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 Tiger
Stadium
Detroit, MI
Perhaps one of the
most popular stadiums in baseball, Tiger Stadium was the home of
the Detroit Tigers for nearly a century.
The history of professional baseball
in Detroit dates back to 1881 when the Detroit Wolverines played at
Recreation Park and were part of the National League until 1888. The
team joined the International League then the Western League and
became known as the Detroit Tigers in 1895. Owner Arthur Van Der
Beck bought the club and built a ballpark for the team at Michigan
and Trumbull in 1896. Named after Tigers catcher Charlie Bennett,
the Tigers first game at Bennett Park was on April 28, 1896. In
1901, the Tigers became a charter member of the American League and
the ballpark's capacity was increased to 8,500 from 6,000.
The grandstand was
in the shape of a L. A covered grandstand extended from behind third
base to home and attached to a bleacher section along the first base
side. Located in the outfield were trees, the Tigers clubhouse and
the groundskeepers shed.
By the 1908 season, the
playing field was reduced as the main grandstand was extended into
the field by 40 feet. A new bleacher section along the third base
side was added increasing the capacity to 10,000. Bennett Park’s
capacity again increased in 1911 to 18,000 when bleachers were added
in right and left field. Because the stadium was built of wood, the
threat of fire was great. This led to the entire ballpark being
demolished after the 1911 season. A new ballpark of steel and concrete was
constructed on the same site. Homeplate was moved from right field
to where it was until Tiger Stadium closed. The new ballpark was
named Navin Field and the Tigers played their first game at the
ballpark on April 20, 1912. It could seat 23,000 spectators as a covered grandstand
extended down the first and third base lines with bleachers in
right field. In centerfield was the first baseball hitters backdrop
in baseball. The first major addition to Navin Field occurred
before the 1923 season when a second deck was added between the first and
third base and a press box was added on top of the roof. This
addition increased the
capacity at Navin Field rose to 30,000.
The 1930s gave Tiger Stadium its look that it
retained for 70 years. In 1935, Navin Field was renamed Briggs
Stadium after owner Walter O. Briggs. A series of expansions began
prior to the 1936 season. The single deck pavilion that extended down
the first base line and around into right field was double decked.
Before the addition could be built in right field, a problem had
to be solved. Trumbull Avenue was located behind the right field fence
therefore
the grandstands could not be expanded out. To solve the problem, the right field line was
shortened to 325 feet and the upper deck extended over the lower deck
and over the playing field 10 feet. Construction was completed by
April 1937 and Briggs Stadium could seat 36,000 fans. After the 1937 season
an additional expansion was completed at Briggs Stadium. The single deck
pavilion that extended down the third base line and around into left
field was double decked. A gap between the double decks in right
and left field was filled with two decks of bleachers with the
scoreboard placed on top. With this expansion, Briggs Stadium was now enclosed and
had a capacity of 54,500, making it one of baseballs largest
stadiums. Dimensions were 340 ft. (left), 440 ft. (center), and 325
ft. (right).
Night baseball came to Briggs Stadium on June
15, 1948. During the same year, the press box was extended around the third deck. In 1961, Briggs Stadium was renamed Tiger Stadium
when the team was bought by John Fetzer.
Tiger fans became outraged in 1972 when Fetzer announced that he was going to build a new
multipurpose stadium. At the polls that year, voters rejected bonds
to construct a new stadium. Navin Field/Briggs Stadium/Tiger Stadium also
hosted many other events other than baseball. The Detroit Lions
(NFL) and other football teams played at the ballpark from 1938 to
1974. Boxing matches, concerts, and many other activities took place
at the stadium. Fire broke out at Tiger Stadium in 1977 and
destroyed the press box. The city of Detroit bought the stadium from
the Tigers for $1 and decided to renovate Tiger Stadium. All of the
original green wooden seats were replaced by new orange and blue
plastic seats, a new video scoreboard replaced the old hand operated one in
centerfield, and a new press box with two luxury suites were hung
from the second deck. In 1993, $8 million in expansions were
completed at Tiger Stadium, including building a food court called the
Tiger Plaza, where the players once parked.
Detroit Tiger fans continued to enjoy going to
baseball games at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull until it closed. Many fans
did not mind the columns that may have been in front of their seat or
other obstructed views. The overhang in right field provided many
homeruns that may not have been homeruns in other ballparks and the
flagpole in centerfield could cause problems for outfielders. If a
Tiger fan did not sit in the bleachers in the outfield listening
to Ernie Harwell on a hand held radio, they did not know what they
were missing. From the green grass to the green seats and eventually
the blue and orange seats, Tiger Stadium reminded fans what baseball
was like in 1914. By the early 1990s the owner of the Tigers wanted
a new luxurious ballpark for team. A new ballpark for the Tigers was built in downtown
Detroit, and the club moved to
Comerica Park after the 1999 season. The last game at Tiger
Stadium was on September 27, 1999. Many fans were saddened when the
last game was played at "The Corner". For over seven
years, there has been talk of college or minor league baseball teams
using the facility along with other sports. However, the City of
Detroit does not seem interested in allowing any sporting events at
the stadium. Unfortunately, in June 2006 the City of Detroit
announced plans to tear down Tiger Stadium this fall and winter. In
its place will be retail shops and residential housing surrounding
the historic playing field, which will be preserved as a nonprofit
park and ball diamond. As of October 2007, seats and other items
have been removed from Tiger Stadium for its eventual
demolition.
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