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. For the film, computer-generated visual effects were used to make Tiger Stadium resemble Yankee Stadium in 1961. 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. PNC Park I put the location into google maps off I went. 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? Although never as well known as Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park or Wrigley Field, Tiger Stadium held an unique place in the hearts of Detroiters, who have now seemed to come to terms with the fact it will be torn down, probably in September 2008. Today's Posts; Member List; Calendar; Forum; American League; Chicago White Sox; If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. Pat Swilling House New Orleans, Is Katie On Ksat Pregnant, Who Are The Never Trumpers On Fox News, Uss Emory S Land Fpo Address, Westport News Nz Death Notices, 9 Word Text That Forces Her To Respond, Cecil Fielder clears left field roof at Tiger Stadium. [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. Returns & Exchanges Monaghan sold the team to a pizza rival, Mike Ilitch, in 1992. The field ran from the first base line, across the infield to the left-center-field fence. Although they only won six pennants during their tenure there, the hometown Tigers were often an interesting team with individual stars. Hammerin Hank Greenberg probably hit more home runs to deep left-center field at Navin Field/Briggs Stadium than any other player. Online auction of Tiger Stadium memorabilia draws $192,729", "Contract approved for Tiger Stadium demolition", "Tiger Stadium Field, Foul Poles to Be Saved", "Partial Demolition of Tiger Stadium Almost Done", "Remnants of Tiger Stadium Safe For Short Time", "So long: Detroit board OKs leveling Tiger Stadium", "Ernie Harwell Park ( site of former Tiger Stadium )", "Renderings reveal future of Tiger Stadium, field", "Key approval given to Tiger Stadium plans", "Who wants to live at Tiger Stadium? Detroit's Police Athletic League (PAL) headquarters would relocate to the site and maintain the field. 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. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. Ilitch began to make plans for a new ballpark downtown, breaking ground during the 1997 season. 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). Text by Dave Wright Photos by John Moist. ), But the biggest move came in 1938. 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 was said the lights at the ballpark were so bright that it could light up a city of 10,000 people. Please seek professional guidance. In 1895, Detroit had a team in the Western League, an eight-team loop that eventually melded into the American League. The bleachers had their own entrance, concession stands and restrooms. But Chicago linebacker Dick Butkus, one of the toughest players to ever play the game, knew better. The ballparks other famous boxing matches involved Jake LaMotta. Buckeye Video 632 subscribers 5.2K 1M views 7 years ago Oakland A's vs. Detroit Tigers 8/25/90. Reggie Jackson became a national figure due to a famous home run in an All-Star Game. [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. No advertising or spamming is permitted. 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. 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. The 1990 season was Fielders first in Detroit after wearing a Toronto uniform for four seasons and then playing in Japan. The latter once flipped off Sparky Anderson after hitting a home run into the right field upper deck in 1993. Singles by Mullin, Jimmy Bloodworth, and pinch-hitter Anse Moore plated another run for the Tigers in the seventh. 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. 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. Tiger Stadium (formerly known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium) was a stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. These were not temp help that knew nothing these were professionals who knew not just everything but were truly looking out for me. [18] In 1977, the Tigers sold the stadium to the city of Detroit, which then leased it back to the Tigers. On September 28, 1964, the league scheduled Detroit to host Green Bay on a Monday night. 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. New Hagerstown Atlantic League ballpark [78], In October 2007, an online auction of the stadium's memorabilia was held by Schneider Industries, which drew $192,729. One of his home runs in Yankee Stadium landed a dozen rows of seats from the scoreboard in right center field. Cecil Fielder takes a gingerly stroll on the roof of Tiger Stadium in 1993. Target Field renovations, 2024 Ballparks FAQ. George Brett loved the park, and in his final game at Tiger Stadium in an afternoon tilt in 1993, he hit two homers, one to right and one to left (I was there!). Coincidentally, Fielders counterpart at first base that day was Mark McGwire, who had hit his very first major league tater exactly four years earlier. 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. In 1973, ground was broken for a stadium to exclusively house the Lions. Due to the progression of the disease named after him, it was the final game of his career. [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. Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates. Dont forget about Frank Howard. [14], In 1895, Detroit Tigers owner George Vanderbeck had a new ballpark built at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues. Detroit was one of the first powers in the new league, advancing to the World Series three years in a row from 1907-09. She is very accommodating and made me feel at home, especially since I was unaware they don't operate a standard retail shop. But it burns bright in the memories of hitters like Tom Matchick. (For one season 1954 the Tigers shortened right field to 302 feet. Jim Thome has to be in there for homeruns to it seemed like every time I was at a game he hit one to right field. 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. 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. At the end of its life, it had the shortest right-field and longest center-field distance in major-league baseball. I was there for Gibsons shot over the roof onto brooks lumber. Thanks for reading. I will never forget this day. Many fans were saddened when the last game was played at "The Corner". BATON ROUGE, La. The Metropolitan Stadium Committee voted unanimously for the Pontiac site. 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! With regular first baseman Dan Meyer batting .192 with only two RBIs, the Tigers gave the job to Thompson early into the 1976 season. Along Trumbull Avenue, 24 town homes were planned for sale. His name? Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins. It was the final Major League hit, home run, and RBI in Tiger Stadium's history. When was the last Tigers game at Tiger Stadium? Winning pitcher Jim Bouton tossed seven scoreless innings for the victory. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. 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! . 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. Cash hit the ball over Tiger Stadiums right field roof four times in his career. [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. 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. 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. 59,203 fans attended the game, the largest crowd ever to see a football game at the Corner. He only fought once at Briggs Stadium, defeating Bob Pastor on September 20, 1939. Through 1990, only two players had cleared the roof in left. 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. [24] The same flag pole was to be brought to Comerica Park, but this never happened. The ball was hit over the roof in right field and accross Wentworth avenue. This was their first stop and they sold out the place in record time. It was the final Major League hit, home run, and RBI in Tiger Stadium's history. Remembering the Red Wings gritty Martin Lapointe. Thank you so much, I can't wait to wear my jersey to a Wings game! Distance: 511 Feet. 2023 Ballparks [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). Norm Cash hit the most Homeruns over the Stadium. [97], The pilot of the HBO series Hung featured the stadium's demolition in its opening scene. Fielder didnt hit his 50th that night, but it remains one of my more memorable spontaneous moments. After the game, it was revealed Hughes had passed away from a heart attack. 10. Minute Maid Park upgrades The movie was about the 1961 season when the Yankees Roger Maris broke Babe Ruths home run record. Michael Clair Harmon Killebrew hit a home run that ricocheted off the left field roof and sounded like a gun blast off his bat. Privacy Policy Excited to work with Vintage Detroit on future orders. All in all, however, the ballpark had a helluva good run. [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. That stadium was called Bennett Park and featured a wooden grandstand with a wooden peaked roof in the outfield. Unlike some teams that played in baseball parks, the Lions made no attempt to cover the infield. Norm Cash led all left-handed batters with 212 home runs, most of them going into the right field sections. , Competition, joy and a little pain: Beep Baseball is a world of freedom for blind athletes, By [92] It was also seen in Renaissance Man and Hardball. Tickets to the Hall of Fame banquet are available by contacting Jennifer Thunberg at Bay City Central at 989-891-0602, [email protected] or in person from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through . On July 9, 1965, Stormin' Norman hit an inside-the-park home run against the A's at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. The overhang would occasionally turn some extremely high arced fly balls into home runs. (Cerdan claimed he dislocated his shoulder in the first round.) On June 11, 1961, Cash became the first Detroit Tiger to hit a home run ball out of Tiger Stadium. Lynne asked what I was interested in and presented me with a great selection of Tigers caps and T-shirts. Tiger Stadium didnt go down easily. The Lions abandoned it for the Pontiac Silverdome. [17], Over the years, expansion continued to accommodate more spectators. As you'll notice, Aaron Judge hit four 500-foot blasts. Gibson hits one out of Tiger Stadium Watch on Source: wikimedia.org. Even better, the homer cut the AL's deficit from 3-0 to 3-2, and helped the Junior Circuit earn a 6-4 win -- snapping the NL's eight-game winning streak in the Midsummer Classic. [7][2], When the park was expanded in 1936, a second deck was added over the right field pavilion and bleachers. It is believed to be the only time in the sports history this has occurred. There had been occasional Monday night games played in the league over the years. [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. [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. The group reunited for their Alive/Worldwide tour. Left field was 345 feet away while right field was a monstrous 370 feet down the line. Good article. LMCU Ballpark (West Michigan Whitecaps) upgrades A post-game ceremony brought back just about famous ex-Tiger who was still alive for one last salute. 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. A year later, he returned to the stadium and retained his crown with a 15-round decision over Lauren Dauthuille. Innovative Field (Rochester Red Wings) upgrades 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 . Bill Freehan deserves special mention in that he hit exactly 100 home runs at Tiger Stadium and also 100 on the road. FAQ. Among the performers that day: Erma Franklin, older sister of Aretha Franklin. 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. I was there the day Fielder hit the over-the-roof shot. /news/1567868500869-kirk-gibson-hits-home-run-clear-over-tiger-stadium-roof-video [53] The ball was also carrying well in the 1951 and 1971 games. 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. There were home runs that didnt seem to be home runs. Cecil Fielder was only Tiger to clear Tiger Stadiums left-field roof. . On June 27, 1963, he played an entire game at first base without a chance, as the Minnesota Twins won 10-6. , The Metropolitan Museum of Art has one of the best baseball card collections in the world thanks to one man, By (The front row of seats was just 55 feet behind home plate). 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. As I approached the area I quickly realized I was in more an industrial & commercial area then retail. 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. But #50 was a rocket into the upper deck. Later measurement revealed the ball traveled close to 600 feet. Canseco, McGuire and Trammell also hit homers that day as well as another blast by Fielder. Baseball commissioner Judge Landis ordered Medwick off the field for his own safety. the Nearest to me was Vintage. By the early 1990s the owner of the Tigers wanted a new luxurious ballpark for team. The ballparks history actually dated back to 17 years before its generally accepted debut. Id have a chance to send my family to Paris on that one.. (Thirteen years earlier, he was the only player ever to homer over the center-field bleachers, which consisted of one deck at the time.) [86] There was at one time also a sign on the enclosing fence labeling the site "Ernie Harwell Park". 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. Its unique dimensions allowed fans to get closer than usual to the ballgame. Privacy Policy Depending who you talk to, the upper deck in right field was built to hang 5-10 feet over the warning track. Not to be picky but Griffey didnt flip off Sparky. [45], Northern Irish professional soccer club Glentoran F.C. The most notable one easily was a KISS concert held on June 28, 1996. No one hit more homers in Tiger Stadium than Al Kaline, who belted 212 there, while hitting 187 on the road. All rights reserved. Center field was even farther 467 feet. Fielder, 56, lives in Tampa, Florida, with his wife, Diana, and their son, Maksim. 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. Although it was the park where he was booed regularly, Tiger Stadium played a huge role in Maris career. What a game. Reggie Jackson's 1971 All-Star Game shot at Tiger Stadium would have travelled more than 600. [93][94], In the summer of 2000, the HBO movie 61* was filmed at Tiger Stadium. He was a regular at baseball games there for years. Reggie Jackson hit a titanic homer off the light tower in the 1971 All-Star Game. The ball actually sailed right over the right field roof of the ballpark, which is mind-boggling to contemplate. [35][36][37] It originally had one before it was removed. In 1945, Hank Greenberg belted a grand slam late in the season that not only won the game for Detroit, but clinched the pennant. Team: Cleveland Indians. Trammell hit 97 homers at Tiger Stadium, good for 11th all-time. 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. It was the type of park that inspired such feats. 11,111 home runs A 125-foot flagpole stood just to the left of the 440-foot sign in dead center field. The home run record was reset to 235 three years later, during the Tigers' final campaign at Tiger Stadium. Lynne asked what I was interested in and presented me with a great selection of Tigers caps and T-shirts. [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. [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. (AP Photo) AP Before Mr. October was Mr. October, he was Mr. July. August Publications was formed in 2002 with the launch of Ballpark Digest. My whole family was there. The team played as the Detroit Cougars in the United Soccer Association. About Us [4] A week into demolition, it was announced that the field, foul poles, and flagpole would be preserved. Mickey Mantle, 1960, 643 Feet. Progressive Field renovations 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. 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. As part of this transfer, the green wooden seats were replaced with blue and orange plastic ones and the stadium's interior, which was green, was painted blue to match. Excited to work with Vintage Detroit on future orders. Location: Heritage Park. PNC Park upgrades 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. I was a little concerned it would let look as good as I hoped, but when I put it on, I loved it. Lynn worked with me to swap out to something similar excellent customer service. The Tigers will move to Comerica Park next year. I had a chance to see a few games at Fenway, and while it is great, Tiger Stadium was more historic. Cecil signed an autograph for me the next year at the stadium, on my birthday in fact. All three games featured home runs. Tettleton, who cleared the stadium roof Friday night against the Angels, did it again in the . It bounced twice before plopping over the edge and onto the street. Once or twice a year, an outfielder would have to go behind the pole to chase an errant hit.