Comments on: Tiger Stadium to get wrecking ball

By: Steve P.

Steve P. — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 00:26:10 +0000

Scott, if you look at it, you’ll see that people are moving back into the cities in droves. Maybe not in Detroit, mind you, but urban renewal is working across the country. And the people who don’t move back into the cities (usually the folks with kids), they still take the kids back into the city for touristy things. Go to downtown Chicago, on any day of the week, any time of day, and you’ll see plenty of foot traffic downtown. (As much as it may disturb you, whites and blacks even walk on the same sidewalk!) My aunt from Westland was amazed when she saw it. The outlook for cities is not hopeless, and Detroit has been fighting for this sort of scenario for a few years now, and it seems to be working a little. Here’s hoping it continues to work.

By: Slashpyne

Slashpyne — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 20:33:42 +0000

This plan (if it happens) is pretty cool. Can you imagine going thru the entry to see kids play on the Tiger Stadium field and using the dugouts?
I haven’t lived in Michigan since 1990, but always went to Tigers spring training games when I live in Florida. Going to my first regular season game since the late 80s when the Tigers play at Seattle on July 8th

By: Tim D

Tim D — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 19:33:25 +0000

Scott, what is the City of Detroit do? Just burn Corktown down and hope somebody buys up the empty land? They are building retail space AND HOUSING. The City is desperately trying to get some upgraded housing in hopes of getting some people to move in. White people are allowed. You can get a great deal on real estate if you are willing to live in Detroit. Sooner or later people from Westland, Dearborn Heights, Melvindale, Roseville and Redford are going to figure that out. Nobody from Rochester or Troy or Birmingham is going to move into Detroit. But people from Taylor or Romulus or Ecorse might. I can’t blame the City for trying and I think the revitalization of the City, if possible, would be a benefit to the entire state and not just Detroiters. Now if the Big Three can get things figured out, again, maybe SE Michigan will have a fighting chance.

By: Scott

Scott — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 17:39:10 +0000

sounds like another gov’t boondoggle to me. So they want to put up “retail space”? Who’s gonna go there to shop? NOBODY!! The demographics of the world have changed - we don’t need to go downtown to shop anymore. This is what all these “city planners” fail to understand. I’m originally from Detroit, live in Tampa, FL now. They did the same thing down here. Know what? NOBODY goes downtown to shop in these places. And the stupid city here keeps subsidizing the place(s) at taxpayer expense. And everybody ignores the “truth” behind all this; something that seems “against the law” to say or think anymore: white people aren’t gonna go downtown and risk their lives to shop, when they can stay in the suburbs and get the job done. You mark my words - this “shopping center retail space” thing is gonna be a taxpayer-albatross that everybody in Wayne County will pay for (again!) And for whose use? The people that live right there in that area of Michigan + Trumbull, that’s who…..

By: ripi$money

ripi$money — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 17:08:21 +0000

I said the same thing on my blog: Let us in one last time.

This plan is probably the best-case scenario, since we all knew it was going to the wrecking ball sooner or later. Instead of a Wal Mart or big box store, Corktown will be getting what seems to be a promising development complete with the greenspace of a little league diamond. How great will it be for the kids to play on the same field as Ty Cobb, Willie Horton, and the others? It would be great if the shops and homes can be tied in with some nice landscaping, creating a kind of Campus Martius in Corktown.

By: Kyle J

Kyle J — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 13:08:40 +0000

Great post, Tim D. Thanks.

By: Jake

Jake — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 08:06:52 +0000

Although I understand the costs involved in trying to maintain a stadium that isn’t being used anymore I’m going to miss it along with all the memories. I remember when I was a kid going to a baseball clinic that they had and the excitement I felt getting to set foot on the field. There is so much history to remember at that park. I am going to miss it but, I’m happy to hear that at least portions of it will be preserved.

By: Tim D

Tim D — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 06:00:05 +0000

I saw probably 150 games at Tiger Stadium between 1965 and 1987. And probably 5 or 6 more after ‘87. From the games I saw:

Best moment: Tigers clinch the ‘68 pennant with a 2-1 sudden win over the Yankees.

Worst moment: DH loss in 1975 to the A’s 11-0 and 16-4. (Yes, I stayed until it was over)

Best pitching performance: Joe Niekro, 1970, a one hit shutout of the Yankees, lost the no-hitter on an infield hit by Horace Clarke in the 9th.

Best hitting performance: 10 RBI by Fred Lynn in 1975.

Team I d: I must have seen the Orioles 25 or 30 times and I think the Tigers won maybe 6. From Frank Robinson to Cal Ripken, the O’s were always trouble. Mike Cuellar drove me nuts.

Team we always beat: Cleveland. I saw the Tigers win three Openers against the Indians. Luis Tiant beat McLain 2-0 one time and I think that’s the only loss I saw.

Best defensive player: Mickey Stanley

Weirdest play: Frank Robinson at bat, Paul Blair on 3rd. Robinson swings and misses and his bat goes flying into the infield. Blair is standing around 6-8 feet off third watching the Tiger SS (?) walk over to pick up the bat. Blair assumes time is out. It isn’t. Bill Freehan ran all the way up the third base line and tagged Blair out. Earl Weaver very nearly had a coronary. Tigers lost anyway. Like I said, the Orioles.

Best seats: First five rows of the upper deck around the infield. (The bleachers were fun but a loooongg way away.)

Worst seats: There were lots of bad ones but we sat in obstructed view one night against the Twins and you couldn’t see the batter OR the pitcher.

Best give away: Bat Day. The kids banged the bats so much they had to start giving them away at the end of the game cuz we were knocking the stadium down. I had a Freehan and a Northrup.

Longest game: Jim Northrup homers in the 16th to beat the Angels.

Favorite Tigers: Norm Cash, Gates Brown, Rusty Staub, Milt Wilcox, Mickey Lolich, Champ Summers, Johnny Wockenfuss, Lou Whitaker, John Hiller.

Favorite Opposition Players: Boog Powell, Nolan Ryan, Tony Oliva, Sal Bando, Catfish Hunter, Mickey Mantle, Leon “Daddy Wags” Wagner (easily the worst defensive OF I ever saw), Mark Belanger, George Brett.

Best food: The grilled hot dogs from the concession stand. The boiled ones from the vendor would do in a pinch. Honorable Mention: Vernor’s ice cream on a stick.

Worst food: Cotton candy. Awful!

Those urinals were really special. And the cramped hallways. And the parking pretty much sucked. Park in somebody’s yard and hope.

I’m glad they are taking her down. Whenever I’m in town it hurts to see her sitting there coming apart. I wish they had tried to restore her, but the Tigers never had what I would call a visionary ownership. The city never had a vision either. Too bad. But I like Comerica too and I think it will have plenty of soul if the team plays well.

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 03:59:47 +0000

Hey TM, welcome back (to baseball, that is).

And before we get too misty-eyed over Tiger Stadium, let’s not forget it wasn’t exactly the perfect place to watch a ballgame. Remember how the upper deck obscured the view of the lower? Comerica (please for the the love of God don’t call it the “Copa”) at least has good views from every seat. The best Tiger Stadium has going for it is memories and history, not that those aren’t valuable.

Give Comerica a few more seasons, or better yet a few more decades, and a few winning teams. The soul will be there.

By: Steve P.

Steve P. — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 01:17:42 +0000

Just adding to the nostalgia…

Having been born in ‘83, and never having lived within 1500 miles of Detroit, I only got to attend two games at Tiger Stadium, the first being when I was 3. The second was on my ninth birthday, and there was a promotion that allowed children and a parent to walk on the field and, I think, run the bases before the game. It was pretty cool for me, but unbelievable for my dad, who spent decades in Detroit as a Tiger fan.

The Tigers lost 10-0 to the Yankees.

To the above commenter, I like Comerica (except the name). It definitely has a soul… Being able to watch the game from the street is part of that, along with its attempt at showcasing Tiger history, and its deep outfield. It’s a good park, and time can make it great.