  Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 984 Registered: 11-2005 |
Thoughts and photos here: http://callmequami.livejournal .com/152990.html | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 1262 Registered: 11-2003 |
Good Schitt | ||
Jjw Member Username: Jjw Post Number: 498 Registered: 10-2005 |
great contribution--thank you | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1915 Registered: 10-2006 |
"The guy told us the orange ones, where we often sat, were too rusted and weather-worn to sell" Guess that makes sense. They were pretty much the only ones not covered by some roof or something. | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 985 Registered: 11-2005 |
Exactly, Charlotte. He said they were rusted so badly, you couldn't even pull them down. He said the leftover seats might be sold to a minor league baseball park. Perhaps that one they're building near that mall in the suburbs? Also, the reason why they didn't hose down the seats before shipping them: There is no water in the park. All utilities have been shut off long ago. That makes sense. | ||
Ragtoplover59 Member Username: Ragtoplover59 Post Number: 147 Registered: 09-2006 |
Thanks for sharing. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 6244 Registered: 11-2004 |
Brings a tear to my eye. It's like seeing an older relative you hadn't seen in years and now they're older, wrinkled and closer towards death's door. | ||
Taj920 Member Username: Taj920 Post Number: 263 Registered: 01-2004 |
The sooner they blast that dump out of existence, the better. | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 989 Registered: 11-2005 |
We're talking about Tiger Stadium, not your house, Taj. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2552 Registered: 10-2003 |
Interesting that nobody has mentioned their memories of the Lions playing at Tiger Stadium... As a youngster, I remember only going to a handful of Tigers games because our family had Lions season tickets from 1958 through their last season there in 1971 or '72, so we attended many more Lions games than Tigers games. Our seats were in the right field lower deck, Section 37, Row L, Seats 1-3, so we were behind the Lions bench. I remember watching quarterbacks keeping their arm warm, tossing the ball on the sidelines, waiting to go back into the game. I remember frigid weather, all bundled up, keeping warm with our glass thermos bottles filled with hot chocolate, skin and all. I remember Santa Claus making an appearance after the Parade on Thanksgiving Day. I remember when Chuck Hughes collapsed on the field and we heard the news of his death on the radio on our way home. I remember Bill Munson, Greg Landry, Lem Barney, Mel Farr, Joe Schmidt, Mike Lucci, Larry Hand, Gail Cogsdill, Alex Karras, Darris McCord, Charlie Sanders, Mike Weger, Tommy Vaughn, Joe Don Looney, Pat Studstill, and others. Well, we didn't move with the Lions to the Silverdome and have only been to a handful of Lions games in the intervening years, although I watch them on TV or listen to them on the radio nearly every game they play. Back to the Tigers...the first game I remember attending at Tiger Stadium was around 1969. Of course I listened to the Tigers starting at the end of the 1967 pennant race, and then all through the 1968 season as they won the AL Pennant and then the World Series. So sometime the following season we had occasion to attend a game...against the Yankees. Our seats were upper deck over first base where all I remember seeing is this curly black mane of long hair...it was Yankees 1st baseman Joe Pepitone! I don't really recall going to another Tigers game until the 1981 strike season when the strike ended and the Tigers had open practice. We went down to watch and were hooked! As a young married couple, we often went to a Sunday afternoon game on the spur of the moment. Then during the 1984 working downtown, it was easy to head over to the ballpark after work and get bleacher tickets with friends from the office. I don't know exactly how many games I went to that season. One stands out...late in the season...a rain delay that went on for a couple of hours before they finally called the game, and rescheduled it for the following afternoon, so I took off work to go back. I believe Kirk Gibson won that game for us in the bottom of the 9th with a walk-off HR! We also managed to snag tickets for the game against KC where we won the pennant as well as Game 5 of the World Series. That was a magical time! Later when our kids were young we took them to games as often as possible, in the days when you could easily hang around the dugouts watching batting practice and getting photos and autographs. And we made sure that we went as a family to the last Sunday home game at the old ballpark...now a treasured memory. I took lots of photos during that last season. And have gone around the exterior a few times during the last 18 months to document the details. Hey Rawk! Thanks for the photos! I certainly would love to have had the opportunity that you and your bro had! | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2163 Registered: 01-2005 |
I remember back about the 1964 Police Field Day held at the Stadium. They had a tight-rope walker as part of the show, and he wasn't a very good tight-rope walker. Half way through his schtick he lost it and fell about 70 feet to the right field grass. Broke his neck, and he was DOA at the old Detroit Receiving Hospital on St. Antoine. Kathleen's thought about Chuck Hughes death booted up that old memory. | ||
Whithorn11446 Member Username: Whithorn11446 Post Number: 163 Registered: 03-2007 |
"1958 through their last season there in 1971 or '72" The Lions last season at Tiger Stadium was in 1974. The last game at Tiger Stadium was on Thanksgiving Day(November 28) when they lost to Denver 31-27. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 4284 Registered: 10-2003 |
Whoa... Ray with another killer post, no pun intended. Just when I thought I had heard every bizarre Detroit story you pull out the tightrope walker tragedy. I can just imagine the collective gasp. The only tight rope walkers I knew that came down in the D were the Wallendas. Everybody hopes to get a foul ball. My philosophy is that you have to play for the rebound because it will never come to you. Right? One day I was in the first row upper deck above the Boston dugout and there, contrary to my philosophy, was the ball dropping straight to my bare hands, a foul ball off Don Baylor's bat, spinning like a top. I tried; I muffed it, and someone else celebrated the rebound while I got booed. Rhymeswithrawk had a better day. Thanks for the pics. | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 994 Registered: 11-2005 |
Don Baylor was a jerk like that, Lowell. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2553 Registered: 10-2003 |
Well, it wasn't a foul ball that got me, it was a batting practice home run. I had won tickets to the Tigers-Kansas City 1984 AL Playoffs game (which the Tigers won to win the pennant). We went early and found our seats in the left field lower deck. Wanting to take a few photos, I was standing in row 2 right behind the fence. Lance Parrish was taking batting practice when he hit a ball that had home run written all over it! And it was coming right at me! The problem was that it was a crowded area., plus I had my camera around my neck to shoot pictures, so no baseball glove for catching a ball. Nonetheless, to protect myself, I put my hand up, and probably would have caught it if I had been wearing my glove, but it was hit hard...very hard. And of course it hurt so bad that I had no chance of catching it. A couple of guys fought over it. I went to First Aid for an icepack!! The Tigers won the game...so I wore that badge of honor proudly for a couple of days! Thanks, Whithorn11446, for the dates of the last Lions game in Tiger Stadium. The last memorable Lions game there for me was the 1971 Monday Night game against the Vikings. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 2029 Registered: 01-2004 |
Two words: Nelson Mandela. That was my favorite visit to the park. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2000 Registered: 11-2003 |
Great posts!! Kathleen goes to the front of the class. As a kid I got to see Hank Greenberg a few times (#5 is my favorite number.) Favorite pitcher? Freddie Hutchinson. George Vico doing the "splits" at first base as he reached for the ball,( I still have a baseball glove exactly like his and which was later banned by the League) and, of course, Harry Heilmann announcing those games on radio,sponsored by Goebel Beer, beginning every broadcast with "It's a beautiful day from Brigg's stadium" regardless of the weather. During college, I saw my fraternity brother, Bill Roman, go through his try out with the Tigers,looked pretty good, got signed, but a guy named Norm Cash beat him out at first base. Then there was Bobby Lane doing amazing things on the football field, my high school class mate, Tom (The Bomb) Tracy even looking pretty sharp the short time he played. In later years, Terry Barr ( U of M) did his thing with the Lions. What a class guy,too. Sad to say I was there when Chuck Hughes collapsed during the Bears game, and I have never, never heard a quieter crowd for the rest of the game and when we all filed out. I don't even remember who won. Then there were the Goodfellow games, the Police-Firemans Field Day ( great tug of war),an Emily (Say Nice Things About Detroit)Fun-Run when we got to run into the stadium and around the outfield. So many memories from the old ball park, and not a bad way to commemorate my 2,000th Post on the Forum. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 4286 Registered: 10-2003 |
Hey congrats to the Rock on 2000 ~quality~ and charming posts and celebrating it with another great post. | ||
Gingellgirl Member Username: Gingellgirl Post Number: 70 Registered: 04-2007 |
First visit to the stadium was to see the Lions vs. Colts (Baltimore, not Indianapolis) Nov. 20, 1966. Dad and I sat in the right field upper deck with the wind blowing right at us. Colder than hell. Dad bought me a cocoa to keep warm. The Lions won 20 - 14 and I got to see Johnny Unitas play. Don Shula was the coach. Alex Karras played for the Lions. But best memory was the day of the last Tigers game, waiting with thousands of others outside the gates at Michigan and Cochrane. My two and a half year old daughter on my shoulders, and she sang all of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." When she finished, the crowd cheered. It was magic. Thanks for the look around, Rhymeswithrawk. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 610 Registered: 11-2005 |
With me the stadium was almost like a brother that I would see at least once a week. With my father heading up the Tiger Stadium Fan Club for 13 years of my life, I also spent those years trying to save the stadium. Almost every home game, my mom, dad, sister, and I would be at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. I was only 6 when I started passing out flyers and yelling at the top of my lungs "Save Tiger Stadium". If we were lucky we would stop by the second or third inning and go into the upper deck and watch a game. I remember watching Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Kirby Pucket, Robin Yount, Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield, and of course the perennial favorites like Lou, Tram, Chet, Jack, Kirk and my sister's favorites like Walkenfaus and Bergman. In Sept 99' it was kind of a surreal month, I had just graduated from high school and decided to go on a 122 mile hike out in the Sierra Nevada’s. I remember hiking and realizing I will probably never get to go to the corner again and it was like I lost something that had always been part of my life. On the plane home from LA there was a guy about my age flying to see the last games at the stadium decked out in LA Dodgers Gibby gear. I realized I might have on last shot at seeing the stadium on last time. When my dad picked me up at 7 am we headed not home but straight to the stadium where my dad was interviewed by ABC national news it was great to be home. where I had spent much of my youth. I made it to the last two games at the stadium and sat right next to a pole in right field. I remember the electricity and the energy in there that I hadn't really felt since 87'. People were doing the wave and it was quite simply one of the greatest and worst nights of my life because I knew that era of my life was coming to an end. Thanks for this Rhymes. | ||
Paulmcall Member Username: Paulmcall Post Number: 496 Registered: 05-2004 |
My favorite trip to the park was Alan Trammell's last game as a Tiger (1996 I think) My daughter was small and she got Terry Francona to give her a ball that rolled to the left field wall. He reached over the fence and handed it to her. At that same moment, my teen age son grabbed a ball from a scrum of kids in the lower left field stands. Trammell had hit a batting practice homer and my son got it. I actually had a camera and got a shot of them with their baseballs. My daughter also received a game jersey from Kamera Bartee after the game. It was give way day at the park. Trammell had a brief ceremony after the game. Even though I never got a souvenir from all the years I went to Tiger Stadium, my three kids all got baseballs (two in one game). That made be happier than if I ever got one. | ||
Rfick42 Member Username: Rfick42 Post Number: 2 Registered: 07-2007 |
how do you get in? I've jumped the fence on Michigan where the gate is but theres a chain link to the ceiling once you walk up the ramp on the south side. is there any other entrance? are they ever going to open it up to the public for one last look? is there someone i can bribe? i know il regret it forever if i dont get one last look from the inside | ||
Zxzm Member Username: Zxzm Post Number: 49 Registered: 10-2007 |
rawk, how'd you get in? | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 6277 Registered: 11-2004 |
One of my fondest moments was the last week the grand ballpark was still opened. I couldn't get tickets to the finale but it was within the last series there. The warm feelings were abound and people were flocking to see the place one more time. We had parked across the freeway in one of the neighborhood lots and we had to walk across the bridge. We had gotten there with just enough time to spare to get in, situated and see the beginning of the game, but on the way there- I saw one of the most touching moments in all of Tigers history for me. Walking slowly, VERY slowly was this 80+ year old woman across the same bridge we had to take. On either side of her were her adult sons cradling their mother as she made each arduous step to the ball park. We made some small talk as we approached and side-stepped them. She was in great spirits. She said that she HAD to make it to Tiger Stadium just one more time. It was obviously a place of great reverence to her. Each step looked pained and yet her boys were there with her every step of the way. Seeing her grit and determination to make it to a mundane little thing like a ballgame- along with her sons made me realize how much this ball park meant to people. I have no idea whether she made it there before the beginning of the game or not, but I'm sure she got there. Why her sons didn't park closer to the stadium and made the walk shorter was beyond me as well, but they made the trek as a family. Good times were had by a LOT of people here, and not just during the championship years. People will always consider Tiger Stadium to be magical. | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 36 Registered: 08-2007 |
when the tigers left i knew the place was history, i went down there when 61* was filmed, i realized what bo ment about rusty girders. i,d rather think of the good times there not of my visit to yankee stadium at the corner of mich & trumbull | ||
Rickinatlanta Member Username: Rickinatlanta Post Number: 117 Registered: 07-2006 |
I was lucky enough to actually play center field for my high school team that made the Catholic City Championship Game that was played at Tiger Stadium in 1969! I recall running out to what was "normal depth" for playing center at the high school level, looking in back of me and seeing another 150 feet to go to the center field wall at 440! I struck out twice and made asn error in center when I tripped on a sprinkler head fielding a single! I've got the clippings and film on super 8..... | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 6286 Registered: 11-2004 |
What a thrill that must've been Rickinatlanta! I'm sure you weren't the only person intimidated by the dimensions of the place. I've heard major leaguers cringe the first time they step out there as well. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5586 Registered: 11-2003 |
Thanks for the great post 2,000 Rock. jjaba will send you a gift for being a double centurian. jjaba took his girlfriend to Briggs Stadium and sat high up in Section 23 behind first base during a day game in April. It was colder than a Drayton Plains well digger's ass. jjaba kissed her on the strikes, and she kissed him on the balls. It was fine day at the ballpark, walking over from Cass Tech. on a nice Spring day. Then, we took the Grand River electric feeder bus home, jjaba off at Oakman and girlfriend going out to Greenfield. jjaba, lovely memories at the ballpark, 1958. | ||
Sciencefair Member Username: Sciencefair Post Number: 10 Registered: 10-2007 |
There was limited public access to the stadium during the sale of the remaining auction items last week at Gate 8 (75 & Trumbull). I believe Tuesday was the last day of the sale. | ||
Dds Member Username: Dds Post Number: 435 Registered: 10-2006 |
quote: Technically, a double centurion is only about 160. quote: Your girlfriend must have been as sick and tired of going to ballgames and kissing you on the balls as I am having to hear about it. |
