roof, Jose Cansenco hit on into center field at the flag pole that game too. Cash hit the ball over Tiger Stadiums right field roof four times in his career. 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. In the Lions glory years of the 1950s, Detroit was considered one of the toughest venues in the league to play. highlights - the Tigers 1984 miracle season, and the stadium's most famous home run: a mammoth home run by Reggie Jackson off a light tower atop the right-field roof during the 1971 All-Star Game - and lowlights, such as October 9, 1934, when in the sixth inning of Game Seven of the World The ballpark was also the scene of one of the darkest days in NFL history. Target Field renovations, 2024 Ballparks Although that game was never televised, Tiger Stadium remained a part of the opening for the series for many years long after the Lions had moved to the Pontiac Silverdome. That year, Big Daddy captured the countrys attention with an eye-popping 51 home runs and 132 RBI, both best in the majors. It was declared a State of Michigan Historic Site in 1975 and has been listed on the National Register of . One of those occurred on June 24, 1962. In fact, the Indians erected a 12-foot bronze statue in his honor in . Lynn worked with me to swap out to something similar excellent customer service. There is no roof to extend. 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 . Such was life at The Corner.). Only one current Tiger ever hit a home run at Tiger Stadium, and it was a memorable occasion. [7][2] Taking predecessor Bennett Park into account, Tiger Stadium was the oldest Major League Baseball site in use in 1999. In 1945, Hank Greenberg belted a grand slam late in the season that not only won the game for Detroit, but clinched the pennant. In 2018, the site was redeveloped for youth sports. 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. [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. [48] The area was nicknamed "Cobb's Lake". Hence, for many years, everybody but the citizens of Detroit watched the annual Thanksgiving Day game.) At the end of its life, it had the shortest right-field and longest center-field distance in major-league baseball. Not to be picky but Griffey didnt flip off Sparky. Monaghan sold the team to a pizza rival, Mike Ilitch, in 1992. 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. 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. [80] Demolition began on June 30, 2008. Obviously those CF home runs had to be close to 500 feet to clear the wall at that point. It just shows that, when you buy a ticket to a game, you just might witness a bit of history. 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. Myshak Metro Ballpark (Edmonton Prospects) I placed an order and received a follow up call within 24 hrs due to item was not available. Non-Baseball Events Held at Tiger Stadium The year 1938 was significant in the ballparks history. Excited to work with Vintage Detroit on future orders. [48], On July 18, 1921, Babe Ruth hit what is believed to be the longest verified home run in Major League Baseball history. 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. In 1961, John Fetzer bought the team and renamed its home Tiger Stadium. Big Frank Howard loved to hit there, as did Killebrew and Reggie and Ken Griffey Jr. Since Detroit was driving for a score late in the game, some assumed Hughes was simply trying to stop the clock. [57][58], On April 7, 1986, Dwight Evans hit a home run on the first pitch of Opening Day. 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. The first home run in the history of the All-Star Game was hit by none other than Babe Ruth. Yankee Stadium is listed in the credits at the end of the film as being played by Tiger Stadium. 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 were over 30 home runs hit onto the right field roof over the years. Awesome article Dan as usual! The NFL Lions left University of Detroit Stadium to move downtown. He frantically signaled to the sidelines to get help for Hughes. That stadium was called Bennett Park and featured a wooden grandstand with a wooden peaked roof in the outfield. Some managers felt a line should be drawn on the pole and that any ball hit above the line would be a home run. It was the last hit and the last run in the stadium. 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.
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