Cecil Fielder hits homerun over Tiger stadium roof. For the film, computer-generated visual effects were used to make Tiger Stadium resemble Yankee Stadium in 1961. To make the park appear like Yankee Stadium, the parks seats were painted green and a skyline of the Bronx was added. [62][64][65] Following the game, an emotional ceremony with past and present Tigers greats was held to mark the occasion. The ballparks history actually dated back to 17 years before its generally accepted debut. From the day it opened in 1912, until the final game in September of 1999, Tiger Stadium was witness to more home runs than any other ballpark in baseball. 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!). Singles by Mullin, Jimmy Bloodworth, and pinch-hitter Anse Moore plated another run for the Tigers in the seventh. [2] By 1938, the city had agreed to move Cherry Street, allowing the left-field seats to be double-decked, and the now-renamed Briggs Stadium had a capacity of 53,000. Obviously those CF home runs had to be close to 500 feet to clear the wall at that point. As I approached the area I quickly realized I was in more an industrial & commercial area then retail. Source: wikimedia.org. [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. Cecil Fielder was only Tiger to clear Tiger Stadiums left-field roof. With the OPEN sign light I though well came all this way just aswell give it a try and am I glad I did. In 1945, Hank Greenberg belted a grand slam late in the season that not only won the game for Detroit, but clinched the pennant. By: WBRZ Sports. 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 . Location: Heritage Park. 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. Where is Rocky Colviato (spelling) on the list? In 1911, new Tigers owner Frank Navin ordered a new steel-and-concrete baseball park on . [39][40] The football field ran mostly in the outfield from the right field line to left center field parallel with the third base line. Tiger Stadium (formerly known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium) was a stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. [76] In June 2007, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation approved a plan to demolish the stadium, which needed approval from Detroit City Council. Michael Clair [71][72] It was also shown at the inaugural National Baseball Hall of Fame Film Festival in November 2006. A short while later I left with a new cap and a custom Fidrych T-shirt. 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. [14], In 1895, Detroit Tigers owner George Vanderbeck had a new ballpark built at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues. 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. Privacy Policy On October 24, 1971, Chuck Hughes, a 27-year-old wide receiver for Detroit, suddenly collapsed on the field at the end of a play. Six years later, Cecil Fielder hit a moonshot over the left field roof on his way to 51 homers that season. (In those days, home games were blacked out 75 miles from the site of competition. 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. [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. [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. On November 28, 1974, the Lions played their last game at Tiger Stadium. No advertising or spamming is permitted. 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. 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. Before Reggie Jackson. Navin Field opened on April 20, 1912, the same day as the Boston Red Sox's Fenway Park. Tiger Stadium was sold to the city of Detroit on January 1, 1978 for $1.00 and leased back for 30 years. Aaron Judge (2017) - 513 feet in Miami There were many famous home runs hit there, such as Babe Ruths 700th, and the walkoff homer by Ted Williams in the 1941 All-Star Game. briggs stadium, detroit, detroit tigers, michigan, mlb, national league, navin field, tiger stadium. [70] Anheuser-Busch promoted the event as Tiger Stadium's Last Call. (Nobody ever knew for sure just close of a target that upper deck really was. [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. Many fans were saddened when the last game was played at "The Corner". [4] A week into demolition, it was announced that the field, foul poles, and flagpole would be preserved. A year later, Tiger Stadium was in the national spotlight when Denny McLain became the first pitcher in 31 years to win 30 games. . In the early 1970s, disgusted Detroit fans began to throw snowballs at the team bench from the upper-deck seats in right field. Berry lay injured while Horton, who was hardly fleet afoot, circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run. But Jackson, trying hard to make fans . Robinson flung his glove into the stands in disgust. When did the Detroit Tigers Stadium get demolished? 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. July 11, 2018. Football at Tiger Stadium was an adventure. Have we seen the last fastball from Zumaya as a Tiger? Partially because of that incident, a pad was put in place on the flagpole. 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. 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! Such was life at The Corner.). Bill Freehan deserves special mention in that he hit exactly 100 home runs at Tiger Stadium and also 100 on the road. The 1999 Tigers finished with a 69-92 record, but it felt like the stands were always full. Climb up to the roof and look around, Fenecksaid in 1999, the Tigers final summer at The Corner, and you wont believe how high and hard they have to hit the ball to do that.. Although they only won six pennants during their tenure there, the hometown Tigers were often an interesting team with individual stars. The final act came on September 27, 1999. [88][89][90] Construction of the project began in June 2016. The ball was hit over the roof in right field and accross Wentworth avenue. [61], There were over 30 home runs hit onto the right field roof over the years. All in all, however, the ballpark had a helluva good run. A 125-foot flagpole stood just to the left of the 440-foot sign in dead center field. Fetzer sold the team to a pizza magnate, Tom Monaghan. Good article. Tiger Stadium was sold to the city of Detroit on January 1, 1978 for $1.00 and leased back for 30 years. 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. Baseball commissioner Judge Landis ordered Medwick off the field for his own safety. 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. One of those occurred on June 24, 1962. Unlike some teams that played in baseball parks, the Lions made no attempt to cover the infield. He was also adept at hitting the ball out down the left field line, a trait later adopted by Willie Horton and Lance Parrish. The Lions abandoned it for the Pontiac Silverdome. On September 28, 1964, the league scheduled Detroit to host Green Bay on a Monday night. None had occurred since 1955. Its unique dimensions allowed fans to get closer than usual to the ballgame. [2] In the 1971 All-Star Game, Reggie Jackson hit a ball off a transformer in deep right-center field that left the bat so fast that all TV could catch was its return trip to earth. Over the years, the distances gradually shortened down the lines. Once or twice a year, an outfielder would have to go behind the pole to chase an errant hit. It seemed like Rusty Staub hit more than his fair share of those, and Dave Bergman too. PNC Park upgrades He frantically signaled to the sidelines to get help for Hughes. After the game, it was revealed Hughes had passed away from a heart attack. 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. The new owner gave the old ballpark one last shot, adding a plaza of souvenir and food stands in the old players parking lot. [71] Funded by local businessman and ardent stadium supporter Peter Comstock Riley, and directed by Gary Glaser, it earned solid reviews and won three Telly awards and two Emmy awards for the film's writer and co-producer, Richard Bak, a local journalist and the author of two books about the stadium. Mickey Mantle: On September 10, 1960, the Yankee slugger hit a home run out of Tiger Stadium against Frank Lary. This would be hard to believe but I actually called the shot. [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. 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. [31][32][33], Tiger Stadium featured an upper and lower deck bleacher section that was separated from the rest of the stadium. 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. In his first professional season, 1975, he batted .324 with 10 home runs and 38 runs batted in for the Southern League's Montgomery Rebels. (For one season 1954 the Tigers shortened right field to 302 feet. 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. New Salt Lake Bees ballpark Minnesotas Harmon Killebrew had been the first in 1962, followed six years later by Washingtons Frank Howard. For the current stadium of the Detroit Tigers, see, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, 1999 Detroit Tigers season Final game at Tiger Stadium, "Tiger Stadium still holds a special place in hearts of fans", "Sept. 21, 2009: The day Tiger Stadium died", "Bennett Park/Navin Field/Briggs Stadium/Tiger Stadium", "50 Years ago Briggs Stadium was Renamed Tiger Stadium", "National Register of Historic Places MICHIGAN (MI), Wayne Country", "First pitch thrown at former Tiger Stadium site, now home to youth league", "April 28, 1896: There used to be a hay market here: Detroit Tigers open Bennett Park", "April 20, 1912: Frank Navin's field of dreams opens in Detroit", "Tigers say Detroit is prime stadium site", "Old Tiger Stadium's famed flagpole gets new life", "Detroit Tigers: 10 Things You May Not Know About Comerica Park", "June 15, 1948: 'Look at your wonderful lights here': Tigers win first night game in Detroit", "The Game That Was NotPhiladelphia Phillies at Chicago Cubs, August 8, 1988", "Remembering old Tiger Stadium and its final game", "In pictures: Remembering the Tigers' original home in Detroit", "1957 Detroit Lions: What happened each game during championship season", "Tiger Stadium History, Photos & More of the former NFL stadium of the Detroit Lions", "FORMER PONTIAC SILVERDOME . Jackson dropped his bat and watched it sail, seemingly astonished of his own power. I ended up buy a very nice winter Tiger jacket and as I tried it on and decided on it they noticed a very minor blemish on the back and quickly informed me I had a hard time even seeing it & probably would have never noticed it. I was a little concerned it would let look as good as I hoped, but when I put it on, I loved it. And on September 27, 1999, with flashbulbs popping, Robert Fick hit the final home run at The Corner, a grand slam in the last game at Tiger Stadium. 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. It just shows that, when you buy a ticket to a game, you just might witness a bit of history. Cecil signed an autograph for me the next year at the stadium, on my birthday in fact. In 1977, a fire wiped out the press box. At the end of its life, it had the shortest right-field and longest center-field distance in major-league baseball. Canseco, McGuire and Trammell also hit homers that day as well as another blast by Fielder. His name? Robert Fick hit a grand-slam homer to help Detroit to an 8-2 win over Kansas City. I was there. Cecil Fielder watches his home run out of Tiger Stadium - YouTube We sat down with Cecil Fielder and had him take us through his iconic roof-clearing home run vs. the A's in 1991.. /news/1567868500869-kirk-gibson-hits-home-run-clear-over-tiger-stadium-roof-video [62], 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. The company pioneered in the use of reinforced concrete and built municipal and industrial facilities throughout the country. highlights - the Tigers 1984 miracle season, and the stadium's most famous home run: a mammoth home run by Reggie Jackson off a light tower atop the right-field roof during the 1971 All-Star Game - and lowlights, such as October 9, 1934, when in the sixth inning of Game Seven of the World It was the 29th home run to clear the roof in right field. Left Field and Right Field hitting averages: Data displaying the left and right field averages for each statistic, with 1.00 being the average. Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates. Center field was even farther 467 feet. Returns & Exchanges Tiger Stadium (formerly known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium) was a stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. The Home Run Encyclopedia gives an account of one of Ruth's longest drives and one of the longest hit ever. 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. (Thirteen years earlier, he was the only player ever to homer over the center-field bleachers, which consisted of one deck at the time.) Focus On Sport/Getty Images. . Detroit reliever Terry Fox threw eight scoreless innings of relief. FAQ. Purchased a New Era Gruff Michigan Syaye hat, and I absolutely love it. [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). 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. The green box was considered a home-run haven. That ball is measured at 634 . [93][94], In the summer of 2000, the HBO movie 61* was filmed at Tiger Stadium. Be respectful even if you disagree. My sons still talk about it. Watched Harmons HR shot go over the left field stands-right over the top of me-I was working as a stand-boy out in left field and got a break to go out and and watch part of the gamemy only comment was WOW! Proudly powered by WordPress | Cash hit the ball over Tiger Stadiums right field roof four times in his career. 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. *(previously Briggs Stadium & Navin Field), Most Homers hit by opposing players On August 16, 1927 Ruth hit his famous "roof topper" home run at Comiskey Park. The Fighting Irish won, 406. Eric Chesterton In left field, outfielders were known to jump up on the auxiliary scoreboard, grab the screen and reach several feet over the fence. It was an effort by a local sports management company to bring a Frontier League franchise to Detroit. Prince Fielder hit a home run there during batting practice when he was a 12-year old and his dad was playing for the Tigers. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Date: 1999. Or the blast off Gibsons bat that landed on the roof of the lumber yard across Trumbull Avenue. 8/25/90: Cecil Fielder's home run bounces over the roof in left field at Tiger StadiumCheck out http://MLB.com/video for more!About MLB.com: About MLB.com: B. AboutPressCopyrightContact. He hit some long HRs at Tiger Stadium. The stadium's demolition was completed on September 21, 2009, though the stadium's actual playing field remains at the corner where the stadium stood. Lynn worked with me to swap out to something similar excellent customer service. [73], There were many proposals to redevelop the site. 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 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. Trammell hit 97 homers at Tiger Stadium, good for 11th all-time. Thank you so much, I can't wait to wear my jersey to a Wings game! Some managers felt a line should be drawn on the pole and that any ball hit above the line would be a home run. Awesome article Dan as usual! [49][50] On July 13, 1934 at the stadium, Ruth hit his 700th career home run off Tigers' pitcher Tommy Bridges. While with the Red Sox he hit one home run to dead center at the 488 foot marker. It was my 1st game and we sat in the upper deck in left field. [48], On July 18, 1921, Babe Ruth hit what is believed to be the longest verified home run in Major League Baseball history. Winning pitcher Jim Bouton tossed seven scoreless innings for the victory. Please seek professional guidance. By the time Detroit's 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. By the 1970s, the ballpark was beginning to show its age. The overhang would occasionally turn some extremely high arced fly balls into home runs. - LSU blasted four home runs and collected 20 hits to propel the #1 ranked Tigers to a 26-4 victory over Central Connecticut State Saturday afternoon inside . The group reunited for their Alive/Worldwide tour. Frank Navin, who bought the team in 1908, was a man with big ideas.