What does old Tiger Stadium site look like now?

**Catman** · December-19-10, 09:08 AM

How does the old Tiger Stadium site look like now? I live in Virginia so its not like I can just drive there to see for myself.

**East Detroit** · December-19-10, 09:22 AM

Looks like a field of grass and dirt, surrounded by a cyclone fence.

**Gannon** · December-19-10, 09:30 AM

When the weather is warmer, at all times of the day you may find families wandering about...and occasionally an impromptu pickup game on the old diamond.

There is a contingent of folk who have maintained the field...much to the chagrin of a few police officers who seem to need to clamp down on the potential for fun.

It is a huge field of dreams, dashed by a corrupt administration's rush for profit from scrapped metals and kickbacks. Many will not let it fade away into mere memory.

I considered the stadium the other day, and while saddened by its loss...immediately I remembered that one fellow holding his infant while leading a toddler around...pointing to things that used to be. Later on, I saw them tossing a baseball around the infield. That memory dampens the sadness...washes it away, ever so bittersweetly.

**The_One** · December-19-10, 09:52 AM

**detroittrader** · December-19-10, 11:28 AM

I took these in the fall:

**Hamtragedy** · December-19-10, 12:00 PM

The "authorities" cut the cable on the flag pole in center field, so no one could raise a flag on it, as someone did opening day 2010. I imagine that, come hell or high water, the stars & stripes will fly there again, opening day 2011.

**daddeeo** · December-19-10, 02:57 PM

That site looks like a lot like the rest of the city...abandoned.

**CLAUDE G** · December-19-10, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Hamtragedy

The "authorities" cut the cable on the flag pole in center field, so no one could raise a flag on it, as someone did opening day 2010. I imagine that, come hell or high water, the stars & stripes will fly there again, opening day 2011.

I was at the MGM Grand Casino last night at 4:30 AM last night, and I could clearly see the Flag at Tiger Stadium flying high all lit up from the parking structure.

FYI, the cable to raise the flag was replaced back at the end of September and ever since then, there has been a 20x30 flag flying there ever since and its even lit at night.

Unless someone cut the cable between 4:30AM and 5PM today it should still be flying.

**Ray1936** · December-19-10, 03:06 PM

Looks like it might be a great spot to sell hay.

**HV-Rob** · December-19-10, 04:18 PM

I also have a few photos from last month here as well as a before-and-after of the site of the Olympia.

**CLAUDE G** · December-19-10, 05:18 PM

Here is a picture from 2 days ago...

**CLAUDE G** · December-19-10, 05:20 PM

Here is the picture from night...

**daddeeo** · December-19-10, 08:00 PM

That part is a beautiful sight to see!!!

**Carey** · December-19-10, 09:27 PM

Why is the site fenced? Has anyone in power ever explained?

**CLAUDE G** · December-19-10, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by Carey

Why is the site fenced? Has anyone in power ever explained?

To keep us from stealing the historic dirt from the infield!

The gate is actually open, but there is an issue with people taking dirt from pitchers mound.

**BrushStart** · December-19-10, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by CLAUDE G

To keep us from stealing the historic dirt from the infield!

The gate is actually open, but there is an issue with people taking dirt from pitchers mound.

People are stealing dirt? Seriously?! That has got to be a new low, even for the scrappers.

**CLAUDE G** · December-20-10, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

People are stealing dirt? Seriously?! That has got to be a new low, even for the scrappers.

Im serious!

I was over there just about every weekend last summer helping fix up the grounds, and there was never any dirt on the pitchers mound.

People would literally come there to visit, and scoop up a hand full of dirt and take it home in a cup or a little plastic baggie.

We would put down a bag of fresh clay one week, and it would be completely gone the next week. The people out there who think they got authentic dirt, have no idea that the 100 year old historic dirt they thought they where scooping up was just put down the week before.

It got so bad, we where thinking of putting up a sign asking people not to steal it.

**smogboy** · December-20-10, 02:04 AM

Originally Posted by BrushStart

People are stealing dirt? Seriously?! That has got to be a new low, even for the scrappers.

For sentiment sake, who wouldn't want to scoop up some dirt that they think Jack Morris, Mark Fidrych, Mickey Lolich, or some other MLB pitcher once stood on? It's a touching thought but little do they realize that most of that dirt is removed, replaced, and re-sculpted after every season.

It's a touching tribute to a place that held so many good memories for people.

DetroitDad · December-20-10, 01:23 AM

Originally Posted by Carey

Why is the site fenced? Has anyone in power ever explained?

Isn't that the same fence that they put up during demolition?

**CLAUDE G** · December-20-10, 02:56 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitDad

Isn't that the same fence that they put up during demolition?

No, there was actually 3 fences installed during the demolition.

Keep in mind that the Stadium went right up to the sidewalk, so the very first fence they installed was a temporary fence that was bolted in the middle of the sidewalk. In addition they also completely fenced off Cochran Ave between the Freeway and Michigan Ave as a place to park the demolition equipment.

After they completed the partial demolition in October 2008 on Trumbull ave, the temporary fence was removed from the middle of the sidewalk and another temporary fence was installed at the edge of the sidewalk.

When the final demolition was completed in October 2009, a 3rd and final fence was installed about 2 feet behind the temporary fence and Cochran ave was open again like it is today.

The only fence they did not touch was the chainlink fence on the freeway side where the old players parking lot used to be, and the Iron gates along Michigan Ave.

If you look at the photo above, that is the fence on the Freeway, which is the origional fence that was installed around 1992 when Illitch built the food court and moved the players parking lot to the back of the building.

The city paid to fence in the place 3 times, what a waste of money!

**blackmath** · December-20-10, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by Carey

Why is the site fenced? Has anyone in power ever explained?

It remains fenced for the usual chickenshit liability laws that pervade society - "It's private property and if someone hurts themselves they could sue" - this is because a field of grass with a flagpole is SUCH a deathtrap [[?).

Like countless others, I saw my first major league game there. The memory of emerging from the darkness of the stands and looking out onto that green, sunlit grass is something I'll carry with me forever.

**Khartoum** · December-20-10, 08:06 AM

I'm glad that they have slowed down on redeveloping the lot. I know they said they were in a huge rush to tear down Tiger Stadium because they NEEDED, HAD TO HAVE, that lot for pending development...but it seems that the current vacant lot attracts a lot of people and gives visitors a reason to get off the freeway in Detroit.

I know personally that I am looking forward to visiting the site soon.

**softailrider** · December-21-10, 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by blackmath

It remains fenced for the usual chickenshit liability laws that pervade society - "It's private property and if someone hurts themselves they could sue" - this is because a field of grass with a flagpole is SUCH a deathtrap [[?).

Like countless others, I saw my first major league game there. The memory of emerging from the darkness of the stands and looking out onto that green, sunlit grass is something I'll carry with me forever.

The place was magical, it had an atmosphere that Comerica Park couldn't even begin to touch.

**Magnatomicflux** · December-21-10, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by blackmath

Like countless others, I saw my first major league game there. The memory of emerging from the darkness of the stands and looking out onto that green, sunlit grass is something I'll carry with me forever.

Just think blackmath, how incredibly lucky we were as Canadians to be able to have such a landmark, a real peice of roaring, deafening history so very close to home. We are the last in a long line of folks who will have ever had the privilage to step foot in that wonderful old building, to smell its smells, to see its sights, to touch its walls. My only wish is that I had brought a camera with me.

**blackmath** · December-21-10, 06:15 AM

Talking about regrets -- my second game ever at Tiger Stadium was on September 18th, 1996. It was a night game and it was totally freezing. I was there with my mom and a friend of hers from work along with just a small crowd, maybe 5000 people at that game to see a pretty much washed up Roger Clemens and the Red Sox face the hometown boys.

Clemens was warming up in the visiting bullpen and I was down on the sideline to get a few autographs. I was looking to get a few of the Red Sox's autographs after getting Bobby Higginson, Jose Lima's and Travis Fryman's a while before. I see Mo Vaughn and politely ask him to sign my program and he takes one look at it and my Tigers ballcap and says "wrong team, kid" and walks off. Just then, I turn away and walk up the stairs to where we were sitting and I look back over my shoulder to see Roger Clemens signing autographs for a few people gathered there. "He sucks" I thought to myself and I went and took my seat, nursing a hot chocolate.

Had I known he'd go on to strike out 20 Tigers that night I would have had him sign my unripped ticket I had in my pocket that was meant for a friend of mine who decided not to go to the game with us... I still have the ticket, but every time I look at it I cringe.

Regrets.