- Advertisement - Check it out. Detroit reliever Terry Fox threw eight scoreless innings of relief. All three games featured home runs. [62] In his career, Norm Cash hit four home runs over the Tiger Stadium roof in right field and is the all-time leader. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Willie Horton hit a home run at Tiger Stadium when he was 16 years old during an all-city high school game. [79], The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation awarded the demolition contract on April 22, 2008, with the speculation that demolition revenue would come from the sale of scrap metal. Ficks homer hit the roof in right and just missed going out of the stadium. Cash hit the ball over Tiger Stadium's right field roof four times in his career. The movie was about the 1961 season when the Yankees Roger Maris broke Babe Ruths home run record. When Medwick took his position in left field in the bottom of the inning, the Tiger fans pelted him with fruits, vegetables and just about anything else they could get their hands on. 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. The overhang would occasionally turn some extremely high arced fly balls into home runs. 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. Innovative Field (Rochester Red Wings) upgrades He never played another game. PNC Park upgrades On September 10, 1960, Mickey Mantle hit a home run over the right-field roof at Tiger Stadium. Awesome article Dan as usual! The home run went to straightaway center field, clearing the stadium and landing into the street. 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. Team owner George Vanderbeck constructed a 5,000-seat wooden facility, called Bennett Park, on the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues. Fick, a catcher and designated hitter, entered the game batting .200 with two home runs in 30 . [97], The pilot of the HBO series Hung featured the stadium's demolition in its opening scene. 19 batters have hit home runs completely out of Tiger Stadium. Who were 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. When was the last Tigers game at Tiger Stadium? Only one current Tiger ever hit a home run at Tiger Stadium, and it was a memorable occasion. [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. Hank Greenberg and Willie Horton might also qualify as long time Tigers. There is one other football item worthy of note regarding Tiger Stadium. Tiger Stadium, previously known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit. Here are the longest home runs in the Home Run Derby, during the StatCast era, away from Coors Field. [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. There was a one-year spike in attendance but the 1994 baseball strike wiped out a lot of good will earned. The final home run Fittingly, in the last game at The Corner, on September 27, 1999, it was a Tiger who launched the final homer at Tiger Stadium. Such was life at The Corner.). Due to the progression of the disease named after him, it was the final game of his career. And so it went. They checked it over and off I went. The most notable one easily was a KISS concert held on June 28, 1996. /news/1567868500869-kirk-gibson-hits-home-run-clear-over-tiger-stadium-roof-video A doctor who was sitting in the stands tore from his seat, broke past an official and ran to help Hughes. Cecil Fielder was only Tiger to clear Tiger Stadiums left-field roof. 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. The Tigers. I was at Tiger Stadium in May 1971 when Reggie Jackson hit the ball over the right field roof. As you'll notice, Aaron Judge hit four 500-foot blasts. 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. [31][32][33], Tiger Stadium featured an upper and lower deck bleacher section that was separated from the rest of the stadium. My whole family was there. 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. Tiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the campus of Louisiana State University. 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. Along the way it served as scenes for movies as well as a plethora of public events ranging from a KISS concert to a speech by Nelson Mandela. [2], By the early 1990s, both the city and Tigers ownership wanted a new park, but many campaigned to save the old stadium. A record that cant be broken, You are correct he hit 4 out of the Stadium. The home run record was reset to 235 three years later, during the Tigers' final campaign at Tiger Stadium. Id have a chance to send my family to Paris on that one.. When baseball's biggest stars need a haircut, they come to Jos 'Jordan' Lpez, By Minute Maid Park upgrades Posted on 10/1/19 at 7:27 am to chimesstreet. As we stood at the vendor the entire stadium erupted. The last game at Tiger Stadium was on September 27, 1999. The team began a downward spiral on and off the field. Tiger Stadium was designed by the father and son team of Frank C. Osborn and Kenneth H. Osborn. Jackson dropped his bat and watched it sail, seemingly astonished of his own power. [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. Lynn worked with me to swap out to something similar excellent customer service. There were unlikely homers: little Freddie Patek, a 5 foot 5 imp who hit only a handful of homers in his career, hit two at Tiger Stadium; and 19-year old pitcher Denny McLain hit a home run on September 21, 1963, in his first big league game, and never hit another. The Home Run Encyclopedia gives an account of one of Ruth's longest drives and one of the longest hit ever. I don't live nearby so the ability to have it shipped for $10 was well worth the cost. The crazy thing is we missed the home run for a hot pretzel. (At age 89, Eldon Auker, a member of the 1934-35 AL champions, was the oldest returnee. [2] Spotlights were added above the warning track to illuminate the area beneath the overhang. 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. Bill Freehan deserves special mention in that he hit exactly 100 home runs at Tiger Stadium and also 100 on the road. Doak Field at Dail Park upgrades (NC Wolfpack) Homer History At Tiger Stadium - The New York Times The unusual dimensions of the football field led to some odd happenings. On July 19, 1968, the Tigers trailed Baltimore 4-3 with one runner on and two out in the bottom of the ninth inning when Matchick, a .226 hitter, lofted a fly ball to right. 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. Three who did were Roberto Clemente in the 71 All-Star Game, Larry Herndon in 1983, and Mark McGwire in 1987. In the decade after the Tigers vacated the stadium, several rejected redevelopment and preservation efforts finally gave way to demolition. In 1955, right field returned to its 325-foot status. [17], Over the years, expansion continued to accommodate more spectators. [49], On May 2, 1939, ailing New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig voluntarily benched himself at Briggs Stadium, ending his streak of consecutive games at 2,130. 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. (Rumor was this came at the behest of the teams first star, Ty Cobb.) Returns & Exchanges The NFL Lions left University of Detroit Stadium to move downtown. The Longest Home Runs Ever Hit | HowStuffWorks Norm Cash hit the most Homeruns over the Stadium. Rogers Centre renovations Cecil Fielder takes a gingerly stroll on the roof of Tiger Stadium in 1993. A year later, he returned to the stadium and retained his crown with a 15-round decision over Lauren Dauthuille. Teams had to stand on the same sideline in right field. In 1945, Hank Greenberg belted a grand slam late in the season that not only won the game for Detroit, but clinched the pennant. Eric Chesterton At the time, some places in the outfield were only marked off with rope. I was there. In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Jackson crushed an outside fastball that eventually rang off of a transformer at the top of the stadium. 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. Although this is hard to imagine these days, the Lions were a very strong franchise in the 1950s, playing in three NFL title games in five seasons. 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. The seven-hour game is the second longest game in American League history. 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. In the decade after the Tigers vacated the stadium, several rejected redevelopment and preservation efforts finally gave way to demolition. [86] There was at one time also a sign on the enclosing fence labeling the site "Ernie Harwell Park". 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. In 1968, his last at-bat came there when he struck out in Game 5 of the World Series. [14], The stadium was seen in the 1980 feature film Raging Bull where it was the site of two of Jake LaMotta's championship boxing matches. Whitaker hit 146 homers at the old ballpark, most of them after he matured into a better power hitter in his late 20s. [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. A World Series victory in 1984 didnt seem to help. 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. [34], In 1999, its final season, only this ballpark and Bank One Ballpark had a dirt path that ran from the pitcher's mound to home plate. 2 others that hit the light towers. Historian Mark Gallagher estimated that the home run Mantle hit in September of 1960 at Tiger Stadium traveled a whopping 643 feet. Navin Field got a lot of play in the newsreels that winter but it was not the sort of publicity one desires. 10. Talk about luck, but wow were they wrong. It would be 16 innings before either team scored again. Most spectacular was Cash's performance in the doubleheader that June Sunday 60 years ago. Jackson blasts one to the roof at Tiger Stadium - SFGATE [2] In 1961, new owner John Fetzer took control of the stadium and gave it its final and longest-lasting name: Tiger Stadium. If you want a new roof on Tiger Stadium it will have to built from scratch. 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. There was a huge outcry from traditionalists that the ballpark needed be saved as a historical monument (it had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989). The ball actually sailed right over the right field roof of the ballpark, which is mind-boggling to contemplate. [74][75] By 2006, however, demolition appeared inevitable when then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced the stadium would be razed. Left field was 345 feet away while right field was a monstrous 370 feet down the line. Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates. [61], There were over 30 home runs hit onto the right field roof over the years. ORDER YOURS NOW! With regular first baseman Dan Meyer batting .192 with only two RBIs, the Tigers gave the job to Thompson early into the 1976 season. Some call this the longest home run ever hit. 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. The right-field fence sat just 325 feet from home plate, and Jackson wasn't the only man to leave the stadium entirely.But Mr. October's blast -- off then-Pirates ace Dock Ellis, no less -- was gargantuan by any measure: According to Home Run Tracker's estimate, the ball traveled 532 feet or at least it would have, had the base of the light tower on the right-field roof not gotten in its way. This is a true story and has been recorded in a magazine of tape measure home runs. Trammell hit 97 homers at Tiger Stadium, good for 11th all-time. Cecil was on 49, and I veered my car onto the exit to downtown Detroit and snatched up a ticket. Cecil signed an autograph for me the next year at the stadium, on my birthday in fact. Focus On Sport/Getty Images. (The front row of seats was just 55 feet behind home plate). In 1970, when ABC signed on to carry Monday Night Football on a weekly basis, the network came to Detroit to do a trial run at an exhibition game. In 1973, ground was broken for a stadium to exclusively house the Lions. Matt Monagan What do you get when you combine a block party and a baseball league? The Lions played football in Tiger Stadium from 1938 until the end of 1974, after which they moved into the Silverdome in Pontiac, a suburb over 30 miles away. [18] In 1977, the Tigers sold the stadium to the city of Detroit, which then leased it back to the Tigers. It was an effort by a local sports management company to bring a Frontier League franchise to Detroit. 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 . She is very accommodating and made me feel at home, especially since I was unaware they don't operate a standard retail shop. On June 11, 1961, Cash became the first Detroit Tiger to hit a home run ball out of Tiger Stadium. Shortly thereafter, the city of Detroit bought the park from the team for $1. Purchased a New Era Gruff Michigan Syaye hat, and I absolutely love it. Partially because of that incident, a pad was put in place on the flagpole. Comerica Park is NICE; Tiger Stadium was GREAT!!!! 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! Gibson hit 95, and Gehringer hit 92. Over the years, the distances gradually shortened down the lines. 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. *(previously Briggs Stadium & Navin Field), Most Homers hit by opposing players In 1895, Detroit had a team in the Western League, an eight-team loop that eventually melded into the American League. These were not temp help that knew nothing these were professionals who knew not just everything but were truly looking out for me. July 11, 2018. In the early 1970s, disgusted Detroit fans began to throw snowballs at the team bench from the upper-deck seats in right field. Dismiss, Copyright 2022 Vintage Detroit Collection, Spinnaker Center, 44692 Helm St, Plymouth. In September 1990, I was making the trip from Traverse City down to Toledo, Ohio, to visit my grandmother. [76] In June 2007, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation approved a plan to demolish the stadium, which needed approval from Detroit City Council. Shipping Service 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. [42], The Lions played their final game at Tiger Stadium on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1974 against the Denver Broncos. Ted Williams said Briggs Stadium had the best sight lines of any ballpark, and that was back when the interior was painted green. The Fighting Irish won, 406. Excited to work with Vintage Detroit on future orders. Its unique dimensions allowed fans to get closer than usual to the ballgame. , The Metropolitan Museum of Art has one of the best baseball card collections in the world thanks to one man, By Detroit's Police Athletic League (PAL) headquarters would relocate to the site and maintain the field. 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! 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. But the Yankees turned on their old nemesis, knocking him out with seven runs in two innings. 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. Theme: Envo Blog. It was my 1st game and we sat in the upper deck in left field. My sons still talk about it. I bet that was a great experience, seeing Killebrews home run. (In those days, home games were blacked out 75 miles from the site of competition. 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. Tettleton Hits Another Homer Out of Stadium; Tigers Win, 8-7 Longest home run ever: Farthest home run in MLB history, longest home 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. The last night at Tiger Stadium - The Athletic Fielder, 56, lives in Tampa, Florida, with his wife, Diana, and their son, Maksim. The old ballpark at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull in Detroits Corktown district was one of the games most unusual ballparks. [51][52], The stadium hosted the 1941, 1951 and 1971 MLB All-Star Games. The benches for both the Lions and their opponents were on the outfield side of the field. 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. Obviously those CF home runs had to be close to 500 feet to clear the wall at that point. Some opposing players seemed to shine at Tiger Stadium. [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). 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. On June 11, 1961, Cash became the first Detroit Tiger to hit a home run ball out of Tiger Stadium. In addition to the movie 61*, two other films Tiger Town and Hardball had scenes filmed there. It was the final Major League hit, home run, and RBI in Tiger Stadium's history. The third deck in right field would be 75 feet high and 375 feet from home plate. 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. . The bleachers had their own entrance, concession stands and restrooms. Bullying, racism, personal attacks, harassment, or discrimination is prohibited. 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. Stopped by Wed morning 7/6 and had the pleasure of dealing directly with Lynne. In 1949, he defeated Marcel Cerdan, winning on a knockout in the tenth round to win the World Middleweight crown. 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. Saturday, again on a national television hookup, Jackson cleared the roof with his 485th career homer to help the California Angels top the Tigers, 4-2. By Rhiannon Walker @InstantRHIplay. 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! No advertising or spamming is permitted. Development deal to include houses, preservation of field", "DETROIT NEXT STOP FOR REEVES' BASEBALL MOVIE", "Billy Crystal directing HBO docudrama on Maris and Mantle", "HBO revisits Mantle, Maris home-run race of '61", "Film shoots at Tiger Stadium ahead of demolition", "Briggs Stadium cartoon, undated | Digital Collection", "Eminem shoots 'Beautiful' video in Detroit", "Eminem's 'Beautiful' video tells Detroit's story too", "Hung: "Fat Off My Love or I'm the Allergen", "Mickey Coachrane Fired As Manager of Detroit Tigers", Aerial Views, Demolition of Tiger Stadium 2008 2009, A documentary on the battle to save Tiger Stadium, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tiger_Stadium_(Detroit)&oldid=1137426409, Artist Gene Mack, who drew a series of pictures of several figures and ballparks, mentioned a bone that, This page was last edited on 4 February 2023, at 16:20. Fielder didnt hit his 50th that night, but it remains one of my more memorable spontaneous moments. The Metropolitan Stadium Committee voted unanimously for the Pontiac site. In 2018, the site was redeveloped for youth sports. Cecil Fielder clears left field roof at Tiger Stadium. [48] The area was nicknamed "Cobb's Lake". Took everyones breath away. 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. I was a little concerned it would let look as good as I hoped, but when I put it on, I loved 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. To make the park appear like Yankee Stadium, the parks seats were painted green and a skyline of the Bronx was added. Mickey Mantle, 1960, 643 Feet. For medical advice, always consult your medical doctor. the Nearest to me was Vintage. To the Sports Editor: The Times reported that Cecil Fielder became the first Detroit player to hit a home run over the left-field roof at Tiger Stadium (''Fielder Belts Two as Tigers Rout A's, 14 . 59,203 fans attended the game, the largest crowd ever to see a football game at the Corner. Lou Gehrig said goodbye there. July 3rd, 1999 still stands as a milestone for Indians fans, who fondly remember the astounding home run that secured Jim Thome's place in MLB history. Detroit's (really) starry night: 50 years ago, 22 Hall of Famers came (The Cubs claimed their last World Series title there in 1908.) To Ilitchs credit, he paid for several renovations that kept the park looking reasonable in its final years. Cecil Fielder was only Tiger to clear Tiger Stadium's left-field roof Back to top. Monaghan sold the team to a pizza rival, Mike Ilitch, in 1992. A short while later I left with a new cap and a custom Fidrych T-shirt. 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. Cecil Fielder hits homerun over Tiger stadium roof. 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. 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. When Ted Williams cleared the roof at Briggs Stadium Hinchliffe Stadium renovations 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. OAK@DET: Cecil Fielder homers over Tiger Stadium roof However, in just about every case, it had been occurred due to a stadium conflict or for a special reason. His name? Park Dimensions: The dimensions of the park (in feet) including left, right and center field distance to each wall. By the 1970s, the ballpark was beginning to show its age. Cash hit the ball over Tiger Stadiums right field roof four times in his career. 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. Tiger Stadium (Detroit) | American Football Database | Fandom Thank you so much, I can't wait to wear my jersey to a Wings game! 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.. But there was nothing anybody could do. [73], There were many proposals to redevelop the site. Among major league parks whose construction predated the advent of night games, only Wrigley Field went longer without lights (1988). Field of Dreams ballpark (Dyersville, IA)